Fire extinguishers provide protection from fire. A small localized incident in which fire spreads quickly tile the rescue service arrives, and puts life, property, and environment everything at risk.

Fire extinguishers come with first-aid fire-fighting capability, during fire incidents.

Fire extinguishers require proper maintenance. For instance, if the fire extinguisher’s safety pin gets corroded, then the pin cannot be removed, and hence fire extinguisher becomes inoperable.

A fire extinguisher must be checked annually by a competent technician, with relevant training, experience, qualifications, equipment, tools, and access to components and refills, that identifies and rectifies the issues. It also involves cleaning, lubricating, and replacing the safety pin if needed.

An extinguisher technician performs a stringent 20-point check, before ensuring it is safe to use.

He or she can identify if an extinguisher has reached end-of-life, before it stops working, gets worse or becomes a danger to the life of employees.

Water Fire Extinguishers

Water extinguishers are usually red-coded extinguishers. They are utilized for controlling fire caused by wood, rubber, solid plastics, igniter paper, and soft furnishings. Water fire extinguishers function by spraying water from the spray nozzle, which helps in covering a larger surface area.

Water extinguishers are the least hazardous, least expensive and easy to maintain, as they contain water. They extinguish the fire by soaking it and burning materials with water.

They are found in offices, shops, schools, hotels, retail premises, warehouses, and domestic premises. They come with spray or jet nozzles.

Water Mist Extinguishers

Water mist extinguishers are powerful, but they come in a compact size. They exude an ultra-fine mist of microscopic ‘dry’ demineralised water particles. Several water mist extinguishers are suitable for fires caused by electricity on equipment up to 1,000 volts, including printers, and computers. They reduce the oxygen supply and hence cool down the fire.

Since these devices leave no residue or collateral damage, and extinct the deep fat fryer fires, they are replacing the chemical fire extinguishers.

Foam Extinguishers

The foam eliminates the supply of oxygen to the fire in solids and liquids, but not in cooking oils or burning fats. Therefore, foam fire extinguishers are utilized on burning liquids including paint, turpentine or petrol. It can also be used on electrical fires if fired from 1 metre away.

Dry Powder Extinguishers

Powder fire extinguishers are utilized for putting off burning solids, liquids, and gases. Specialist powder extinguishers can manage type D fires that involve the combustion of metals such as aluminum, lithium, and magnesium. These extinguishers form a crust of powder that smothers the fire and prevents its spread.

CO2 Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are pressurized with carbon dioxide and hence leave no residues. Carbon dioxide extinguishers are used on fires that involve liquids and electrical fires. Carbon dioxide suffocates the fire, without causing any damage to the electrical items.

Therefore, the rising incidence of fire accidents results in increasing demand for fire extinguishers.