Reference

The numbers on a fire extinguisher label are tested capacity, not size: each 1-A equals about 1.25 gallons of water-equivalent power and the B number is square feet of liquid fire a novice can put out. This guide decodes 2A:10BC, explains the UL 711 tests behind the numbers, and works room-by-room sizing with NFPA 10 and OSHA rules.

Fire extinguisher inspection runs on a fixed cadence: a monthly visual check, an annual maintenance by a qualified servicer, and hydrostatic testing every 5 or 12 years by extinguisher type, under OSHA 1910.157 and NFPA 10. This guide explains each interval, who performs it, how to document the tag, and walks a worked example for a facility.

Fire extinguisher placement requirements set how far a worker may travel to reach a unit and how high it may be mounted, and getting either wrong is a common OSHA citation. This guide breaks down the NFPA 10 travel-distance limits by class, the mounting-height and clearance rules, OSHA 1910.157 accessibility, and a worked facility example.

Fire extinguisher types describe the agent inside — dry chemical, CO2, water, wet chemical, clean agent, or dry powder — a separate decision from the A-B-C-D-K fire class on the label. This guide explains each agent, the classes it is rated for, and its residue under NFPA 10, plus a worked facility example.

Fire extinguisher classes (A, B, C, D, and K) tell you which fires a unit can safely fight, and using the wrong class can spread a fire instead of stopping it. This guide decodes every class under NFPA 10, explains the numerical A and B ratings on the label, covers the PASS discharge method, and walks a worked example of equipping a workshop.

Most workplace fires start small enough to stop with a portable extinguisher, but only when you pick the right class and use it correctly. This guide explains the PASS method step by step, decodes fire classes A through K, walks through a real ABC unit, and covers the OSHA training rule and when to evacuate.