Where should fire extinguishers be placed?

Answer 1

Depending upon the class of fire and size of extinguisher, if the extinguisher is portable it should be within 30, 50 or 75 feet of the fire hazard.

Look under specific classes of hazards or extinguishers to see which one applies.

Answer 2

A fire extinguisher should be mounted on its proper bracket at the proper height (e.g., top no more than 5 ft from floor and bottom no less than 4 inches from floor) in a location that is visible and convenient, not to mention: within the prescribed distance for the type of hazard being protected.

An extinguisher 40 pounds or more may be mounted with its top no more than 40 inches from the floor.

NFPA 1 (2009)

Answer 3

if you have a small one, it should go in the kitchen.

Fire codes specify how many you may need for a particular commercial occupancy, and how far away they can be from where they may be needed. For example, a Class K extinguisher for a grease fire must be within 30 feet of the fryer. Class A for "ordinary combustibles" (or ABC) must generally be within 30 or 50 feet, but never more than 75 feet away.

Extinguishers under 40 lbs must be mounted with top no more than 5 ft from the floor and the bottom no less than 4 inches from the floor. NFPA 1.

Answer 4

If it is an inspected location, the fire code specifies where they must be kept, what kinds, how they must be mounted, and how far to each one.

In a private dwelling, they should be mounted where they are visible to anyone working in a kitchen or near a fuel-burning heating appliance (wood stove, oil furnace, etc). You should have at least two, in case one doesn't work or one can't be found immediately.

Answer 5

There are many different rules about fire extinguishers that must be placed in different types of buildings or vehicles. The number, type and locations are typically determined by the amount and type of fuel that could become involved.

For example, portable Class K fire extinguishers must be located within 30 feet of commercial kitchen frying area to supplement the extinguisher required to be inside the exhaust hood.

Answer 6

Many universities require their chemistry graduate students to take a fire safety class. Two of the things that are taught in fire safety class are a) how to use a fire extinguisher and b) except in the case of extremely small fires, don't use a fire extinguisher, call campus safety and/or the fire department instead. The reason is that most people either don't know how to use a fire extinguisher properly or forget how in the excitement of, well, there's a fire! and, except in the case of trivial fires, are more likely to spread the fire than put it out; trying to use the extinguisher instead of calling immediately is probably a waste of time and might even make things worse.

Answer 7

Where is can be seen and accessed quickly. Portable fire extinguishers may also be covered by regulations regarding spacing, type, size, mounting height, among other things.