Having the right fire extinguisher on site at your business isn’t just a precaution; it’s an essential fire safety measure to protect you and everyone else in the building.
As fire extinguishers are colour-coded, figuring out what each colour means, as well as which suits your building, can be tricky.
To help, we’ll look at what the fire extinguisher colours mean, break down the specifications of them, and give our expert advice on which is best for you.
What Do Fire Extinguisher Colours Mean?
Fire extinguisher colours represent the agent you’ll find inside, which lets you know the type of fire it’s safe to use on.
There are five different fire extinguisher colours: red, cream, blue, black, and yellow. These are shown at the top of the extinguisher in a thick band with the type of agent written in big, block letters. The rest of the extinguisher is in signal red to make it as easy as possible to spot.
Fire Extinguisher Colours Broken Down
British Standards (BS EN 3) assign a different colour to each extinguisher to ensure you’re able to identify the right one to use with ease.
Understanding what each of these fire extinguisher colours represents is important, as some types of extinguishers are unsafe for certain fires.
We’ll go through what each colour means, as well as what you can and cannot use them on, below.
Red: Water Extinguisher
All red fire extinguishers have water inside.
✓ Safe for use on solid materials, such as wood, paper, or textile fires.
𐄂 Never use a red water extinguisher on electrical fires, as it puts you at risk of electric shock.
Order your water fire extinguisher from us today.
Cream: Foam Extinguisher
Fire extinguishers with a thick cream band at the top are foam extinguishers.
✓ You can use these on fires caused by solid materials or flammable liquids such as oil, diesel, petrol, or paint.
𐄂 Do not use foam extinguishers on fires caused by electrical items or flammable metals.
Ready to order your foam extinguisher? Give us a call today.
Blue: Dry Powder Extinguisher
If you see a blue band on the extinguisher, then this is a dry powder extinguisher.
✓ These are safe to use on fires started by solid materials, flammable liquids, and flammable gases.
𐄂 You can’t use dry powder on lithium (battery) fires as these burn too hot for it to be effective.
Get in touch with us today or order your dry powder extinguisher.
Black: CO2 Extinguisher
A black band on a fire extinguisher indicates a CO2 extinguisher.
✓ Safe to use on electrical fires or those started by flammable liquids.
𐄂 Do not use on cooking oil fires.
Call our expert team today to order your CO2 extinguisher.
Yellow: Wet Chemical Extinguisher
Yellow band extinguishers have wet chemicals inside.
✓ You can use these on both solid material and cooking oil fires.
𐄂 Flammable liquids and electrical fires are not safe to put out with a wet chemical extinguisher.
Reach out to us today to order your wet chemical extinguisher.
Why Is It Important to Use the Correct Fire Extinguisher?
When it comes to putting out a fire, every second counts. Using the right fire extinguisher for the type of fire gives you the best chance at stopping the flames before they spread too far.
Each extinguisher is designed to tackle fires started by specific materials, putting the fire out safely, effectively, and as fast as possible. Picking up the wrong extinguisher for the type of fire you’re dealing with risks failing to stop the fire. You may fuel the fire, leading to a more dangerous situation.
For example, using a water extinguisher on an electrical fire poses risk of electrocution, while a CO2 extinguisher on a cooking oil fire can spread the burning oil due to the powerful discharge.
What Type of Fire Extinguisher is Right for Me?
With so many different types of fire extinguishers, it can be tricky to know which is best kept on your premises. So, let us help you work it out.
In the handy table below, we’ll break down which fire extinguisher is best suited to a range of different buildings and businesses to ensure you’re able to select the one that works for you.
| Fire Extinguisher | Type of Building |
| Red: Water Extinguisher | Office, hospital, warehouse, school or nursery |
| Cream: Foam Extinguisher | Domestic spaces, warehouses, wooden outhouses, schools or nurseries |
| Black: CO2 Extinguisher | Commercial kitchen, server or computer room, building site, office |
| Blue: Dry Powder Extinguisher | Garages, businesses where flammable gas is used, flame cutting or welding workshops |
| Yellow: Wet Chemical Extinguisher | Restaurant, professional kitchen, canteen |
If you don’t see the type of building you have listed in the table above, then give us a call. We’re happy to talk through the best fire extinguisher for you.
Order Your Fire Extinguisher With Us Today
Having a fire extinguisher on site is essential to ensure the safety of everyone in the building.
At FP Fire, we provide industry-standard fire extinguishers to suit a range of businesses, buildings, and properties. Know which one you need? You can find it on our website. If you’re unsure which is best, give us a call, and we’re happy to talk through it.
You can contact us on 020 36337572 or send an email to info@fpfire.co.uk. Alternatively, fill out our online form and a member of our team will get back to you.
For more information about fire safety, such as who is responsible for using a fire extinguisher and how often a fire risk assessment needs to be done, head over to our blog.