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The Mundelein Fire Department has several requirements regarding types and placements for fire extinguishers in commercial buildings.
What type of extinguisher do I need and where should it be installed?
What type of extinguisher should be installed in all data and electrical rooms?
What type of extinguisher is needed in a commercial kitchen?
Do I need an extinguisher for welding?
What type of extinguisher do I need and where should it be installed?
A 10lb ABC fire extinguisher is required by each exit then 75’ of travel distance after that.
Class A extinguishers are for ordinary combustible materials such as paper, wood, cardboard, and most
plastics. The numerical rating on these types of extinguishers indicates the amount of water it holds
and the amount of fire it can extinguish.
Class B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, grease and oil.
The numerical rating for class B extinguishers indicates the approximate number of square feet of fire
it can extinguish.
Class C fires involve electrical equipment, such as appliances, wiring, circuit breakers and outlets.
Never use water to extinguish class C fires - the risk of electrical shock is far too great! Class C
extinguishers do not have a numerical rating. The C classification means the extinguishing agent is
non-conductive.
What type of extinguisher should be installed in all data and electrical rooms?
A CO2 extinguisher is required in all data and electrical rooms.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) extinguishers are used for class B and C fires. CO2 extinguishers contain
carbon dioxide, a non-flammable gas, and are highly pressurized. The pressure is so great that it
is not uncommon for bits of dry ice to shoot out the nozzle. They don't work very well on class A
fires because they may not be able to displace enough oxygen to put the fire out, causing it to re-ignite.
CO2 extinguishers have an advantage over dry chemical extinguishers since they don't leave a harmful
residue.
What type of extinguisher is needed in a commercial kitchen?
A class “K” extinguisher is required in all commercial kitchens.
A Class K or Type K extinguisher is one that is designed specifically to extinguish cooking fires.
Modern cooking oils burn at much higher temperatures than lards and other fats that were used
in the past. The old 2A10BC extinguishers are able to extinguish fires involving these new
cooking media. However, these new cooking media hold a significant amount of heat after
extinguishment. This may result in a case of reigniting of the cooking media. Class K
extinguishers are designed to cool the burning cooking medial as well as to extinguish it.
Do I need an extinguisher for welding?
A 2 ½ lb extinguisher is required on all torch carts. |
