There are a few mistakes people make when using fire extinguishers that you must remember.
Whenever there is a fire, a fire extinguisher is your first line of defense to stop the spread of the fire. However, there are a few mistakes people make when using fire extinguishers. Fire extinguishers are actually easy to use but it is crucial to learn the proper, effective, and safe way to extinguish a fire. Here are a couple of fire extinguisher mistakes to avoid in case you need to use a fire extinguisher.
Not Pulling the Extinguisher Pin
Pins exist for a reason on fire extinguishers and that is to prevent an unintended discharge. The pin is located on the handle. Always remember to pull the pin or you will not be able to use your fire extinguisher. Many jurisdictions require what are known as tamper seals. Fire extinguisher tamper seals protect the pin from being accidentally pulled from a fire extinguisher and can be used to identify a fire extinguisher that has already been discharged. When you see the tamper seal on a fire extinguisher, simply twist and pull the pin and you will be good to go. This is one way to avoid those pesky fire extinguisher mistakes
Standing Way Too Close to the Fire
Maintaining the right distance between the fire extinguisher and the fire is one of the most important things you can remember to do. If you are too far away, the fire extinguisher’s discharge will be far too weak, and the fire may not go out. If you’re standing too close, you could potentially burn yourself or even help spread the fire. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), recommends that you stand approximately eight feet from the flames. It will give you the correct amount of discharge power from the extinguisher and not excessively disperse the extinguishing agent so the fire can be extinguished.
Aiming the Discharge Too High
People frequently make the mistake of starting from the top point of a fire and sweeping downwards. This is not what you want to do. Doing that won’t extinguish the fire. You’ll want to aim the discharge at the base of the fire where the fuel is. Sweep along the base, and you will put the fire out.
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