How many extinguishers are needed?

[Guest Daniel]

My company is opening a furniture warehouse which is 100 sq meters.

We would like to know how many fire exstinguishers are required legally required for a site of this size.

[Safelincs]

Hi Daniel

You need a minimum extinguisher capability of 26A. This means the 'A-Rating' of the extinguisher you want to install must be rated with at least 26. For suitable extinguishers, please see our extinguisher overview.

To calculate the extinguiser requirement yourself, you can use this extinguisher calculation guide

The above cover is suitable for standard risks, however, depending from the type of goods you store and the type of eg forklifts you use, additional extinguishers might be required. If you have for example Diesel powered forklifts you will need to cover B risk (liquid fires) as well. To systematically determine your risks you need to carry out a fire risk assessment. You can use our free form for this.

Harry

[Guest Dan]

Hi, sorry to add to an old post but I was just wondering if anyone can answer a question I have. Who is responsible for making sure the correct quantity, type and size extinguishers are installed in a building (commercial or domestic, HMO's)? Is it the fire risk assessor or the fire extinguisher technician/ engineer? Of someone else?

Many thanks

[Safelincs]

Hi Dan

Primarily, the owner is responsible. There are a number of legally binding documents, eg the guidance documents related to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which must be adhered to. In practice, the responsibility for extinguisher provision is often passed to servicing companies who, if they are eg BAFE approved, operate in line with a number of British Standards which specify type, location and quantity of extinguishers. These standards, are, however, only recommendations and a deviating extinguisher provision can be chosen by the owners, as long as they can justify their choice.

A Fire Risk Assessor would usually only point out specific fire risks which might need addressing with portable or other extinguishers. Assessors will usually not specifiy extinguishers in detail.

Harry

[AnthonyB]

A competent fire risk assessor should be able to specify extinguisher requirements in detail - it's the FRA after all that determines what provision is required.

All to often when the extinguisher engineer, whose living is based on supplying extinguishers, is asked a premises often ends up with excessive numbers and inappropriate types, which we then have to get changed and removed.

If deciding to use a third party risk assessment provider and they can't specify your requirements related to extinguishers, fire alarm systems, etc then walk away - they shouldn't be doing the job.

If the RP is trying to do the FRA in house then there is basic guidance in the Government FRA guides, but for complex risks you either can either use an FRA consultancy for an independent survey or through yourself on the mercy of the extinguisher engineers (who do 'free' surveys, but then claw it back in extinguisher & sign sales)