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How many fire extinguisher colours are there?
What do the colours on fire extinguishers mean?
What color is a dry powder extinguisher?
Do fire extinguishers have a colour code?
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.
- What is the minimum number of extinguishers I legally have to have? We are often asked ‘How many fire extinguishers are required in a business premises?’
- Are there other types of extinguisher I have to have? Depending on the equipment in your business premises, you are likely to need other types of fire extinguisher.
- Where should extinguishers be located? The ‘standard pair’ water-based and CO2 fire extinguishers are usually located by exits and fire alarm call-points.
- How should extinguishers be ‘fitted’? To comply with fire extinguisher regulations, extinguishers should be either fixed to the wall, or attached to a stand.
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).
Aug 24, 2023 · What colours are fire extinguishers coded by? There are 5 coloured labels for fire extinguishers. You have blue (dry powder), cream (foam), yellow (chemical), black (CO²), and red (water).
It includes understanding the fire extinguisher colours, indicating their specific use cases: Water (Red): For paper, wood, and textiles. Foam (Cream): For flammable liquids and solids. CO₂ (Black): For electrical fires and flammable liquids. Powder (Blue): For mixed fire risk environments.
Fire extinguisher colours indicate what type of fire they are effective against. Read our helpful guide to learn the code and fight fires safely and effectively.
