Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Fire Extinguisher Advice Needed

Happy Easter, people..!

I'd like some collective advice regarding fire extinguishers in the workshop, please..

Combustibles run through wooden battens and framing, through to various cans of volatile paints/oils and petrol etc plus some motorbikes and lawnmowers.

Sizes, types and where to buy from would be great please.

Steve
Have a look at
www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk
Some good advice on the site if you search “car repair workshops”

Nice one, Bud..! Just the ticket, maybe..

Thanks

I am a great fan of C02 fire extinguishers. The work on everything, are safe with electricity, and don't leave a mess.

The only other alternative if there is electrical equipment around is powder. It costs less but if ever you have to use it it makes a dreadful mess.

I'd go for powder it's far safer than CO2 particularly in a confined space it can kill.

Sure powder is messier but a lot safer. It will knock down the fire far more effectively, it's what they use at race tracks for that very reason.

A combination Richard, depending on the fire.
Powder yes, but foam too.
Simon's pointer above is a good one

Thanks Graham I was just going by personal experience really and what I'd watched in F1. You work track side I know.

I saw a colleague of mine suffering after using a CO2 one and it was not good, he was very lucky there were others around.

My brother in law had a rusty bottomed fire extinguisher explode and shoot metal into his face. He was lucky not to loose his sight. No matter what type it is important to check condition and service life.

Don't use water if you have solvents. You can get powder "bombs" that you place high up that fire off if they detect flames.

https://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/automatic-fire-extinguishers/

Oh and if a fire starts with all that solvent around my advice is to get out fast don't be a hero.
we run sites with hundreds to thousands of tons of solvent & that is our advice to the staff.

Powder extinguisher are very effective. Once used you will find the powder in every corner for decades. Most powders consists of a kind of salt. So every metal which had contact will rust.
In business environments foam extinguisher are preferred because of much less collateral damages.
CO2 extinguisher extinguishes effectivly chemical fires and human lives in closed rooms.
With fuel you will need and A and B class extinguisher.
I wouldn't buy extinguishers which are under constant pressure (the cheap ones) because they can't be refilled. Buy a bit more expensive one with separate powder and gas. They could be checked periodically and be filled if gas or powder is missing.
These ones have a separate button which inflates the gas into the extinguishing agent before it can be used.