Rashid Minhas
In an emergency there is no time to study instructions. A minute spent reading your extinguisher labels today means you will know exactly what to grab when it matters.
1. The colour band and type
The body or band colour identifies the extinguishing agent, and the type is printed in large letters: water, foam, powder, CO2 or wet chemical.
2. Fire-class symbols
Pictograms show which fires the unit is approved for. A symbol with a red line through it means do not use on that type of fire.
3. The rating
A rating such as 13A 89B describes the size of test fire the unit can put out. A higher number means more firefighting capacity.
4. Operating instructions
Short illustrated steps explain how to operate the unit. Read them now, not during a fire.
5. The service tag
- Date of the last service and the next due date
- Name of the technician or service company
- Any refill or pressure-test history
If the next service date has passed, or the gauge needle is outside the green zone, have the extinguisher checked straight away.