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There are 5 fire extinguisher colours: Red, Cream, Blue, Black, and Yellow. Each colour represents a different type of extinguisher, used on different types of fires. The fire extinguisher colours changed in 1997 to meet British and European Standard BS EN3.
In the UK, fire extinguishers are colour-coded to help users quickly identify the right type of fire extinguisher to use for different fires. In this guide, we take you through the UK’s fire extinguisher colour code, the various types of fire extinguishers and their appropriate uses.
- What’s in a colour? Should a fire take hold, it’s imperative that people in the building know where vital fire-fighting equipment is located and are confident they’ll be picking up the right fire extinguisher appropriate for the class of fire it’s being used on.
- Red. Water extinguishers take a red label. This type of fire extinguisher is most commonly used for Class A fires (those caused by flammable solids like wood or paper).
- Cream. Foam extinguishers display a cream label. They’re most commonly used on Class B fires (started by flammable liquids). However, as they’re water-based, they’ll also work on Class A fires.
- Blue. Dry powder extinguishers display a blue label. These extinguishers are also known as ABC extinguishers because of their versatility to help tackle Class A, B and C fires (those started by flammable solids, liquids and gases).
- Water (White) Water is usually the first thing you think of for putting out fires. And water fire extinguishers are probably the most common. This fire extinguisher is red with white writing and label.
- Foam (Cream) Foam fire extinguishers are red with a cream label. Foam extinguishers primarily work by smothering fires and starving the fire of the oxygen it needs to burn.
- Powder (Blue) Dry powder fire extinguishers are red with a blue label. Like foam, the non-combustible powder smothers the fire. Unlike foam extinguishers, this type of extinguisher doesn't contain water so can be used on live electrical equipment.
- Carbon Dioxide (Black) Carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguishers are red with a black label. You may also notice the nozzle on this type of extinguisher is a large cone shape.
There are five colours used on fire extinguishers that identify what they spray to fires: Red – Water/ Mist. Cream – Foam. Blue – Powder/ABC. Black – Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Yellow – Wet Chemical. Fire Extinguisher Types. There are five different types of extinguishers.
Aug 24, 2023 · All fire extinguishers in the UK are red. However, there are 5 different types of fire extinguisher to deal with different fire risks. You can tell the difference by using the different fire extinguisher colours indicated on their labels. Once you learn the colours, you will be able to reliably identify the different types of extinguisher.
Our helpful guide provides a comprehensive overview of the five fire extinguisher colours: Red, Cream, Blue, Black, and Yellow, and the classes of fires they’re used for, and their specific applications.
