Maybe your business's fire extinguishers need updating but you aren’t sure if there is a correct number?
Or are you curious and want to know more? Whatever reason brought you here today, we have the answer for you!
We know how tricky it can be to find out how many fire extinguishers you need, leaving you worrying about the safety of yourself, your family, or your employees.
The last thing you want is to endanger anyone or break any rules, but the information is unclear and you don’t know where to turn!
Well, no more! Today we have the answers for you.
Keep reading to find out how many fire extinguishers you need to have in your home or business and get any other questions you might have answered too!
How Many Fire Extinguishers Do I Need?
Let’s dive straight into it! The number of fire extinguishers that you need will vary depending on a few factors. The first is whether you are putting fire extinguishers in a home or business.
Businesses have different rules and laws that must be followed to ensure that their buildings are safe for their employees and customers.
The regulations also vary depending on the size of your home or business and the state you are in.
Each state has different rules and regulations, so be sure to check these online or by contacting your city or state officials to find out more.
The rules are also different for apartments and buildings, so keep an eye out for any regulations on these!
Now, we know this isn’t the straightforward answer that you came here for today, but that doesn’t mean we are done talking!
To help you better determine how many fire extinguishers you need, we have more information coming up that may be specific to your situation.
How Many Fire Extinguishers Do I Need For My Home?
When it comes to the number of fire extinguishers that you need in your home, there are a few factors that you need to consider. Let’s take a look at these now.
Layout And Size
You will first need to consider the layout and size of your home, ensuring that you have enough fire extinguishers for the square footage of your home.
OSHA standards recommend that fire extinguishers need to be within a travel distance of 75 feet or less. This applies to portable fire extinguishers only.
You can contact a fire safety officer to learn more about the placement to help you find the right number for you.
Fire Hazard Level
You will also want to consider the level of fire hazards in your home, to help determine how many fire extinguishers you should have and where they should be placed.
There are five fire hazard levels and you must familiarize yourself with these to better determine the number of extinguishers that you need (Class A, B, C, D, & E/K).
Most homes won’t need to worry too much about this unless you have lots of combustible materials in your home or electrical faults that could cause a fire.
If you do have these, you will want to carefully consider the placement of them and add more fire extinguishers to areas where you keep them, such as your garage or workspace.
Fire Extinguisher Placement
Finally, you will want to consider where the fire extinguisher is placed. You don’t want them too far away as we said earlier, but you will want them in rooms where there is a higher risk of a fire.
All homes should have one in the kitchen and garage if you keep flammable items there.
For larger homes, you might also want to place one in a hallway or easy-to-reach location.
For apartment buildings, there should be fire extinguishers in each apartment and communal areas such as hallways and laundry rooms to ensure that all residents are within the legal distance of a fire extinguisher.
How Many Fire Extinguishers Do I Need For My Business?
Again, the rules vary here depending on your local area and its rules and regulations, so we recommend that you contact the fire department or a fire safety officer in your area to find this out.
Some other factors will determine the number of fire extinguishers too, so let’s look briefly at them now.
Size Of The Building
Just like with your home, the size of the building needs to be considered. In some states, you need a portable fire extinguisher for every 6,000 square feet of floor space.
This is a good rule of thumb to follow, and one that we recommend unless your state’s regulations are different.
Larger buildings will need more fire extinguishers to ensure that these regulations are met.
These extinguishers should be portable so they can be moved easily in the case of emergencies.
Nature Of The Business
Another factor you will want to consider is the nature of the business.
If you work with combustible materials, electrical equipment, or cook on high heat, then you may want more fire extinguishers close by.
If the risk of a fire is greater, then you will want to be well prepared to avoid any incidents or injuries.
Again, these extinguishers should be portable and within easy reach of your employees.
You should also ensure that all employees have relevant and up-to-date fire safety training so that should anything go wrong, you know they can handle the situation correctly.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it! The number of fire extinguishers that you require will vary depending on the nature of the building, your location, and the number of combustible items you have in there.
For those living in moderately sized homes, 2 or 3 fire extinguishers is likely to be sufficient, but be sure to contact the fire department in your area for their recommendation!
