Everything You Need To Know About Construction Site Fire Extinguishers

When we talk about fire safety equipment for the workplace, fire extinguishers are one of the first things to put on your must-have list and this applies to the construction industry, as well.

 If managing the health and safety at a construction site is your responsibility, then this guide to fire extinguishers on construction sites will help you make the right decision to keep everyone safe and fulfil your legal obligations to achieve compliance with the relevant fire safety regulations in the UK. 

Why You Need Fire Extinguishers on Construction Sites

The use of fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment in the context of the construction industry is regulated under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order of 2005, and the 2015 Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM). So, having the right fire extinguishers in place at your building site is a legal responsibility that has to be adhered to.  

Also, from a practical standpoint, a fire extinguisher is a key fire protection tool that can save lives and money. From the use of hot works and flammable materials to covering a large area with a constantly changing layout, there are many potential hazards that place construction sites at a high risk of fire incidents. Therefore, it’s extremely important to ensure that the people who work on your building project, as well as contractors and visitors, have access to the necessary fire protection equipment.

Fire extinguishers serve two main purposes at any construction site:

Aid the Evacuation in the Event of a Fire

In the event of a fire, sometimes escape routes can get obstructed by flames and having a fire extinguisher at hand can help you make your way out safely.

Control Small Fires

Large, blazing fires are better off left to the fire emergency services to deal with as they are too dangerous for an inexperienced person to handle. However, if you spot a small fire and you have had the appropriate fire training, you could attempt to extinguish it with a fire extinguisher while it’s still in its early stages. This could help limit the spread of the fire and the damages associated with it. 

One thing to note is that there isn’t one single person who is responsible for using a fire extinguisher.  Anyone who has had fire safety training and knows how to use a fire extinguisher is allowed to do so if the situation permits. With the right knowledge, your employees could help save the lives of others and prevent serious financial losses in the event of a fire. 

However,  if you are the responsible person for a building site, it is your legal responsibility to ensure that the people at your construction project have been trained properly and have adequate knowledge to take action if a fire breaks out. 

How Many Fire Extinguishers Do I Need On a Construction Site 

Now that we’ve established why you need to have fire extinguishers on a construction site, the next logical question is how many should you have. There is no straightforward answer to this question – it all depends on the specifics of your building project and the findings of your most recent fire risk assessment. 

Some of the determining factors you will need to consider include:

• The size of the construction site
• The type of work done at the site
• The layout of the construction site (i.e. the number of levels and exits)
• The use of any hazardous equipment or materials 

Depending on the specific fire risks, you will need to set up multiple fire points where construction workers can find portable fire protection equipment to help them react to a fire incident. As a minimum, you should have one water or foam fire extinguisher plus one CO2 fire extinguisher at each of those locations. 

Bear in mind that the fire risk situation at any construction site can change rapidly due to the nature of the work. This is why fire risk assessments have to be done regularly to ensure that all foreseeable hazards have been identified and managed adequately. 

Choosing the Best Fire Extinguishers for Your Construction Site

The first thing to learn about fire extinguishers is that no fire extinguisher can extinguish all fires. There are five main types of fire extinguishers and each one is specifically designed to combat various fuel types. The type of fuel defines the fire classification used in the UK. It goes as follows:

• Class A Fires: Solid flammable materials (paper, wood, fabrics, etc)
• Class B Fires: Flammable liquids (petrol, paint, gasoline, acetone, etc)
• Class C Fires: Flammable gases (butane, methane, hydrogen, etc)
• Class D Fires: Flammable metals (magnesium, aluminium, potassium, etc)
• Class F Fires: Cooking oils 
• Electrical Fires (E): Even though electricity is a source of ignition rather than a fuel, it requires a special type of fire extinguisher, so it is separated under its own fire class 

To choose the right fire extinguisher for your construction site, you will need to refer to your most recent fire risk assessment. It should list all potential fire hazards, as well as the recommendations for the most suitable fire extinguisher type to combat those. 

As a short overview, here’s what classes of fires can be extinguished with each of the main five types of fire extinguishers: 

• Water (A)
• Foam (A, B)
• Carbon Dioxide (B, E)
• Dry Powder (A, B, C, and in some cases – D, E) 
• Wet Chemical (A, F)

Based on the findings of the fire risk assessment, you will need to provide the most suitable extinguishers for your construction site. Often, this will require a combination of two or more different types of extinguishers depending on the hazards identified. 

Where to Buy Fire Extinguishers for Your Construction Site

At FMC Fire, we have been offering a wide range of high-quality fire safety equipment since 1990 and we have a great selection of fire extinguishers compliant with the BS EN3 standard. 

Whatever the size or needs of your construction site, we have the right fire extinguisher for you. Browse our products below:

• Buy a foam fire extinguisher
• Buy a water fire extinguisher
• Buy a water mist fire extinguisher
• Buy a CO2 fire extinguisher
• Buy a dry powder extinguisher
• Buy a wet chemical extinguisher
• Buy specialist fire extinguishers
• Buy P50 fire extinguishers
• Buy a chrome fire extinguisher
• Buy wheeled extinguishers

Need help or advice choosing a fire extinguisher for your construction site? Speak to the FMC team today on 0330 135 5337 or email web@fmcfire.co.uk