Despite the efforts of government officials to increase awareness of the dangers of fire, a lot of people are still ignorant of essential facts about fire safety. For instance, the majority of people are aware of what a fire extinguisher does, however, if you asked them what a foam fire extinguisher is and they’ll probably answer with many “I aren’t sure.” Foam fire extinguishers are also referred to by the name of AFFF Foam (Aqueous film forming Foam) are essential elements of a firefighting apparatus that can form a smothering layer of foam on the flames, which reduces the oxygen supply that fires require to grow. This agent for extinguishing can pass through porous substances and slow down the fire through the loss of water that is contained inside the foam.
This kind of tool is used to control Class B fires or those which result from the combustion of flammable liquids such as oil, petrol, and solvents. This is particularly important for companies which make use of these chemicals. In your home, keep this extinguisher inside the garage or anywhere else where the chemicals are kept or are used. In addition to Class B, it can be utilized to fight class A flames (paper and clothing, wood and similar substances). In addition, these extinguishers could be used to combat electrical fires. However, it is important to be aware that this substance could seriously harm electrical equipment.
Alongside knowing the type of foam to extinguish You should also be aware of the factors that assist you in making a decision on whether you should fight or run. One of them is that you should only utilize this tool in the event that the fire is tiny and not yet advancing. If the fire is rapidly spreading then you must leave the area right away. Also, be facing an exit, so that if the fire grows too out of hand, you are able to still get away quickly. Don’t attempt to make use of the extinguisher when you do not have the proper training or experience in its use. Even if you’ve got the correct kind however, you could be injured if your don’t know how to utilize it correctly.
While this kind of device for fighting fires is extremely effective, it does have a few negatives you need to be aware about. It is unsafe to use it in Class C fires or those caused by gases that are flammable. Choose an extinguisher made of powder instead. Additionally, this extinguisher is quite heavy, so it might benefit if you choose one with the form of wheels or the option of a trolley, so that getting it to the scene will be less difficult. Also, it contains fluoro tensides that may accumulate within the body. This should not be reason to worry as there are no studies to date which can confirm that it has negative impacts on the body.
The foam extinguisher is among the most crucial tools for fighting fires that is able to effectively stop flames caused by liquids that ignite. Be prepared for fire only if you are able to utilize an extinguisher and are able to bring yourself back to the exit and when the flames remain smaller and have not spread.
Bennett Glover is a professional fire safety expert and consultant to commercial enterprises to help spread awareness and safety throughout the UK region. He writes regularly for articles that educate the public about the most safe methods to deal with fires and ways to prevent from happening in the first instance. His experience and expertise have resulted in numerous speeches and writing assignments. He is a fan of teaching safety in the workplace to business owners, students and institutions of learning to save lives.