Floor Clearance For Fire Extinguishers

If portable fire extinguishers are in your workplace osha provides general requirements for them as part of their fire protection standard 29 cfr 1910 157 c 1.

Floor clearance for fire extinguishers.

Before installing any portable fire extinguisher check the label to be sure it is approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. You will find. The osha standard requires that fire extinguishers be accessible. Fire extinguishers are not intended to be a substitute for evacuating the building safely and quickly.

Osha requires that the employer shall mount portable fire extinguishers so they are accessible to employees. To prevent fire extinguishers from being moved or damaged they should be mounted on brackets or in wall cabinets with the carrying handle placed 3 1 2 to 5 feet above the floor. How high above the floor does osha require extinguishers to be mounted. Orange floor markings orange is normally used for organizing things within a facility that need inspection.

At 1910 157 c 1 osha states only that you shall mount locate and identify fire extinguishers so that they are readily accessible to employees without subjecting the employees. 29 cfr 1910 157 c 2 prohibited fire extinguishers. Larger fire extinguishers need to be mounted at lower heights with the carrying handle about 3 feet from the floor. Red floor markings red floor markings should be reserved for marking firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers.

The following types of portable. All hand portable fire extinguishers need to have at least 4 inches of clearance between their bottoms and the floor. They do not specify a particular space but most locations use about 3 feet as minimum acceptable free space added. Placing orange floor marking tape around an area where completed products go until they are inspected is a common use.

What is the required clearance in front of fire extinguishers. The employer shall clearly identify portable fire extinguishers so they are readily accessible to employees without subjecting them to possible injury. This is a basic fire extinguisher floor sign that sends a clear message about where the extinguisher is located. Fire extinguisher floor sign.

Neither osha nor nfpa have a definitive area that must remain clear in front of fire extinguishers. Fire extinguishers that are placed correctly can be accessed more quickly to help control a fire until the fire department arrives.