If You Have Doubts

A CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) fire extinguisher is used primarily for Class B and Class C fires, making it ideal for certain fire scenarios involving flammable liquids or electrical equipment.

Key Uses:

1. Class B Fires (Flammable Liquids):

   • Effective on fires caused by liquids like petrol, oils, solvents, and alcohols.
   • CO₂ works by displacing oxygen and smothering the fire, preventing the fire from reigniting.

2. Class C Fires (Electrical Equipment):

   • Safe for use on electrical fires (such as fires involving wiring, computers, appliances, and circuit boards).
   • Since CO₂ is non-conductive, it doesn't pose the risk of electric shock, making it suitable for electrical fires.

Not Suitable For:

• Class A Fires (Solids): CO₂ may not be effective on solid materials like wood, paper, or fabrics, as it doesn’t provide the cooling effect needed to suppress such fires.
• Class D Fires (Flammable Metals): CO₂ should not be used on fires involving flammable metals (e.g., magnesium or titanium), as it may exacerbate the situation.

Advantages:

• No Residue: Unlike foam or powder extinguishers, CO₂ leaves no residue, making it ideal for protecting sensitive equipment like computers, electronics, or machinery.
• Fast Action: CO₂ is quick to extinguish fires by reducing the oxygen level in the affected area.
• Non-Toxic: CO₂ is safe for human exposure in well-ventilated areas.

CO₂ extinguishers are commonly found in environments with electrical hazards, like data centers, server rooms, laboratories, and industries handling flammable liquids. They are typically marked with a black label for easy identification.

Class B fires occur when flammable liquids, such as petrol and spirits, are exposed to a source of ignition. These types of liquid are flammable by design and extremely volatile, if not stored safely.

Many settings, including restaurants, bars, garages, construction sites, laboratories, hospitals and petrol forecourts, are at particular risk of Class B fires and must keep suitable fire extinguishers on-site and mandatory fire safety signage to highlight the proper safety procedures of everyone onsite.

Fire extinguishers suitable for Class B fires are powder, CO2 and foam.

Class E fires involve electrical equipment such as heaters and fans, kitchen appliances, and electronics, which are a common cause of fire within the workplace or home.

Co2 fire extinguishers display a black label.