Fire extinguishers are an essential part of any home, business, or public space. That is why it is especially important that they are mounted properly. Fire extinguishers should be mounted in the right location, at the right height, securely, with the correct accessories, cabling should be avoided if possible, and the extinguishers should be away from temperature extremes.
Picking the right location for your extinguisher is very important. You want to find an obvious place to mount the extinguisher so people have easy access to it during an emergency. They should be placed along exit routes, in doorways, by stairways, along corridors, and in landings and lobbies. When mounting an extinguisher, a good rule of thumb is that a person should not have to travel more than 100 feet from the site of a fire.
Extinguishers should always be raised from the ground when they are mounted. If the extinguisher weighs less than 8.8 lbs, it should be 4.9 ft above the ground. Extinguishers that are heavier than 8.8 lbs, they should be 3.2 ft from the ground. If you are mounting two extinguishers side-by-side, they should mounted at the same height.
Fire extinguisher installation should be carried out by service engineers to make sure it is done properly. They can see if it is installed to the appropriate standards and is in the correct location.
Remember, sometimes fires are not caught soon enough or they can grow rapidly. At this point, a fire department is called and brave men and women rush to the scene. As a way to give back to these individuals, we offer great insurance discounts for volunteer firefighters and EMS/EMT providers here at Community Insurance & Associates. You can find out more about our discounts here or by calling any of our agents.
