Co2 Extinguishers – Things you should know

Co2 extinguishers originally came into prominence as a replacement for halon or BCF extinguishers which were banned for most applications in 1993 under the Montreal protocol after it was discovered that halons had the highest ozone-depleting capacity of any chemicals in common use.  Co2 extinguishers contain liquefied carbon dioxide under extreme pressure and are notable for not having a pressure gauge on the canister and a hard flute shaped discharge horn. In the UK they are also colour coded with a black panel.

Carbon dioxide extinguishers suppress fires by displacing oxygen thereby taking away the oxygen element of the fire triangle. Although carbon dioxide is very cold as it comes out of the extinguisher, this does not mean they are suitable for Class A fires involving solid combustibles like paper, wood and fabrics as insufficient oxygen may be displaced to successfully put the fire out. Class A materials may continue to smoulder and may re-ignite.

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are primarily intended for use on Class B fires which include flammable liquids such as petrol, oil, diesel, (excluding cooking oil), some solid fuels like wax. In addition as carbon dioxide is also non-conductive and unlike powder and foam leaves no harmful residue that may damage or contaminate sensitive circuitry they are commonly recommended for fires involving electrical equipment. Co2 extinguishers are not effective on flammable gases.

The combination of properties of Co2 have applications in laboratories, clean rooms, engine compartments, generator rooms, boats and flammable liquid storage areas. They are also commonly found in offices and server rooms containing computer equipment.

Although they are rated for use on flammable liquids they should not be used on cooking oil fires as the ice cold high pressure discharge will splash the burning and spread the fire further.

Carbon dioxide extinguishers are not really suitable for dealing with fires outside as the gas quickly disperses, so are generally restricted to indoor use. On the other hand be aware that carbon dioxide replaces the oxygen in the air which can lead to asphyxiation when discharged in confined spaces, so take care to ventilate the area as soon as the fire is under control.

Advantages of Foam Fire Extinguishers

Foam fire extinguishers, or more correctly AFFF extinguishers offer some key advantages over the better known water equivalents. AFFF is short for Aqueous Film Forming Foam and, although it contains water as a primary element, when applied to a Class A fire involving combustible solids Foam extinguishers not only cool the burning material but also form a chemical barrier or film that separates the flames from the airborne oxygen necessary to support combustion.

Weight for weight AFFF is a substantially more effective fire suppressant than water. A 6 litre foam fire extinguisher has the same fire rating as a 9 litre water both of which carry a 13A approval. The net difference in weight is close to 4kg or 9lbs in old money. Certainly for commercial offices, businesses and residential blocks this provides an opportunity to utilise this advantage to install more manageable lighter weight units without compromising on fire safety.

There is also a cost saving to be gained by opting for a foam extinguisher as at the time of going to press our standard 6 litre foam fire extinguisher is just £22.50 compared to £25.25 for the 9 litre water as a high proportion of the ex- works cost is in the canister itself.

If weight and cost and saving were not enough unlike water the film forming properties of AFFF foam extinguishers make them highly effective at combatting Class B flammable liquid fires, typically petrol, diesel , paints and solvents. A 6 litre foam fire extinguisher has an impressive 144B rating. This added versatility makes them ideal for garages and petrol forecourts and they are the extinguisher of choice for motor sports in general. On a much larger scale AFFF foam is also used extensively at airports applied from large mobile extinguishers or tenders to form a fire suppressive blanket.

Boat, caravan and recreational vehicle owners can also take advantage of this versatility with models now available in 1 and 2 litre capacities.

Workplace First Aid Kits get a British Standard makeover

Probably all households have that special cupboard converted to a makeshift first aid cabinet full of assorted first aid products assembled over the years. Half empty boxes of first aid plasters, bandages, dressings and antiseptic balms are all jumbled together for those inevitable little accidents and emergencies. Of course when they are needed you can never find a plaster of the right size, the finger guard has gone missing or the medical tape has perished.

In the home this is all part of the living experience but in the workplace the consequences of not having a viable first aid kit will lead you to fall foul of the Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 that obliges that “An employer shall provide or ensure (provision of) such equipment and facilities as are adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for enabling first aid to be rendered to ……employees if they are injured or become ill at work”

Attitudes to Risk Assessment and the workplace environment has moved on since 1981 and British Standards with advice from HSE, has produced a new standard BS 8599 for workplace first aid kits that replaces the old British Healthcare Trade Association (BHTA) guideline. We will be phasing in the new kits over the next few weeks to meet the required implementation date of December 31st.

The new Standard has revised the product and equipment content of workplace first aid kits to improve safety provision for both patient and first aiders. The Standard details 3 sizes, small first aid kits, medium first aid kits and large first aid kits appropriate to the size of the workforce and the level of workplace safety risk but all will contain the same basic contents in varying quantities.

