BAFE FAQs

Fire Extinguishers
  • What type of fire extinguisher should I use on a class A fire?

    Clause 7.2 of BS 5306-8:2023* states class A fires as “fires involving solid materials, usually of an organic nature in which combustion normally takes place with the formation of glowing embers.

    It adds “Class A materials are generally present in all premises and occupancies.”

    BAFE SP101 Registered Organisations will be able to advise the Responsible Person (i.e. the customer) on suitable fire extinguishers for their premises that meet all the requirements of BS 5306-8 and the BAFE SP101 Scheme (which includes additional parts of BS 5306 to also be followed).

    *BS 5306-8:2023 is the British Standard for Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises Part 8: Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers – Code of practice. All information provided is used from this version of the British Standard.

    Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date as of time of publishing. Any sources of information are stated appropriately. No legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions.

  • What type of fire extinguisher should I use on a class B fire?

    Clause 7.3 of BS 5306-8:2023* states class B fires as “Fires involving flammable liquids.

    It adds “Different types of extinguisher, of the same class B fire rating, have different characteristics, which in particular circumstances might make one type preferable to another.

    Foam is effective against contained (non-flowing) fires where it provides semi-permanent protection. With foam it is possible to partially extinguish a fire which will not regain full intensity for some time until the foam over the surface is destroyed. Foam can be applied to liquids in tanks to shield them from ignition from another source, or to prevent the evolution of flammable vapours.

    Powder and CO2 are effective media for tackling uncontained (spill or “running”) fires.”

    BAFE SP101 Registered Organisations will be able to advise the Responsible Person (i.e. the customer) on suitable fire extinguishers for their premises that meet all the requirements of BS 5306-8 and the BAFE SP101 Scheme (which includes additional parts of BS 5306 to also be followed).

    *BS 5306-8:2023 is the British Standard for Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises Part 8: Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers – Code of practice. All information provided is used from this version of the British Standard.

    Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date as of time of publishing. Any sources of information are stated appropriately. No legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions.

  • What type of fire extinguisher should I use on a class C fire?

    Clause 7.4 of BS 5306-8:2023* states class C fires as “Fires involving gases.

    Clause 7.4.1 states “Extinguishers should not normally be provided to tackle class C fire hazards.

    When the fire risk assessment determines that extinguishers should be provided to tackle a class C fire hazard (most likely in high-risk, industrial locations by specially trained personnel}, the risk assessment should determine the type and number of extinguishers required. Extinguishers with a class C fire rating should then be provided as identified in the fire risk assessment.”

    BAFE SP101 Registered Organisations will be able to advise the Responsible Person (i.e. the customer) on suitable fire extinguishers for their premises that meet all the requirements of BS 5306-8 and the BAFE SP101 Scheme (which includes additional parts of BS 5306 to also be followed).

    *BS 5306-8:2023 is the British Standard for Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises Part 8: Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers – Code of practice. All information provided is used from this version of the British Standard.

    Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date as of time of publishing. Any sources of information are stated appropriately. No legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions.

  • What type of fire extinguisher should I use on a class D fire?

    Clause 7.5 of BS 5306-8:2023* states class D fires as “Fires involving metals.

    Clause 7.5.1 states “For fires of combustible metals, specially formulated class D powder types of extinguisher should be used.

    Other types of extinguisher should not be sited in areas where burning flammable metal is the major factor in the risk analysis.”

    BAFE SP101 Registered Organisations will be able to advise the Responsible Person (i.e. the customer) on suitable fire extinguishers for their premises that meet all the requirements of BS 5306-8 and the BAFE SP101 Scheme (which includes additional parts of BS 5306 to also be followed).

    *BS 5306-8:2023 is the British Standard for Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises Part 8: Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers – Code of practice. All information provided is used from this version of the British Standard.

    Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date as of time of publishing. Any sources of information are stated appropriately. No legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions.

  • What type of fire extinguisher should I use on a class F fire?

    Clause 7.6.1 states “Types of extinguisher other than those suitable for class F fires should not be sited in areas where cooking oils or fats is the major factor in the risk analysis.”

    BS 5306-8 also warns that: “Failure to use class F extinguishing media can make a fire involving cooking media in cooking appliances significantly worse, and is likely to spread the fire to the immediate vicinity of the appliance concerned by the ejection of flaming droplets which could cause injury or impede escape.”

    BAFE SP101 Registered Organisations will be able to advise the Responsible Person (i.e. the customer) on suitable fire extinguishers for their premises that meet all the requirements of BS 5306-8 and the BAFE SP101 Scheme (which includes additional parts of BS 5306 to also be followed).

    *BS 5306-8:2023 is the British Standard for Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises Part 8: Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers – Code of practice. All information provided is used from this version of the British Standard.

    Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date as of time of publishing. Any sources of information are stated appropriately. No legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions.

  • What type of fire extinguisher should I use on live electrical equipment?

    Clause 7.7.1 of BS 5306-8 (Fires involving live electrical equipment) states “Only electrically non-conductive extinguishing media, such as non-conductive powder, carbon dioxide or clean agent, should be used on live electrical equipment. Extinguishers containing such media should be provided throughout the premises for use on common electrical hazards (e.g. lighting and small appliances).

    It also adds a warning to stress, “Before any extinguisher is discharged onto live electrical equipment, it is expected that the equipment will be disconnected/isolated. Even where cut-off protection is provided, a fire can cause this to fail, and therefore the use of electrically conductive extinguishing media could result in electrocution. The electrical supply to consumer units/fuse boards will always remain live, except where there is a complete failure of the supply.”

