National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 3‑7:2004+A1:2007. It supersedes BS 7937:2000 and BS EN 3‑7:2004 which are withdrawn.

The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in the text by tags. Tags indicating changes to CEN text carry the number of the CEN amendment. For example, text altered by CEN amendment A1 is indicated by

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted by Technical Committee FSH/2, Fire extinguishers, to Subcommittee FSH/2/11, Portable fire extinguishers.

A list of organizations represented on this subcommittee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 12 February 2004

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 5 March 2003 and includes Amendment 1 approved by CEN on 30 June 2007.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Foreword

This document (EN 3‑7:2004+A1:2007) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 70 “Manual means of firefighting equipment”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.

This document shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by February 2008 and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by February 2008.

This document includes Amendment 1, approved by CEN on 2007-06-30.

This document supersedes EN 3‑7:2004.

The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in the text by tags .

EN 3 consists of the following parts, under the general title "Portable fire extinguishers":

deleted text

Part 6¹⁾: Provisions for the attestation of conformity of portable fire extinguishers in accordance with EN 3 part 1 to part 5
Part 7: Characteristics, performance requirements and test methods
Part 8: Additional requirements to EN 3‑7 for the construction, resistance to pressure and mechanical tests for extinguishers with a maximum allowable pressure equal or lower than 30 bar
Part 9: Additional requirements to EN 3‑7 for pressure resistance of CO₂ extinguishers
Part 10²⁾: Provisions valuating the conformity of a portable fire extinguisher to EN 3 part 7

According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

1 Scope

This standard specifies the characteristics, performance requirements and test methods for portable fire extinguishers.

Reference to the suitability of an extinguisher for use on gaseous fires (class C fires) are at the manufacturer’s discretion, but are applied only to powder type extinguishers which have gained a class B or class A and class B rating.

Suitability of extinguishers for use on class D fires (fires involving flammable metals) is outside the scope of this standard in respect of test fires. However, extinguishers claiming class D suitability are covered in all other respects by the requirements in this standard for powder extinguishers.

It is considered hazardous for powder and carbon dioxide fire extinguishers to be used on Class F fires. For this reason powder and carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are excluded for conformance with regard to Class F in this European Standard.

NOTE The extinction of a metal fire presents a situation so specific (in terms of the metal itself, its form, the configuration of the fire etc.) that it is not possible to define a representative standard fire for the purposes of testing. The efficiency of extinguishers on class D fires needs to be established on a case by case basis.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 General

4.1 Description of a portable fire extinguisher

4.2 Control of discharge

4.3 Operating position

4.4 Hose assembly

4.5 Propellants

4.6 Stored pressure extinguishers

5 Testing of portable fire extinguishers

6 Nominal charges, filling tolerances and minimum fire performance

6.1 Nominal charges

6.2 Filling tolerances

6.3 Design of the filling opening, excluding carbon dioxide fire extinguishers

6.4 Minimum fire ratings

7 Duration of operation, residual charge and operating temperatures

7.1 Duration of operation

7.2 Residual charge

7.3 Commencement of discharge

7.4 Effective range of operating temperature

8 Retention of propellant

8.1 Verification

8.2 Acceptance levels

8.3 Production leak tests

9 Dielectric test for water based extinguishers

9.1 General

9.2 Required performance

10 Requirements for components

10.1 General

10.2 Operation and emission control mechanisms/devices

10.3 Safety devices

10.4 Filter for water based portable fire extinguishers

10.5 Hose and coupling systems

10.6 Control valve

11 Means of pressure indication

11.1 Pressure gauge

11.2 Pressure indicator

12 Horns for carbon dioxide portable fire extinguishers

12.1

12.2

12.3

12.4

13 Portable fire extinguisher mounting bracket

14 Resistance to corrosion

14.1 Resistance to external corrosion

14.2 Resistance to extinguishing medium of extinguishers using water based media

15 Fire performance

15.1 General

15.2 Class A fire rating

15.3 Class B fire rating

15.4 Class F fire rating

16 Portable fire extinguisher identification

16.1 Colour

16.2 Marking

17 Maintenance

Bibliography

BS EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007

Portable fire extinguishers - Characteristics, performance requirements and test methods

Current, Under Review

Published:

12 Feb 2004