Understanding foam fire extinguishers: Ensuring safety and effectiveness

Fire extinguishers, often found in most public buildings, are common tools used to abolish fires. There are a multitude of causes for a fire, which is important to consider when trying to combat it. To accommodate this, there are a range of different extinguishers that are to be used according to the fire’s cause.

Here is a list of fire extinguishers and what they are used for:[1]

Class A- Suitable for paper, wood and textiles

- Dry powder, water, foam, wet chemical

Class B- Suitable for flammable liquids 

- Dry powder, foam, carbon dioxide

Class C- Suitable for flammable gasses

- Dry powder

Class F- Suitable for cooking oil and fat

- Wet chemical

Electrical Risk- Suitable for electrical equipment

However, although fire extinguishers are essentially used for our safety, there are concerns of the harm that specific chemicals within foam extinguishers have on our health. According to Johnson Controls, AFFF extinguishers contain chemicals that are a concern to our environment and to our health. More specifically, C8 AFFF foams contain toxic chemicals that cease to break down easily and therefore, again, lead to serious ecological and health issues. These foam extinguishers are currently being phased out and there are intentions for these to be strictly prohibited come July 4th 2025.[1]

The upcoming ban conforms with international initiatives to eradicate the presence of organic pollutants that pose a threat to our environment and health. OHEAP and industry bodies continue to monitor regulatory developments, providing guidance to businesses on compliance and best practices.[2]

If you require alternative firefighting facilities or would like to access equipment and services for safety precautions in the case of a fire, you can find this through our Fire Safety and Associated Services framework. This framework covers but is not limited to:

• The supply, installation and maintenance of fire safety products
• Fire risk assessment
• Fire awareness training
• Fire detection, alarm, monitoring systems and services 
• Sprinkler systems
• Emergency lighting
• Wet and dry risers

Some fires may not require calling the fire brigade, so it is beneficial to know what steps to take in these instances. Utilising a range of our fire safety solutions from our framework can help reduce uncertainty, when pre-planning firefighting measures for public or commercial building occupants and for household residents.

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