    Where electrical equipment is present, fire extinguishers that contain “electrically non-conductive extinguishing media” that is water or water-based may not be suitable in line with Clause 4 of BS 5306-8 (due to purified water potentially reassuming its natural properties and rendering the originally purified water electrically conductive).

    BAFE SP101 Registered Organisations will be able to advise the Responsible Person (i.e. the customer) on suitable fire extinguishers for their premises that meet all the requirements of BS 5306-8 and the BAFE SP101 Scheme (which includes additional parts of BS 5306 to also be followed).

    Further Information

    Clause 4 of BS 5306-8:2023* (Provision of extinguishers – General recommendations) states that, “Water conducts electricity. Use of purified water (e.g. distilled, deionized or de-mineralized) on a fire introduces CO2 from the air, impurities from the products of combustion, and an increase in temperature. This causes the water to reassume its natural properties, and as a result can render the originally purified water electrically conductive.

    This would include “water-based media” examples of which are stated in BS 5306-8 as, “water-with-additive, foam, alcohol-resistant foam and wet chemical.”

    Clause 5.4 of BS 5306-8 discussing electrical conductivity states “Only electrically non-conductive extinguishing media, such as non-conductive powder, carbon dioxide, or other clean agent should be specified for use on live electrical equipment.

    *BS 5306-8:2023 is the British Standard for Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises Part 8: Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers – Code of practice. All information provided is used from this version of the British Standard.

    Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date as of time of publishing. Any sources of information are stated appropriately. No legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions.

  • What type of fire extinguisher should I use on individual small lithium-ion rechargeable batteries?

    Clause 7.8 of BS 5306-8:2023* states “For lithium-ion batteries, water or water-based extinguishers should be provided to cool individual small rechargeable devices that are no longer on charge.”

    Clause 7.8 states, “This subclause covers only lithium-ion batteries in individual small rechargeable devices (such as laptops, mobile phones, e-cigarettes and portable power tools). It does not cover multiple devices or lithium-ion batteries in larger devices…

    …For the purposes of this document, lithium-ion batteries in individual small rechargeable devices are not considered to be live electrical equipment.

    Rechargeable batteries found in, or used to power, individual small rechargeable devices are increasingly likely to be lithium-ion type, although other rechargeable battery chemistries are still common.

    When one of these devices or their charging device fails, e.g. through overcharging, modification, fault or damage, the lithium-ion battery can catch fire. These fires are sudden, intensely hot and escalate quickly. It is likely that a lithium-ion battery will burn out rather than be extinguished. Current research indicates that rapid cooling is recommended.

    If an individual small rechargeable device containing lithium-ion batteries is on charge, it needs to be disconnected/isolated before any attempt is made to cool it.

    If a lithium-ion battery fails, it can catch fire and ignite other materials.”

    It also adds a warning that, “Fires involving lithium-ion batteries are unpredictable and can cause fire to spread significantly, increasing the danger.

    *BS 5306-8:2023 is the British Standard for Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises Part 8: Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers – Code of practice. All information provided is used from this version of the British Standard.

    Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date as of time of publishing. Any sources of information are stated appropriately. No legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions.

  • With the ban on PFOA in class B firefighting foams from 04/06/2025, what would be a suitable replacement?

    A suitable replacement portable fire extinguisher would be any product that matches the class of potential fire identified by the fire extinguisher provider in their risk assessment, (and that is compliant with the relevant parts of BS 5306).

    Please check with your fire extinguisher provider to ensure the appropriate fire extinguishers are used. Where foam portable fire extinguishers are used, please ensure they meet the UK POPs Regulation. This can be confirmed via the fire extinguisher provider/manufacturer.

    Further Information:

    In November 2021, BAFE shared information provided by the Environment Agency regarding the UK Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation:

    https://www.bafe.org.uk/bafe-news/compliance-advice-for-pfoa-in-class-b-firefighting-foams

    In 2022, The FIA (Fire Industry Association) published the guidance document “Foam Extinguisher Restrictions Briefing”. In this guidance it discusses the use of Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in foam; “C8” chemistry. The brief is available to download from the FIA here: https://www.fia.uk.com/resourceLibrary/foam-extinguisher-restrictions-briefing-2022.html (external link).

    In 2023, The FIA published “Guidance on Applicable standards for class B foams” available to download from the FIA here: https://www.fia.uk.com/resourceLibrary/guidance-applicable-standards-for-class-b-foams--pdf.html (external link).

    Every effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date as of time of publishing. Any sources of information are stated appropriately. No legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions.

  • Can BAFE comment on a particular portable fire extinguisher model/product available on the market?

    BAFE are unable to comment on particular fire extinguisher models/products available on the market. For the BAFE SP101 Scheme however, products shall be required to meet all requirements of the relevant/current British Standards as outlined within the BAFE SP101 Scheme Document (i.e. BS 5306-3, BS 5306-8, BS 5306-9, and BS 5306-10).

    BAFE have published a position statement to help clarify this matter which is available here: BAFE position regarding any products falling outside of BAFE SP101 Scope

    For Information the British Standards referenced above are:

    • BS 5306-3 Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises. Commissioning and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers. Code of practice
    • BS 5306-8 Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises. Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers. Code of practice
    • BS 5306-9 Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises. Recharging of portable fire extinguishers. Code of practice
    • BS 5306-10 Fire extinguishing installations and equipment on premises. Colour coding to indicate the extinguishing medium contained in portable fire extinguishers. Code of practice