The types and numbers of fire extinguishers you need will depend on what your fire risk assessment says. For example, if you don’t have a commercial kitchen with a deep fat fryer, nobody will expect you to have a Class F fire extinguisher. If you don’t store flammable liquids, you don’t need a Class B extinguisher to cover that risk.

BS5306 states that any storey of a business premises that has a floor area of less than or equal to 400m² requires at least 2 fire extinguishers with a combined Class A rating of 26A.

For any storey of greater than 400m² there should be a minimum of 2 fire extinguishers with a combined aggregate Class A rating of 0.065 x floor area in metres and in no case less than 26A.

The above is based on ‘minimal risk’ and provision of fire equipment should be increased depending on the fire load of the building. In no case should you be further than 30m from an extinguisher.

You can use the following calculator to work out how many fire extinguishers are required in a business premises.

Nearly all businesses will also have the risk of electrical fire so it’s common to pair foam, water or water additive to cover your class A risk as per the above calculator with CO2 for use on electrical fires.

Additional risks, such as flammable liquids, especially if store in open containers, flammable gases or deep fat fryers should be considered on a case-by-case basis as part of your risk assessment and in tandem with your fire extinguisher servicing company.

If you need help with yours, we can offer a full design, specification, install and commission service. Fill out the form below for more information.