Foam fire extinguishers can be used on both class A and class B fires, however they must be utilized in various ways depending on the type of fire. Please note that only di-electrically tested foam extinguishers should be used on or near live electrical equipment.
Only use an extinguisher to put out tiny fires. If the fire has spread, do not attempt to extinguish it; instead, escape quickly and alert others, then call the fire department. If you do decide to fight the fire, keep a safe distance and follow the recommendations below.
- Pull the safety pin (Fig. 3) to break the tamper seal as well.
- To start discharging the extinguisher, squeeze the lever.
- Where should the fire extinguisher nozzle be pointed?
- Flammable liquids: Aim the hose at a vertical surface near the fire rather than directly at it, as this could cause the burning liquid to splash and the fire to spread. Foam extinguishers create a layer of foam on the burning liquid’s surface, cutting off the fire’s oxygen supply and cooling the hot liquid.
- Electrical fires: You can use your foam extinguisher on active electrical fires if it has been tested to 35000 Volts (35kV). Maintain a safe distance of 1 meter.
- Solid combustibles: Aim the nozzle towards the fire’s base and move it around the area.
- Make sure the fire is completely out; the foam acts as a covering over the flames, preventing it from re-igniting.
Is it possible to use foam to put out electrical fires?
All commercial and residential buildings are required to have fire extinguishers. They’re used to put out tiny fires or control them. Extinguishers must be properly placed and easily accessible in the event of an emergency.
However, in the stress of a fire, knowing which fire extinguisher to use on a fire might be challenging. Water, powder, foam, CO2, and wet chemical are the five primary types of extinguishers. Depending on the sort of fire that has erupted, each extinguisher has a different application. Here’s a rundown of the main types of extinguishers and how to use them.
A white label that says “water fire extinguisher” is frequently attached to a water fire extinguisher “WATER, WATER, WATER. Water fire extinguishers have a class A rating and can be used to put out fires made of wood, paper, or cloth. Water fire extinguishers are not ideal for electrical fires since water is a conductor, and if used on this type of fire, you risk electrocution. They are also not ideal for combustible liquid or metal fires because they will not put out the flames. A water extinguisher used to put out a flammable liquid fire may spread the liquid about, potentially causing more harm than good and exacerbating the fire. Water extinguishers are advised for warehouses, paper mills, and storage facilities that contain huge amounts of combustible materials.
A blue label that states “powder fire extinguisher” can be used to identify a powder fire extinguisher “POWDER, TO BE EXACT. Powder extinguishers can be used to put out fires in wood, paper, and cloth. They can also be used to extinguish combustible liquid, gaseous, and electrical fires. Powder extinguishers CANNOT be used to put out flames involving cooking oil (such as pan fires), electrical equipment with a voltage more than 1000 volts, fires in enclosed places, or fires with combustible metals ” (unless it is a “specialist dry powder extinguisher). Powder extinguishers are indicated for large-scale outdoor fires involving chemicals, fuels, or even cars. They’re ideal for huge commercial boiler rooms, large workshops, and hazardous liquid storage facilities.
A cream-colored label that reads “Foam Extinguisher” distinguishes foam extinguishers “FOAM is an acronym for foam. These can be used to put out fires made of wood, paper, or fabric. Foam extinguishers can be used to put out flammable liquid flames as well. They CANNOT be used on electrical or flammable metal fires since the extinguisher may worsen the situation. Foam extinguishers are appropriate for a variety of fire-prone environments, such as offices, factories, warehouses, and hotels.
A black label saying CO2 fire extinguisher can be spotted “CO2 is a greenhouse gas. CO2 fire extinguishers are safe to use on electrical and flammable liquid fires. They should not be used to put out fires made of wood, paper, or fabric. They’re also not recommended for cooking fires involving oil and grease (such as chip pan fires), as the extinguisher may end up spraying the flames into the surrounding area. It is also not suggested that the user hold the extinguisher by the horn since CO2 gets extremely chilly when it evaporates into a gaseous state and can cause cold burns. CO2 extinguishers, unlike foam and water extinguishers, do not cool the fire; instead, they replace the oxygen around the fire with Carbon Dioxide, rendering the fire unburnable. CO2 extinguishers should be required in places where there is a risk of electrical fire, such as offices, schools, and shops.
A yellow label that indicates “wet chemical fire extinguisher” can be used to identify a wet chemical fire extinguisher “Chemicals that are moist. Wood, paper, and fabric fires can all be put out with wet chemical extinguishers. They’re also safe to use in the kitchen and in deep fat fryer fires. They should not be used to put out electrical, flammable liquid, or gaseous flames since they may cause the fire to spread. Because they emit hazardous fumes that should not be breathed in, wet chemical extinguishers should only be used in well-ventilated places. For any establishment with a professional kitchen and deep fat fryer, such as restaurants, burger bars, and hotels, wet chemical extinguishers are required.
Class A
Class A fires involve ordinary combustible materials, such as cloth, wood, paper, rubber, and many plastics. A-rated fire extinguishers are designed to put out fires involving these common flammable materials.
