All new portable fire extinguishers are now coloured red with a zone of colour which indicates the contents of the extinguisher. This colour indication appears on the front of the extinguisher above the operating instructions and will be clearly visible when it is correctly mounted. (It should be noted, however, that the existing fire extinguishers on which the entire body is colour coded remain acceptable until such time as they need to be replaced).

TYPE

COLOUR

BEST FOR

DANGER

HOW TO USE

HOW IT WORKS

WATER

WOOD, CLOTH, PAPER, PLASTICS, COAL ETC. FIRES INVOLVING SOLIDS

DO NOT USE ON BURNING FAT OR OIL OR ON ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

POINT THE JET AT THE BASE OF THE FLAMES AND KEEP IT MOVING ACROSS THE AREA OF THE FIRE. ENSURE THAT ALL AREAS OF THE FIRE ARE OUT.

MAINLY BY COOLING BURNING MATERIAL

STANDARD
DRY
POWDER

LIQUIDS SUCH AS GREASE, FATS, OIL PAINT, PETROL ETC BUT NOT ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES

SAFE ON LIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT ALTHOUGH DOES NOT READILY PENETRATE SPACES INSIDE THE EQUIPMENT AND THE FIRE MAY RE-IGNITE.

THIS TYPE OF EXTINGUISHER DOES NOT COOL THE FIRE VERY WELL AND CARE HAS TO BE TAKEN THAT THE FIRE DOES NOT RE-IGNITE.

DO NOT USE ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES.

POINT THE JET OR DISCHARGE HORN AT THE BASE OF THE FLAMES AND, WITH A RAPID SWEEPING MOTION, DRIVE THE FIRE TOWARDS THE FAR EDGE UNTIL ALL THE FLAMES ARE OUT. IF THE EXTINGUISHER HAS A SHUT-OFF CONTROL WAIT UNITL THE AIR CLEARS AND IF YOU CAN STILL SEE THE FLAMES, ATTACK THE FIRE AGAIN.

KNOCKS DOWN FLAMES

MULTI
PURPOSE
DRY
POWDER

WOOD, CLOTH, PAPER, PLASTICS, COAL ETC. FIRES INVOLVING SOLIDS

LIQUIDS SUCH AS GREASE, FATS, OILS, PAINT, PETROL, ETC. BUT NOT ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES

SAFE ON LIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, ALTHOUGH DOES NOT PENETRATE THE SPACES IN EQUIPMENT EASILY AND THE FIRE MAY RE-IGNITE.

SMOULDERING MATERIAL IN DEEP SEATED FIRES SUCH AS UPHOLSTERY OR BEDDING CAN CAUSE THE FIRE TO START UP AGAIN.

DO NOT USE ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES

POINT THE JET OR DISCHARGE HORN AT THE BASE OF THE FLAMES AND, WITH A RAPID SWEEPING MOTION, DRIVE THE FIRE TOWARDS THE FAR EDGE UNTIL ALL THE FLAMES ARE OUT. IF THE EXTINGUISHER HAS A SHUT-OFF CONTROL WAIT UNITL THE AIR CLEARS AND IF YOU CAN STILL SEE THE FLAMES, ATTACK THE FIRE AGAIN.

KNOCKS DOWN FLAMES AND, ON BURNING SOLIDS, MELTS TO FORM A SKIN SMOTHERING THE FIRE. PROVIDES SOME COOLING EFFECT.

AFFF

(Aqueous Film Forming Foam)

(Multi-purpose)

WOOD, CLOTH, PAPER, PLASTICS, COAL ETC. FIRES INVOLVING SOLIDS

LIQUIDS SUCH AS GREASE, FATS, OILS, PAINT, PETROL, ETC. BUT NOT ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES

DO NOT USE ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES

FOR FIRES INVOLVING SOLIDS, POINT THE JET AT THE BASE OF THE FLAMES AND KEEP IT MOVING ACROSS THE AREA OF THE FIRE. ENSURE THAT ALL AREAS OF FIRE ARE OUT.

