Extinguishers for typical pub kitchen

[f500]

Whats the general consenus on here re: types of extinguisher for your average pub kitchen (twin fryers, 6 or 8 ring hotplate, various microwaves/toaster/grill etc)
A client of ours has been advised by a 3rd party FRA that a wet chem & fire blanket is sufficient for the job, but i'm thinking there is no electrical cover without a CO2 or powder extinguisher present.
Opinions welcome please.

[Paul2886]

I accord with your way of thinking and linked to staff training. Possibly would lean towards wet chemical a CO2 and blanket.

[nearlythere]

Whats the general consenus on here re: types of extinguisher for your average pub kitchen (twin fryers, 6 or 8 ring hotplate, various microwaves/toaster/grill etc)
A client of ours has been advised by a 3rd party FRA that a wet chem & fire blanket is sufficient for the job, but i'm thinking there is no electrical cover without a CO2 or powder extinguisher present.
Opinions welcome please.

Powder is a no no in a kitchen.

[Chris Houston]

Most wet chemical ones I have seen are OK for electrical fires.

[f500]

If i remember rightly, most wet chem extinguishers have passed their electrical conductivity test, but this certainly doesn't mean they are for use on electrical equipment. BIG difference!
And powder is recommended by local councils for kitchen use in flats/student acommodation.

[nearlythere]

If i remember rightly, most wet chem extinguishers have passed their electrical conductivity test, but this certainly doesn't mean they are for use on electrical equipment. BIG difference!
And powder is recommended by local councils for kitchen use in flats/student acommodation.

The local councils have obviously never seen the mess they leave.

[AnthonyB]

2 Litre Wet Chem (unless fryers are massive and over 40L) 2 kg CO2, 1.2m x 1.2m blanket.

Gives you A,F, Shock risk & personnel risk cover without too many extinguishers, and without them being too big and getting knocked about/moved/obstructed.

The smaller Wet Chem will be well under £100 making it more likely that the client goes for it instead of the cheap & nasty (& ineffective) use of ABC Powder or AFFF.

By the way, it's interesting that UK market specific Wet Chemicals still use lances whilst all US and some generic German ones now use a standard hose and spray nozzle (& have done for a while now [2002]) as NFPA banned the use of lances due to multiple reports of subsurface injection of wet chemical extinguishing agents into hot cooking media causes a thermodynamic reaction comparable to an explosion.

[AnthonyB]

Councils recommend the use of powder in flats as they are multi-purpose and better for untrained persons in as much is there isn't a normal class of fire they are inherently dangerous on (unlike says water or AFFF), are small, compact and a high weight for weight firepower. They aren't bothered about the mess aspect.

Workplace situation is different and the appropriate agents used. Unless it's a kitchen with no 'F' risk or one under 3 litres then it's wet chem/CO2/blanket, otherwise you could use powder/blanket or afff/co2/blanket based on preference - if the client makes an informed choice of economy over mess it's their choice.

BC powder has slight saponification effects and was used for kitchens with fryers and fluoroprotein foam extinguishers with aspirating branchpipe were as well due the the thicker more stable blanket from the FP compound and the LX branch. Although both these extinguishers are rare new now it would be interesting to run some class F tests to compare what rating they could achieve (if any) compared to Wet Chem

[kurnal]

Its also interesting to google on chip shop fires and note that in news reports the fire service usually report that they have used dry powder (ABC is what they carry) and  foam extinguishers on commercial frying ranges. Of course the news stories never give information on the success of the attack (or otherwise)

[FSO]

I can never understand why powder extinguishers are recommended so much. They are dreadful things in my opinion, only any good for petrol station forecourts.

I would certinally never recommend them for any use inside unless the operator is a qualified BA wearer and happen to has his/her own set.

Ok they may be suitable for all ranges of fire (theoretically) but so are most modern AFFF extinguishers. I have seen these used on class F fires with a very good degree of success.

I think wet chemical is fine but very over priced.

[f500]

So really then, the ideal set up would be: Wet Chem + CO2 + Blanket.

[FSO]

Sounds fine. I would not be too precious if the CO2 was not there to be honest.

[Big T]

Definately avoid Powder. Plant rooms, car parks and petrol stations.

[Thomas Brookes]

Wet Chem, Co2 (or Powder) and fire blanket.

You will find no end of fire and rescue  services recomend powders, although messy and obscue vision etc still have one of the fastest knock down of flames even in the untrained hands.

My personal opinion is the co2, but sometimes you have to put in a powder due to badley informed councils or fire officers.