About time I bought a fire extinguisher for the workshop...

[slim_boy_fat]

So if it is used to smash a window to allow the alarm to be raised

Serious question - won't that allow more oxygen in to feed the fire?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Serious question - won't that allow more oxygen in to feed the fire?

If you are in the area of a big fire, yes, but it means you can RUN AWAY.

If not you can escape and run away.

You are out of a burning building and almost safe.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I was once asked "What steps do you take in the event of a fire?"
My reply was " Big ones!"

Bit only in a safe and controlled manner, we don't want you falling over and becoming a trip hazard, now do we?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Bit only in a safe and controlled manner, we don't want you falling over and becoming a trip hazard, now do we?

I don't think he meant this kind of "big steps"....

 

[addjunkie]

One of the simplest things is a garden sprayer filled with water, set the nozzle for a medium spray and keep it filled and pumped up, deals with many things and costs nothing. Its surprising how a quick dousing can put out a fire and you can adjust the nozzle from fine mist to full spray.

One of the best I saw was several years ago with a confined workshop, they guy stood by the door and set a CO2 off, threw it in and slammed the door shut. Filled his workshop with CO2, extinguished the fire, and he opened the door and stood outside with the garden hose to cool everything down.

You need officially 43% by volume of co2 in an enclosed space to extinguish a fire, any small leakage areas can be over supplied to make up for leakage. But filling rooms with co2 can be kind of dangerous, hence why fixed systems have so many safety features, to either stop you going in to the room while live, or as in marine systems where you have 3 somtimes 4 actions to fire it. That was the advantage of halon 1301, you only needed 5% by volume and it doesnt kill you quickly due to asphixation.

 

[creepy]

Thanks for prompting me to get round to doing something about this, had thought about it a long time ago and then it just got put on the round to it list. Hope its a big waste of cash (i.e. never needed), Dry Powder for the car CO2 and Foam for the garage, now just got to clear some wall space - (its going to be a cross between Jenga and Tetris)

 

[mike os]

why the worry with the mess and powder... the consequences of a fire are far worse to deal with...powder and co2 for me,

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

why the worry with the mess and powder... the consequences of a fire are far worse to deal with...powder and co2 for me,

I would care about being able to talk about a fire afterwards.


If a unit puts the fire out, or aides the escape and stops injury or death.
Then it has done it's job.

 

[mike os]

I would care about being able to talk about a fire afterwards.


If a unit outs the fire out, or aides the escape and stops injury or death.
Then it has done it's job.

totally my philosophy

 

[awemawson]

So you have a very minor fire, put it out with 'Patent Put-It-Out-And-Make-A-Mess" but ruin £100K worth of machinery in the process when a quick blast from a CO2 extinguisher would have done the job?

Not my philosophy. You don't amputate a hand to remove a wart! Access the situation and act accordingly matching cure to illness !

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

why the worry with the mess and powder... the consequences of a fire are far worse to deal with...powder and co2 for me,

The advice is:
From BAFE, Fire brigade and HSE.

Only tackle a fire if you fell confident in doing so.

This is why few people is sites are trained to operate fire extinguishers.
The most common advice is to.
Get out.
Stay out.


I have views on this. But they are not the correct views to be expressed by an BAFE Accredited Engineer in a public forum.

 

[mike os]

So you have a very minor fire, put it out with 'Patent Put-It-Out-And-Make-A-Mess" but ruin £100K worth of machinery in the process when a quick blast from a CO2 extinguisher would have done the job?

Not my philosophy. You don't amputate a hand to remove a wart! Access the situation and act accordingly matching cure to illness !

thats why i also said co2.... although i have only set off 2 extinguishers in my life, and 1 of those was training

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

thats why i also said co2.... although i have only set off 2 extinguishers in my life, and 1 of those was training

Sadly, training now is a Class room stuff and being talked through it.
I did one live Fire extinguisher training course last year.

But when I do get a chance I do allow staff members to experience discharging a unit.

 

[awemawson]

Good heavens do people need training for EVERYTHING? How hard is it to read the label BEFORE a fire happens - pull pin - point nozzle - squeeze trigger !!!!!

Precisely WHEN was common sense eliminated from the modern generation?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Good heavens do people need training for EVERYTHING? How hard is it to read the label BEFORE a fire happens - pull pin - point nozzle - squeeze trigger !!!!!

Precisely WHEN was common sense eliminated from the modern generation?

The point is.
No one reads the labels.

On a CO2, were do you hold on to it?

Where do you aim the nozzle, with a water mist?

How far do you stay away from the fire?

When do you use a foam instead of a powder?


This is why training is given.

Sadly training is seam to be a unwanted expense.

I quote:
We never had a fire.
We never need to use fire extinguishers.
The fire brigade will arrive quick enough.

Gone are the days when have a go hero's were allowed.

 

[Maker]

On a CO2, were do you hold on to it?

The nozzle of course, then sue the supplier when your frostbitten hand is amputated.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

The nozzle of course, then sue the supplier when your frostbitten hand is amputated.

Don't even go there, I am still in shock for one incident on that happening.
On a Training course, she insisted knew better, her husband is a fire fighter, luckily she was not hurt. Well her pride was.

I was only the second lead on that course.
Daft cow.

 

[Wany]

My company directs us not to tackle fires and sound the alarm and get out. They supply extinguishers in case you need them to get out. I'm lucky enough to have been on the simulated training and have been a fire warden 20+ years. Since doing more metal work and having more tins of stuff for the bike I bought a big metal cupboard for the garage to keep it all in as I'd rather not set it all off and then get a bollocking (rightly) from the fire brigade.

 

[addjunkie]

why the worry with the mess and powder... the consequences of a fire are far worse to deal with...powder and co2 for me,

Twin agent fire fighting is very efficient, but its powder and AFFF, quick knock down, then a sealing blanket.

Over the years Ive done a fair bit of fire training. Most places Ive worked, there was no where to run too.

On one course I did, there was another group from an office. Quite amusing watching them scared to use a fire blanket.

 

[MetalMonkey]

why the worry with the mess and powder... the consequences of a fire are far worse to deal with...powder and co2 for me,

That depends a lot on whether the contents is worth more than the building, and your assessment of the risks.

The sensible (safe) thing, of course, is to exit the building and let it burn. So really a good fire escape and fire detection is a better investment than a fire extinguisher.
However, I personally would prefer to minimise damage to the assets in order of value and difficulty to replace/repair (i.e. contents first, shed second). In which case, powder is a poor choice.