Fire extinguishers — the right equipment for your risk assessment
A fire alarm detects and warns. Extinguishers are what's actually on hand when a fire starts. For supply, installation and annual BS 5306 servicing, our recommended supplier is ABS Carmarthen — ask us alongside your fire alarm survey.
Detection and firefighting equipment work together
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places a duty on the "responsible person" of non-domestic premises to provide adequate means of detecting fire and adequate means of fighting it. We handle the detection side — fire alarm design, installation and maintenance to BS 5839. The extinguishers themselves are a separate specialism, and one we don't do in-house.
What "adequate" looks like depends on your fire risk assessment: the type, number and siting of extinguishers, and who checks and services them. Get this wrong and you can end up with equipment that's the wrong type for the risk, in the wrong place, or simply out of date.
- Extinguisher type matched to the fire risk in each area
- Correct siting, signage and mounting height
- Annual BS 5306-3 service by a competent person
- Service tag and inspection record kept up to date
- Replacement or extended service around every 5 years, per manufacturer guidance
- Considered alongside your fire alarm, not as an afterthought
Matched to the risk, not one-size-fits-all
The wrong extinguisher on the wrong fire is at best useless and at worst dangerous. Your fire risk assessment should specify what's needed in each area of your building.
Water
For ordinary combustibles — wood, paper, textiles. Not suitable near electrical equipment or flammable liquids.
Foam
Ordinary combustibles and flammable liquids — a common general-purpose choice for offices and retail.
CO2
Electrical fires — server rooms, comms cabinets, kitchens with electrical equipment. Leaves no residue.
Dry powder & wet chemical
Workshops and flammable-liquid risks (dry powder); commercial kitchen deep-fat fryers (wet chemical).
For the extinguishers themselves, ask about ABS Carmarthen
Fire extinguisher supply, installation and servicing isn't something we carry out ourselves — it's a specialism we leave to a dedicated supplier. Our recommended supplier is ABS Carmarthen, a family-run fire safety company established in 1987. Mention it when you book your fire alarm survey and we'll point you in the right direction, or contact them directly.
Keeping detection and firefighting equipment on the same schedule makes sense — it means your fire safety file is complete, with nothing falling through the gap between two different contractors.
Common questions
Book your free fire safety survey
We'll assess your fire alarm needs and point you to ABS Carmarthen for extinguishers — one visit covers the full picture.