UK Fire Extinguisher rules, like other fire safety legislation in England and Wales, are part of the 'Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005,' popularly known as the 'RRO'.
You can read the RRO here > https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/contents/made.
We have included a basic guide to the UK's current fire extinguisher rules below, and despite a few minor exclusions, this order applies to all non-domestic properties.
Types of fire extinguishers
The types of fire extinguishers required depends on the type of fire it is intended to tackle. Below is a chart of which extinguisher is correct for which fire class.
| Class | Type | Colour | Fire class | Safe for use on | Do not use on |
| A | Water | Red | A | Freely burning materials such as wood, paper, textiles and carbonaceous materials. | Fires involving liquid, flammable gasses, cooking and electrical fires. |
| B | Foam | Cream | A & B | Fires involving petrol, spirits and flammable liquids. | Alcohol, Flammable gasses, cooking oils or electrical fires. |
| C | Powder | Blue | A, B & C | Flammable gasses, propane and butane. | Metal or cooking materials |
| D | Specialist powder | Blue | D | Combustible metals - magnesium, Potassium, titanium, zirconium. | Metals such as sodium burn when in contact with air or water. |
| E | CO2 | Black | B & electrical | Electrical fires - office equipment, hair dryers, and washing machine fires. | Fires involving carbonaceous materials, e.g. wood, paper or flammable gasses. |
| F | Wet Chemical | Yellow | - | Cooking oil and fat fuelled fires. | Liquids or flammable gasses. |
| Class A | |
| Type | Water |
| Colour | Red |
| Fire class | A |
| Safe for use on | Freely burning materials such as wood, paper, textiles and carbonaceous materials. |
| Do not use on | Fires involving liquid, flammable gasses, cooking and electrical fires. |
| Class B | |
| Type | Foam |
| Colour | Cream |
| Fire class | A & B |
| Safe for use on | Fires involving petrol, spirits and flammable liquids. |
| Do not use on | Alcohol, Flammable gasses, cooking oils or electrical fires. |
| Class C | |
| Type | Powder |
| Colour | Blue |
| Fire class | A, B & C |
| Safe for use on | Flammable gasses, propane and butane. |
| Do not use on | Metal or cooking materials |
| Class D | |
| Type | Specialist powder |
| Colour | Blue |
| Fire class | D |
| Safe for use on | Combustible metals - magnesium, Potassium, titanium, zirconium. |
| Do not use on | Metals such as sodium burn when in contact with air or water. |
| Class E | |
| Type | CO2 |
| Colour | Black |
| Fire class | B & electrical |
| Safe for use on | Electrical fires - office equipment, hair dryers, and washing machine fires. |
| Do not use on | Fires involving carbonaceous materials, e.g. wood, paper or flammable gasses. |
| Class F | |
| Type | Wet Chemical |
| Colour | Yellow |
| Fire class | - |
| Safe for use on | Cooking oil and fat fuelled fires. |
| Do not use on | Liquids or flammable gasses. |
Fire extinguisher IDs
Signs identifying fire extinguishers serve two purposes: safety and legality. As a safety precaution, a fire extinguisher ID sign provides a quick summary of the type of extinguisher placed, the classes of fire that that extinguisher is safe to use on, the classes of fire that it is not recommended for, and any critical safety concerns. This ID also contains a warning not to use a carbon dioxide extinguisher in a confined space since it could cause suffocation due to a lack of oxygen.
All extinguishers offer some risk, and having a notice readily available when people may not be thinking clearly may reduce the likelihood of major ramifications from abuse.
The law requires fire extinguisher IDs to be displayed at all fire sites. It is also a legal requirement to provide instruction and training for any instrument intended for use by workers or the general public, which includes fire extinguishers, fire hose reels, and fire blankets. Failure to provide this training may subject businesses to liability if a member of staff or the general public is injured due to improper use. Signage, such as the fire extinguisher ID sign, can legally provide training and instruction.
