Is it me or is it very loose around the subject of electrics?
It almost reads as First turn off the electrics, then treat as a non electrical fire. Which is common sense and great advice.
But what about equipment that cannot be simply turned off. Distribution boards, Lifts, Maintained Lights, Fire Alarm Panels, Access Control Systems, etc.
It states that (9.3) Extinguishers of a type marked as suitable for use on fires in live electrical equipment should be sited near any electrical equipment.
Then says (9.4) Extinguishers provided to deal with fires involving electrical equipment should be sited near to the fire hazard concerned, but not so near as to be inaccessible or to place the operator in undue danger in case of fire. The travel distance
should be not more than 10 m.
Earlier in the document,(8.7) in its own rationalized example, it says that All ground floor fire-points’ “electrically safe” extinguishers should be ABC powder extinguishers which, conveniently, have a class A rating.
......but even earlier, states that (5.4.3) The discharge of a powder extinguisher within buildings can cause a sudden reduction of visibility and can also impair breathing, which could temporarily jeopardize escape, rescue or other emergency action. For this reason, powder extinguishers should generally not be specified for use indoors, unless mitigated by a health and safety risk assessment.
I am all for risk assessments, If I had more knowledge I would enjoy being an assessor, If only I could find some sensible training at a sensible cost, and an accreditation body that would have me, and a set of standards that tell it like it is, rather than intentionally tie themselves up in knots.
Oh well, back to the desk job!
Bill