First aid Kits to BS 8599 will contain the following:

• First Aid Plasters – more quantity
• Nitrile Gloves – more quantity
• Sterile Wipes – more quantity (now must meet the European CE marking rules)
• Medium and Large Dressings – fewer quantities
• Triangular Bandages – fewer quantities
• Finger Dressings
• Burns Gel Dressing – modern burns gel with a conforming bandage to attach and retain it
• Adhesive Tape in addition to Safety Pins allowing a choice of application
• Shears – for cutting clothing around wound sites to allow first aid treatment.
• Foil Emergency Blanket – clinical shock presents a serious life threatening risk to a casualty, Foil blankets keep the casualty dry and warm
• Mouth to Mouth Resuscitation Device to protects the first aider from cross infection
• First Aid Guidance Leaflet – with latest HSE guidance

Note that eye wash is not on the list although it is recommended in Travel First Aid Kits for employees on the move and separate eye wash stations should be provided in high risk workplace areas.

The BS 8599 Standard does differentiate between low risk environments including offices, retail, libraries etc. and high risk such as construction, engineering and process plants. By example in an office a small size first aid kit to BS 8599 is ok for up to 25 employees but you need a large size kit for every 25 employees in a high risk workplace.

Specialist workplace environments require more specialist First Aid provision and we will continue to supply “blue plaster” Catering First Aid Kits and PSV first aid kits conforming to the new standard.

Should Big Brother govern life choices?

There was something worryingly Orwellian about reading the Sunday paper this week. It started with an apparently serious front page article about the Mandometer (after mandible I guess) an ingenious talking plate that measures the amount of food you eat and issues terse warnings if you eat too much or too quickly. It even has a screen showing graphics of the food on the plate and shows it disappearing as one eats. Surely observing the actual plate would be equally effective in spotting this.  The idea of course is meant to cure all us common folk of obesity by “training” us to eat responsibly. Mad! Mad! Mad! This kind of intuitive talking safety device is not new. Our intelligent Cigarette Smoke Detector can not only detect a lighter flame at 6 metres but also issues a verbal “No smoking allowed” warning. In this case at least it is a necessary safeguard to meet sensible HSE and fire safety legislation.

Then the BMA publishes its annual crackpot scientific review on the dangers of cigarette smoking calling for smoking to be banned in (private) cars. The report asserted children in cars were subjected to 23 times the level of toxins from cigarettes than they would compared to a smoke filled bar. As we quite rightly no longer have smoked filled bars this assertion seemed based on dubious science. When challenged, the BMA had to quickly backtrack reducing its figure to “nearer 11″ before admitting the measurements were taken in cars with windows closed and the air-conditioning in recirculation mode. I think more lives could be saved by urging drivers to carry emergency safety equipment such as a fire extinguisher, a travel first aid kit and a lifehammer to break a window and let the kids escape if the doors are jammed in an accident.

Next I read a story that shows the rise in CCTV cameras monitoring our kids in school has reached epidemic proportions with several schools boasting a camera to pupil ratio approaching 1 for every 6 kids. Even the school toilets that last bastion of privacy have succumbed to the official pupil snooper. The Heads at these schools defend their blanket surveillance strategy as essential to prevent misbehaviour and vandalism. They may need reminding that due to EU human rights excesses the day has long gone when our children held the slightest fear of retribution for doing anything wrong.

To cap it all another article reported that atmospheric Carbon Dioxide levels have “shot up” by 2.5 ppm to 390 or so. The climate change doom mongers are never that hot on detail or margins of error but how convenient are the findings with the Kyoto climate change conference just weeks away. Smoking a cigarette creates carbon dioxide as does a car but not I suspect as much as manufacturing CCTV cameras.

10 Work Place Safety Essentials When Starting a Business.

You may think that business start-up’s in the current economic climate would be a rare occurrence yet government statistics still report “Business Births” as they term it at approaching 200,000 a year. Starting a business is stressful enough with so much red tape and regulations to plough through. Work place safety including fire safety is just one aspect but at least we can help with a rundown of 10 essential provisions to put budding entrepreneurs on the right side of the law.

• Display a Health and Safety Law poster prominently in the premises either on reception or in a communal staff area.
• Display Fire Signs detailing what to do in the event of fire, the designated escape routes and fire assembly points.
• Display a No Smoking Sign at each public entrance to the premises
• Conduct a fire risk assessment and utilise the outcome to determine any extra fire safety provisions such as Fire Extinguishers. If you need help purchase one of our self help manuals or step by step fire risk assessment tools. It’s far less expensive that employing a consultant.
• Purchase a Fire Log Book to record fire safety training, fire equipment maintenance records, fire drills and fire action plans. This is mandatory if you employ 5 or more people.
• Accidents can happen in any business so a First Aid Kit is a good safeguard.
• If the business extends over several rooms install a Rotary Hand Bell in a usually occupied room that can be heard throughout the building.
• In unoccupied rooms such as storage, server or computer rooms that present a fire risk install Smoke Detectors. For large premises extending to many rooms or more than one floor interlinked wired smoke detectors and alarms are preferred.
• If in the course of your business activity you store and use quantities of hazardous substances, described generally as toxic, corrosive or flammable you should store these in a suitable Flammable Storage Cabinet compliant with the COSHH or DSEAR regulations.
• Having done all this you should then bring in your insurers and ensure you have third party liability insurance appropriate to your business. Having a clear fire and safety policy in place should help with the premiums.

You can find more information in our Advice section on Fire Safety Management and if you have any further tips to help start up businesses let us know.