An office might not seem like a workplace which has a high fire risk. Despite office building fires being unusual, there are many fire risks in this type of space. If a fire does break out, it’s important to have the right office fire extinguisher to hand.
You should conduct a fire risk assessment and look at which types of risk are present in your office space. There are 6 different classes of fire, which need specific extinguishers to safely put them out.
But not to worry, our guide looks at common office fire risks and what types of extinguisher you need to tackle them.
We’ll also look at how many extinguishers an office building should have, and where they should be placed.
Office Fire Risks
The correct extinguisher for your office depends on the fire risks present in your workspace. Here’s some common risks present within office buildings.
Solid Combustibles
Most offices contain a lot of solid combustibles such as wood, paper, and fabric.
This can include:-
- Desks & office chairs.
- Curtains & blinds.
- Carpets & flooring.
- Paper, documents and stationery.
Fire Type: Solid combustible fires are Class A.
Extinguisher Type: Water Fire Extinguisher. If you get a water extinguisher with additives they are safe to be used around electrical fires.
Limitations: Water fire extinguishers can only be used on A Type Fires which limits their usefulness in smaller office environments.
Electrical Items
Every modern office contains electrical equipment which can present the risk of an electrical fire.
This can include:-
- Computers and printers.
- Photocopiers.
- Kitchen equipment such as kettles, toasters, and microwaves.
- Fuse boxes and server rooms.
Fire Type: Electrical fires have no fire class, but can be referred to as “Class E”.
Extinguisher Type: CO2 Fire Extinguisher – these can be safely used on burning electronics. They can also be used on flammable liquids (Class B Fires). This could be of use if your office stores any flammable liquids like solvents, engine oil, and fuel or cleaning products such as polish.
Limitations: CO2 extinguishers can’t be used in small, enclosed spaces due to the danger of suffocation.
Fire Extinguishers for Corridors & Stairwells
Extinguishers must be placed in areas of an office building such as corridors and stairwells. These spaces may have general fire risks such as doors, carpets, blinds, and electrical switches.
Fire Type: Class A, B, C, F & Electrical fires.
Extinguisher Type: Water Mist – this type of specialised water extinguisher can be used on most fire classes. This makes them an ideal choice for office transit areas such as corridors where generalised fire risks may be present.
Limitations: A water mist extinguisher is less effective on each type of fire than its specialised counterparts. i.e foam or CO2.
Do You Need Fire Extinguishers in an Office? UK Law
All commercial buildings are required to have extinguishers installed under UK law on fire extinguishers in the workplace.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 governs fire safety law in England and Wales.
The Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 regulate fire safety in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
How Many Extinguishers do you Need?
AUK fire extinguisher regulations say that as a minimum, two class A fire extinguishers are present on each floor of all commercial premises.
The right equipment to meet this legal obligation would be 3 & 6 litre foam extinguishers, and 9 litre water extinguishers.
Water and foam fire extinguishers are suitable to deal with Class A Fire risks.
The exception to this rule would be for very small offices or commercial spaces where the presence of two extinguishers could block fire exits. For example, small kiosks or food trucks.
See Also: Fire Extinguisher Colours – a guide to identifying different fire extinguisher types by their labels.
Situations Where an Office Would Need Other Types of Extinguishers
Most office buildings contain electrical equipment. That means a CO2 fire extinguisher will also be required.
UK regulations state that all premises with electrical equipment should have at least 2 x 2kg electrical extinguishers. However, if your office has 415 volt rated equipment, you will need a 5kg extinguisher.
This is why many office fire extinguisher packs include a water and electrical extinguisher pairing.
Where to Put Office Fire Extinguishers
UK British Standards (BS5306) rules state that building occupants should be no more than 30 metres from the right extinguisher in your office premises.
In most cases, fire extinguishers are placed beside fire exits and fire alarm call points. However, if exits and call points are outside the 30m boundary the extinguishers will have to be placed elsewhere.
Fire Extinguisher Signage
Workplace safety signs giving information about the location and type of fire extinguishers should be installed with the fire extinguishers.
Fire extinguisher signs also provide instructions about how to use the extinguishers, making them a vital piece of workplace safety equipment. All office occupants should be aware of the location of fire safety equipment.
FAQs
Every business premises must have an appropriate fire extinguisher to deal with identified fire risks. In most cases, a Class A extinguisher and electrical extinguisher will be required as a minimum.
The most common types of fire extinguisher found in offices are water, foam, and CO2 extinguishers. Water and foam extinguishers deal with class A fire risks, whilst CO2 extinguishers are required to deal with fires involving electrical equipment.
