Symbols on a Fire Extinguisher
Have you ever noticed any of these symbols on a fire extinguisher and wondered what they meant?
The symbols on a fire extinguisher are there to provide an easy way of understanding what type of fire the extinguisher is suitable for. There are two types of symbols, pictograms and words. Pictograms are pictures that show what type of hazard it can be used on, while words give more specific information about the hazard.
Classes
Before we learn How to Use a Fire Extinguisher, we need to understand the Symbols on a Fire Extinguisher. In green, red, blue, yellow, and black, the letters indicate what class of fire an extinguisher is equipped to fight. Different types of fire need different approaches to extinguish them, and this is why all fire extinguishers need to be clearly labeled, so you always know you are using the correct type. You can cause serious harm by using the wrong kind of extinguisher to extinguish a fire.
Class A Fire Extinguisher
Class A Fire Extinguisher used for combustible materials such as paper, wood, cardboard, and plastics can be extinguished with a Class A fire extinguisher. A green triangle is a geometric symbol, and wood and regular trash are shown on the pictograph. You can check complete and step by step step details of Class A Fire Extinguisher with video guide.
Class B Fire Extinguisher
Class B Fire Extinguisher is used to extinguish fires caused by flammable or combustible liquids, such as gasoline, kerosene, grease, or oil. The pictograph shows a fuel can lead to flames, and the geometric symbol shows a red square.
Class C Fire Extinguisher
Class C Fire Extinguisher for electrical fires caused by appliances, wiring, circuit breakers, or outlets. Water should never be used to extinguish a Class C fire, and water is a powerful conductor, so an electrical shock is possible. A blue circle represents the geometric symbol, and the pictograph shows a burning electrical cord and outlet.
Class D Fire Extinguisher
Class D fire extinguisher is used for fires that commonly occur in a laboratory environment. The metals involved are magnesium, titanium, potassium, or sodium, flammable, represented by yellow stars or decagons. Usually, you will not see a pictograph for this class, but there may be one with a metal beam and flames.
Class K Fire Extinguisher
Class K fire extinguisher used in restaurants and cafeteria kitchens in case of fires involving cooking oils, trans-fats, or fats in cooking appliances. This pictograph depicts a flaming frying pan and a black hexagon as geometric symbols. It is also Konown as kitchen fire extinguisher
Different Combinations
Various types and combinations for their extinguishers are available, depending on what they need. For example, if you see “BC” it can be used to put out any class A fires (those with metal), while an ABC might work better against wood or cloth material burns; similarly S could save your home from paper products such as newsprint which often have low melting points but will catch alight when otherwise stationary!
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