Fire extinguishers are an easy-to-use safety tool that can help you put out small fires, or get larger fires under control until professional firefighters can get to the scene. That being said, not all people know what the regulations and requirements are regarding fire extinguishers in most homes and businesses.
California Code of Regulations for Fire Extinguishers
In the state of California, a state where wildfires are common and fire danger is very real, knowing what the regulations for fire extinguishers are can help you keep your home or business safe:
- Class A and D extinguishers are required every 75 feet or less in public buildings.
- Class B fire extinguishers should be installed every 50 feet.
- You should place your class C extinguishers based on where the A and B fire extinguishers are placed.
- Class K fire extinguishers are required to be installed every 30 feet.
This does not mean that you have to install all classes of fire extinguishers in your building, simply that the type of fire extinguisher that you install is going to dictate where it needs to be installed and how far apart it should be placed.
The type of fire extinguisher that you use and that you do place depends on the building, the layout and the potential for fire hazards at the workplace. If you are outfitting a welding shop, for example, you would need larger fire extinguishers as the chance of a larger fire is possible and the overall fire risk is greater.
The General Codes on Fire Extinguishers
There are some codes and regulations that fit all extinguishers and that are going to be across the board as needed. The first is mounting. The fire extinguishers need to be mounted inside a cabinet or securely on a wall so that they can be accessed quickly and easily if there is a fire. These cabinets or the place where the extinguishers are mounted should not be blocked by any sort of furniture and should be easy to get to in the case of an emergency.
On top of that, these extinguishers do need to be tested and changed out if there is any issue found with them. You should have all your fire extinguishers checked each year, you should replace those that are expired, and you should work to ensure that they are in good working order.
If your extinguishers are leaking or are empty they should be recharged, you should replace any that are damaged, and you should ensure that every service is documented and that it is clearly displayed on the tag of the extinguishers so that anyone that looks at them can tell that they were serviced, and when, without any trouble.
Fire extinguishers are a great way to help ensure that the building is safe and secure and that if there is a fire, there is a chance to get that fire either put out or under control enough that the people in the building can get out and get to safety.