It can be quite challenging to work out what fire protection equipment your business needs.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, which means that business owners often feel like they’re completely in the dark when it comes to picking out equipment. One of the first steps is to look into conducting a thorough fire safety risk assessment that evaluates:

• Potential fire hazards

• Potential safety issues

• Potential escape routes

This should help you to identify the type of equipment your business requires and enable you to purchase items that meet a specific need.

Once these have been identified, implementing standards can help you ensure that your business is complying with firefighting equipment regulations. This will help to keep your employees safe.

To read more on the topic of fire health and safety compliance, click here.

The Different Types of Fire Fighting Equipment

Active Fire Prevention Systems

Active fire prevention systems include water sprinklers, sprays, and other, specialized systems that actively combat a fire.

Active fire prevention systems are normally used in the manufacturing industries and/or applications where highly flammable materials are used, but sprinklers and other active systems can also be used to control fires in large warehouses and other open spaces

Passive Fire Prevention Systems

Passive fire prevention systems include specialist insulation, fire doors, and other structural elements that are designed to control the spread of fire. Most passive prevention systems (PFPS) are installed when buildings are first constructed, but you may be able to retroactively install some structural defenses if your fire safety risk assessment outlines a pressing need for additional protection.

Extinguishers and Hoses

Extinguishers, hoses, and other manual systems allow you to stop fires from spreading throughout the workplace and provide some measure of control in the event of a fire.

There are many different types of fires that can arise within the workplace, depending on the type of business it is, so having the corresponding type of fire extinguisher on site is crucial. Fire hoses and fire blankets also have specific functions when it comes to tackling fires in the office, so keep your staff informed of the proper procedures for tackling fires safely without putting themselves at risk.

Portable fire extinguishers save lives and property by putting out small fires or containing them until the fire brigade arrives. They should only be used for fighting a fire in its very early stages.

There is a wide variety of portable fire extinguishers available, based on the type of fire they will be used to fight. These differ by the extinguishing agent they expel onto a fire: the main types of extinguisher are foam, CO2, dry powder, and foam.

Key Fire Fighting Standards

BSI standards and publications give recommendations for users, consultants, and industry professionals who require an understanding of fire extinguishing systems and their applications. Other BSI standards provide guidance in matters affecting the design, installation, testing, and maintenance of fire mains and fixed firefighting systems.

BS 5306-3:2017 - Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises. Commissioning and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers. Code of practice

BS 5306-1:2006 - Code of practice for fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises. Hose reels and foam inlets

BS 7273-1:2006 - Code of Practice for the operation of fire protection measures. Electrical actuation of gaseous total flooding extinguishing systems

BS EN 3-8:2006 - Portable fire extinguishers. Additional requirements to EN 3-7 for the construction, resistance to pressure and mechanical tests for extinguishers with a maximum allowable pressure equal to or lower than 30 bar

BS EN 3-9:2006 - Portable fire extinguishers. Additional requirements to EN 3-7 for pressure resistance of CO2 extinguishers

BS 9990:2006 - Code of practice for non-automatic fire-fighting systems in buildings

Want to access and manage the standards you need to support your provision of compliant fire safety equipment - all in one place? With a BSI Knowledge subscription, you will have the flexibility and visibility to manage the essential standards you need to develop fire equipment with confidence and comply to fire safety regulations. Build your own custom collection of standards, or opt for access to our GBM08 Fire, Accident & Crime Protection module and keep up-to-date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more.

Ensure your organization is meeting the necessary fire-fighting equipment regulations by adding these standards to your collection today.