Class B
Liquids that are flammable and combustible, such as gasoline, alcohol, oil-based paints, and lacquers, are used in Class B fires. As a result, B-rated extinguishers are designed to put out flames involving flammable and combustible substances.
Note: Do not attempt to put out a combustible gas fire unless you have reasonable certainty that the source of fuel can be turned off quickly. In fact, if the only fuel burning is the leaking gas, shutting off the fuel supply is the best way to put out the fire. Extinguishing a combustible gas fire without turning off the fuel can allow unburned gas to escape into the atmosphere, potentially resulting in a dangerous gas accumulation and an explosion if the gas is exposed to an ignition source.
Class D
Combustible metals such as magnesium, titanium, and sodium are used in Class D flames. D-rated extinguishers are meant to put out fires involving flammable metals.
Note: When used on a combustible metal fire, common extinguishing products may react, increasing the severity of the fire. The most frequent way to put out a combustible metal fire is to cover it with a dry powder, such as sand, that won’t react with it. Contact the Fire Prevention Services office if you store or use combustible metals for advice on the type and amount of extinguishing chemical you should keep on hand.
Class K
Cooking appliances using vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats cause Class K fires. Extinguishers with a K grade are meant to put out flames in industrial cooking appliances containing vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats.
Note: Where deep-fryers and/or griddles are used to make large quantities of food, extinguishers with a K rating are usually necessary. A commercial kitchen, such as those seen in restaurants and cafeterias, is an example.
Multipurpose Extinguishers
Most portable fire extinguishers are rated for use with multiple types of fire. Extinguishers with a BC rating, for example, are appropriate for fires involving flammable liquids and powered electrical equipment. Ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, and energized electrical equipment can all be extinguished using an ABC-rated extinguisher. Each hazard type should be represented by a symbol on an extinguisher rated for usage with multiple hazards.
What should a foam extinguisher not be used for?
Do not use a foam extinguisher (AFFF) on a chip or fat pan fire. When dealing with solid-fuel fires, aim the jet at the base of the flames and move it across the fire area. Ascertain that the fire has been extinguished in all places. When fighting a fire involving liquids, do not direct the jet directly into the liquid.
What types of fires can foam extinguishers put out?
AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foams) Foam Fire Extinguishers are effective against both solid and liquid fires, such as burning gasoline. The foam can either creep over the burning liquid or seep into burning items like settees.
What fire extinguisher should be avoided while dealing with electrical fires?
Fire extinguisher types On Class A fires involving solid combustibles, water extinguishers are employed. They are unsuitable for fires fueled by combustible liquids or fires using electricity.
On an electrical fire, what do you use?
If you’ve determined that it’s safe to proceed, the first step in putting out an electrical fire is to try to turn off the power to the burning object.
If you are successful in doing so, you can proceed to the following stage, which is to remove the oxygen source. A fire blanket is an effective, clean, and safe way of putting out a small fire.
Under no circumstances should you try to put out an electrical fire with water. This is due to the fact that water is a natural conductor of electricity and can produce a shock or even electrocution. Furthermore, this could indicate that the fire has spread.
When it comes to choosing a fire extinguisher for an electrical fire, you’ll want to go for a non-conductive option. When dealing with an electrical fire, only powder or CO2 extinguishants should be used (carbon dioxide).
What is the definition of a foam extinguisher?
Foam extinguishers are an alternative to water and dry chemical extinguishers for Class A and B fires.
Combustible materials such as wood, paper, and cloth, as well as flammable lubricants, diesel gasoline, and alcohols, to name a few, respond well to foam agents.
They are non-toxic and extinguish fires by producing a blanket on the burning hazard’s surface, which cools and suffocates the fire by removing oxygen.
Removing the fire’s heat and oxygen also aids in preventing re-ignition.
Wherever flammable liquids are carried, processed, stored, or used as an energy source, foam extinguishers can be used.
Aqueous Film Producing FoamAFFF puts out flammable liquid fires by forming an aqueous film on the liquid solution’s surface.
This sort of extinguisher is very effective for fires that aren’t likely to be put out by water.
The AFFF is capable of quickly putting out a fire.
These foam solutions can be used with either aspirating or non-aspirating devices to put out a fire.
For Class A and B fires, Film Forming FluoroproteinFFFP FOAM is suitable. Alcohol Resistant is very effective on fires involving Class B materials like as alcohols, polar solvents, hydrocarbons, and mixtures such as gasohol. The foam-extinguishing agent has the added benefit of being able to be used on a non-ignited Class B liquid spill to assist seal the surface and prevent a serious fire.
To put out a fire involving an electrical item or appliance, which type of fire extinguisher should be used?
Instead, have a Class E CO2 fire extinguisher on hand. This is the finest fire extinguisher for an electrical fire since it effectively puts out electrical fires caused by appliances, wiring, outlets, and circuit breakers.
CO2 fire extinguishers function by decreasing the amount of oxygen that the fire has access to.
They contain carbon dioxide (CO2), which is required for electrical fires because water or other liquids may exacerbate the fire.