Fire extinguishers are colour coded according to their contents and purpose. It is important to use the right type of extinguisher on a fire. If the wrong type is used, the fire may be spread even further. The most common types of extinguishers are:
· Water
Solid red Suitable for Class A fires, Not considered effective for Class B and Class C fires, and dangerous if used for electrically energised equipment or cooking oils or fats.
· Foam
Red with blue band or label (previously solid blue) Suitable for Class A and Class B fires, with limited effectiveness for Class F fires. Not considered effective for Class C fires, and dangerous if used for electrically energised equipment.
· Powder
Red with a white band or label These extinguishers are rated as either ABE or BE. ABE rated extinguishers are considered suitable for Class A, Class B
· Class C and Class E fires
They are not considered effective for Class F fires. BE rated extinguishers are considered suitable for Class B
· Class C and Class E fires
Used with limited effectiveness on Class F fires, They are considered effective for Class A fires.