According to British Standards BS5306-8:2012, extinguisher ID signs shall be mounted above each extinguisher to provide training and highlight the absence of an extinguisher during safety inspections. IDs are frequently noted during a fire risk assessment and may be required by your insurance company.
Fire extinguisher ID signs come in a range of sizes and locations. We provide self-adhesive, hard plastic, photoluminescent, and premium fire extinguisher ID signs, with the option to have the signs in portrait or landscape orientation for your convenience. Self-adhesive signs are easy to apply to any surface, and solid plastic signs are durable enough to be used in demanding environments such as a commercial kitchen. Photoluminescent signs glow in the dark, making them perfect for use at night or during power outages.
Where to locate fire extinguishers
According to current UK British Standards (BS5306), you should be no more than 30 metres from the right extinguisher on any given level of your business.
Water-based and CO2 fire extinguishers are typically near exits and fire alarm call points. If your building has more exits or fire alarm call points than the required number of extinguishers, the 30-metre rule determines where they should be placed.
Wet chemical and powder extinguishers should be placed within easy reach of the specific fire threat, such as the deep fat fryer.
How many extinguishers are needed?
According to UK fire extinguisher requirements, every building floor should contain at least two "Class A" extinguishers. Class A fire extinguishers fight wood or paper fires, sometimes known as "carbonaceous" fires.
Class A fire extinguishers are:
- 3L foam extinguishers
- 6L foam extinguishers
- 9L water extinguishers
If having two extinguishers would make it difficult to leave your premises due to a lack of room, only one may be required.
How to fit a fire extinguisher
Fire extinguishers must be fastened to the wall or attached to a stand to comply with fire extinguisher rules.
This also discourages people from moving them around and causing them not to be present when needed.
All extinguishers should be clearly labelled with fire extinguisher ID signs that are attached to the stand or the wall. Extinguisher ID signs describe the type of extinguisher as well as how and when they should be used.
Commissioning of fire extinguishers
The term "commissioning" refers to the process of thoroughly inspecting and approving your fire extinguishers for use.
Even if you have the proper types and sizes of extinguishers in the right places, fire extinguishers are not compliant with UK fire extinguisher legislation until they have been commissioned.
Even if you have the proper types and sizes of extinguishers in the right places, fire extinguishers are not compliant with UK fire extinguisher legislation until they have been commissioned.
- Hoses and horns are correctly attached
- They are of the right weight or pressure
- They are undamaged
- There is appropriate signage
- There is the correct number of extinguishers in the building
The extinguisher engineer will issue you a certificate as proof that your extinguishers were commissioned in compliance with UK standards.
Fire extinguisher servicing
Extinguishers must be serviced annually by a competent person or by someone with the appropriate BAFE qualifications or equivalent, according to fire extinguisher rules.
A fire extinguisher service examines various factors, including:
- Is the extinguisher up to date?
- Does it appear to be in decent condition?
- Has it been tampered with in any way?
- Do the weight and pressure appear to be correct?
- Is the pin functional?
- Is the hose in good condition?
- Are the extinguisher's instructions legible?
After the service, the engineer will be able to inform you which extinguishers need to be replaced and recommend more extinguishers to bring you up to code.
Replacement and refilling of fire extinguishers
If an extinguisher is broken, discharged, or otherwise unable to be appropriately used, it should be replaced immediately.
Fire extinguishers must be discharge tested (water foam and powder) and restocked or replaced every five years, according to BS5306. CO2 bottles are hydraulically checked every ten years, and the extinguisher is replaced.
However, both the BAFE and the Environment Agency advise against discharging water-based fire extinguishers onto open land or down drains to avoid environmental dangers.
As a result, new rules advocate replacing extinguishers rather than refilling them, as the residue would have to be disposed of using specialised methods.
This also implies that the cost of replacing extinguishers is generally comparable to the cost of refilling.