FOR FIRES INVOLVING LIQUIDS, DO NOT AIM THE JET STRAIGHT INTO THE LIQUID. WHERE THE LIQUID ON FIRE IS IN A CONTAINER, POINT THE JET AT THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE CONTAINER OR ON A NEARBY SURFACE ABOVE THE BURNING LIQUID. ALLOW THE FOAM TO BUILD UP AND FLOW ACROSS THE LIQUID.

FORMS A FIRE EXTINGUISHING FILM ON THE SURFACE OF A BURNING LIQUID. HAS A COOLING ACTION WITH A WIDER EXTINGUISHING APPLICATION THAN WOATER ON SOLID COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS.

FOAM

LIMITED NUMBER OF LIQUID FIRES

DO NOT USE ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES. CHECK MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUITABLILITY OF USE ON OTHER FIRES INVOLVING LIQUIDS.

THESE EXTINGUISHERS ARE GENERALLY NOT RECOMMENDED FOR HOME USE.

DO NOT AIM THE JEST STRAIGHT INTO THE LIQUID. WHERE THE LIQUID ON FIRE IS IN A CONTAINER, POINT THE JET AT THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE CONTAINER OR ON A NEARBY SURFACE ABOVE THE BURNING LIQUID. ALLOW THE FOAM TO BUILD UP AND FLOW ACROSS THE LIQUID

FORMS A SKIN SMOTHERING THE FIRE.

CARBON

DIOXIDE

Co2

LIQUIDS SUCH AS GREASE, FATS, OILS, PAINT, PETROL, ETC. BUT NOT ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES.

CLEAN, EFFECTIVE AND SAFE ON LIVE ELECTRRICAL EQUIPMENT

DO NOT USE ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES.

THIS TYPE OF EXTINGUISHER DOES NOT COOL THE FIRE VERY WELL AND YOU NEED TO WATCH THAT THE FIRE DOES NOT START UP AGIAN.

FUMES FROM Co2 EXTINGUISHERS CAN BE HARMFUL IF USED IN CONFINED SPACES, VENTILATE THE AREA AS SOON AS THE FIRE HAS BEEN CONTROLLED.

THE DISCHARGE HORN SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT THE BASE OF THE FLAMES AND KEPT MOVING ACROSS THE AREA OF THE FIRE..

VAPOURISING LIQUID GAS WHICH SMOTHERS THE FLAMES BY DISPLACING OXYGEN IN THE AIR..

VAPORISING
LIQUID
INCLUDING
HALON*

LIQUIDS SUCH AS GREASE, FATS, OILS, PAINT, PETROL, ETC. BUT NOT ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES.

DO NOT USE ON CHIP OR FAT PAN FIRES.

THIS TYPE OF EXTINGUISHER DOES NOT COOL THE FIRE VERY WELL AND YOU NEED TO WATCH THAT THE FIRE DOES NOT START UP AGIAN.

FUMES FROM Co2 EXTINGUISHERS CAN BE HARMFUL IF USED IN CONFINED SPACES, VENTILATE THE AREA AS SOON AS THE FIRE HAS BEEN CONTROLLED.

The vaporising liquid gas is expelled in a jet which should not be aimed into burning liquids as this risks spreading the fire. The discharge nozzle should therfore be aimed at the flames and kept moving across the area of the fire.

*Owing to the ozone depleting potential of halon, its future use and availablility will be restricted to "Essential Uses". Production and consumption of new halon ceased in 1994.

FIRE
BLANKET

FIRES INVOLVING BOTH SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS. PARTICULARLY GOOD FOR SMALL FIRES IN CLOTHING AND FOR CHIP AND FAT PAN FIRES PROVIDED THE BLANKET COMPLETELY COVERS THE FIRE.

IF THE BLANKET DOES NOT COMPLETELY COVER THE FIRE, IT WILL NOT ENABLE THE FIRE TO BE EXTINGUISHED.

PLACE CAREFULLY OVER THE FIRE. KEEP YOUR HANDS SHIELDED FROM THE FIRE. DO NOT WAFT THE FIRE TOWARDS YOU

SMOTHERS THE FIRE