Fire extinguishers come in a variety of sizes but the rating is what will tell you how powerful it is. This is important as a powerful 2-litre extinguisher can actually outperform an inexpensive 9-litre unit. Choosing the right one will ensure that you meet legal requirements and have adequate protection for your floor space.
Understanding the code
Fire extinguishers all have a code, consisting of one number and one letter. The letter will indicate what sort of fire the extinguisher is suitable for, while the number shows its power, or the size of fire it could extinguish according to laboratory tests.
Fire extinguishers with higher numbers are capable of dealing with larger fires and the law states that you have to have an A-Rating for the area of at least 26A for each 400sq m of floor space in a similar way to how rules dictate the need for fire alarms in Northamptonshire and elsewhere.
Choosing your fire extinguisher
Fire safety advice is available from companies specialising in fire alarms Northamptonshire, but it is also important to understand fire extinguisher requirements yourself, starting with choosing the right unit for the right class of fire and then dealing with the question of power.
Class A ratings are based on what is known as the Wood Crib Test. 13A extinguishers could extinguish a blazing stack of wood measuring 1.3metres long, while a 34A could cope with a 3.4-metre stack. Class B ratings, meanwhile, dictate how much burning liquid could be put out by an extinguisher.
