An essential part of reviewing your supply of fire extinguishers is considering where to place them and how to secure them in place. Some appliances will come with a supplied mounting bracket, but for others you will need to purchase a separate fire extinguisher mounting bracket. It’s beyond the scope of this article to know how many fire extinguishers you should have for your workplace, or what kind you need, so let’s say you’ve got your supply of the right number and type of appliances and now you need to go about putting them where they need to be. be.
The first thing to say is that it is not an option to leave a fire extinguisher alone somewhere. If it is unprotected, it could tip over and be damaged, or move from its correct place and not be able to be found in an emergency. All fire extinguishers should be fixed in place using a suitable fire extinguisher mounting bracket or special bracket or cabinet (more on all of this later). It is a British standard that all fire apparatus is mounted on a wall or on a suitable support.
Fire extinguishers should always be located along escape routes, in conspicuous places where people can easily see them. If they need to be in a location where they cannot be directly seen, then appropriate signs should be used to highlight where they are. To help you decide the best place to put your fire extinguishers, try to think about what would happen in the event of a fire. If you were escaping a fire in your building, where would you like the fire extinguishers to be so you can see and reach them without straying from your escape route? Its position should encourage people to head towards the exits instead of pushing them into the building.
It is also a useful guide to locate fire extinguishers next to call points, so the alarm can be sounded before the fire is tackled. In the case of fire extinguishers that are intended to cover specific risks, the extinguisher must be located near the risk. For example, a wet chemical fire extinguisher for a kitchen with a deep fryer. Keep in mind, however, that any such fire extinguisher must still be accessible if the hazard occurs. So, in the example above, you wouldn’t put the fire extinguisher where you couldn’t reach it if the fryer caught fire.
It’s a good rule of thumb to say that you shouldn’t have to travel more than 30m from anywhere in your workplace to reach a fire extinguisher. Be careful not to mount fire extinguishers in places where they may be exposed to heat. Most fire extinguishers will be marked with safe operating temperatures, so make sure they stay within that range.
Mounting Bracket Types
Most fire extinguishers can be mounted against a wall using a fire extinguisher mounting bracket. The bracket must be fixed so that the handle of the fire extinguisher is approximately 1 m from the ground. A suitable fire extinguisher identification placard must be placed immediately above the apparatus. These indicate the type of extinguisher and highlight its location.
Some fire extinguishers can be very heavy so you need a solid wall to attach the bracket to and fixings that are appropriate for something that is going to be heavy. If you are in doubt about the ability of the wall to support such a load, it would be better to use a bracket instead (see below).
The main types of fire extinguisher mounting brackets available are tongue brackets, J-brackets, and shoulder brackets. J brackets get their name from the fact that the letter J describes their shape. They are suitable for most types of fire extinguishers where the extinguisher holder is on the rear or side of the apparatus. Shoulder mounts are so named because they are for fire extinguishers where the mount is attached to the shoulder (the curved part between the side and the top). Tab mounts have a small arm sticking out of the wall, with a small metal tab sticking out. These are for locating appliances with a matching fixture with a hole that fits on top of the tab.
There are other, more specialized types of mounts available, such as the transport mount, which has a tether strap to secure the device in moving environments, such as freight vehicles.
Cabinets and supports
There are certain situations where an appliance is required, but cannot be attached to a wall. This may be because the wall is not suitable, or even because there is no wall where the extinguisher should be. In these situations, a fire extinguisher cabinet or stand should be used. As mentioned above, it is not acceptable to simply leave an appliance somewhere without being attached to a wall or on a stand.
The option of a support or cabinet can be the solution if you need to place the extinguisher next to walls with an air chamber, plasterboard, glass, etc. These supports are independent and do not require any type of fixing. They simply stand on their own and provide a safe position for the extinguisher. They are usually available to hold a single fire extinguisher or two fire extinguishers. Cabinets are available for environments where increased protection is required. These are often used in places like garages and gas stations.
Mounting accessories is a relatively simple task, as long as you understand the fundamental principles. The main points to remember are to select conspicuous locations along escape routes to locate fire extinguishers, and then adopt the most appropriate method of mounting them, based on that particular environment. If brackets are supplied with your appliances then you can’t go far wrong, and if not then just be sure to check the type of bracket each of your extinguishers will require.