What do the letters A B and C mean on a fire extinguisher?

The letter on a fire extinguisher indicates its classification: Class A puts out ordinary combustible fires (wood, paper, plastic, etc.) Class B puts out flammable liquid fires (oil, gas, petroleum, etc.) Class C puts out electrical fires.

What does ABC mean on fire extinguisher?

Dry Chemical Extinguishers come in a variety of types. You may see them labeled: • "DC" short for "dry chem" • "ABC" indicating that they are designed to extinguish class A,B,and C fires, or • "BC" indicating that they are designed to extinguish class B and C fires.

What is the difference between AB and C fire extinguishers?

Class B is for liquids and gases. Class C is for energized electrical sources.

Which fire extinguisher is AB and C type?

Standard dry powder fire extinguishers are also called 'ABC' extinguishers because they tackle class A, B and C fires, however, they are not recommended for use in enclosed spaces. This is because the powder can be easily inhaled, and also the residue is very difficult to clean up after.

What is fire Class C?

Class C: Electrical equipment, appliances and wiring in which the use or a nonconductive extinguishing agent prevents injury from electrical shock. Don't use water. Class D: Certain flammable metallic substances such as sodium and potassium.

CLASSES OF FIRE AND EXTINGUISHER

What's in a Class C fire extinguisher?

These Class C fire extinguishers may contain monoammonium phosphate, potassium bicarbonate, or potassium chloride, all of which are suitable for putting out Class C fires.

What do you use on a Class C fire?

The most important thing to remember is that a class C fire cannot be fought with water; you must use non-conductive substances. Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, and those loaded with a dry chemical like PKP, are effective. Conductive substances such as water or foam can put the fire fighter at risk.

What Is in a Class B fire extinguisher?

CO2: A carbon dioxide fire extinguisher works on a Class B fire by expelling CO2 to suffocate the fire, removing the oxygen necessary to keep it burning. It also helps with removing the heat, as the discharge is very cold.

Can you use an ABC extinguisher on a grease fire?

Other ways to put out grease fires…

Use a class B or BC or ABC fire extinguisher. A Fire Extinguisher will release a-lot of pressure, so start at a distance away and move towards the fire, rather than up-close spraying directly on to the burning grease which could tip the pan and spread the fire.

What are the 4 types of fire extinguishers?

There are four classes of fire extinguishers – A, B, C and D – and each class can put out a different type of fire. Multipurpose extinguishers can be used on different types of fires and will be labeled with more than one class, like A-B, B-C or A-B-C.

What is a Class B and C fire?

What types of fires can be extinguished with carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguishers? Class B fires which involve flammable liquids and gases, solvents, oils, greases (excluding cooking oils/greases in depth) tars, oil-based paints and lacquers. Class C fires which involve energized electrical equipment.

Can an ABC extinguisher be used on all fires?

ABC fire extinguishers are considered “tri-class” or “multi-purpose” extinguishers which can be used on Class A, B, or C fires. Every fire extinguisher has an alphabet rating that tells you what types of fires it can extinguish.

What does 2A 10B C mean?

The Amerex 5 lbs Multi-Purpose ABC Dry Chemical Fire Extinguishers (2A:10B:C) are 3-in-1 fire extinguishers that can effectively stop fires involving ordinary combustibles, flammable gas and liquids, and electrical equipment in small to medium spaces such as offices, schools, hospitals, homes, and cars.

What does 3a 40b C mean?

This 3-A:40-B:C rated fire extinguisher is suitable for light manufacturing, dining area, auto showroom, parking garage and storage areas. Multipurpose Dry Chemical. ULC-rated 3-A:40-B:C. Supplied with wall hook. Suitable for use on fires common to the home and office.

What is a b1 fire extinguisher?

B-1 Extinguishers are USCG approved and meet the need for a Type B, Size 1 USCG approved Fire Extinguisher. Amerex B-I Fire Extinguishers must be: Dry Chemical, ABC, or Purple K: 2 lbs or larger. Carbon Dioxide (Co2): 5 lbs or larger.

What does 10 B C mean on a fire extinguisher?

For each B, the extinguisher can stop one square foot of Class B fires. A 10B extinguisher can stop 10 square feet of Class B fire, a 20B extinguisher can stop 20 square feet, and so on.

Can ABC fire extinguisher be used in kitchen?

For the kitchen it's generally recommended to have a multi-purpose fire extinguisher, such as one for Class A-B-C fires, or one that can specifically handle Class B or K fires.

Which extinguisher is used for kitchen fire?

Class B extinguishers are rated for fires involving flammable liquids such as kitchen grease, gasoline, oil, solvents and oil-based paint. Class B extinguishers are numerically rated on the number of square feet of fire they can put out.

Why does baking soda put out fires?

Baking soda is effective because it releases carbon dioxide when heated, which can smother the fire. 5. Salt forms a barrier between the fire and the air. This prevents the fire from getting the oxygen it needs.

What does a Class B fire include?

So a class B fire is very dangerous as it is the burning of flammable liquids. Examples of flammable liquids include petrol, oil, paraffin, alcohol and certain paints. They can ignite by heating them up to extreme temperatures, or with a simple spark.

How can you tell the difference between Class B and fire?

Class B fires are not really different from other fires in that they have the same basic “fire tetrahedron” elements. In order to have a fire, you need fuel, oxygen, heat and a chemical reaction. The only difference is the fuel. The fuel for a Class B is a combustible gas or liquid.

What is a Class B hazard?

In fire classes, a Class B fire is a fire in flammable liquids or flammable gases, petroleum greases, tars, oils, oil-based paints, solvents, lacquers, or alcohols. For example, propane, natural gas, gasoline and kerosene fires are types of Class B fires.

What does the letter B on a 5 B fire extinguisher indicate?

“B” LIQUIDS

Fire extinguishers with a Class B rating are effective against flammable liquid fires. These can be fires where cooking liquids, oil, gasoline, kerosene, or paint have become ignited.

What is the symbol for a Type C fire extinguisher?

The C classification means the extinguishing agent is non-conductive. The geometric symbol indicating Class C is a blue circle.

What are the 5 classes of fire extinguishers?