Business Profiles

The following profiles feature a guide to the type and location of portable fire extinguishers within various buildings. How is the correct extinguisher determined?

Important: Please use the information as a GUIDE ONLY when selecting the correct portable fire extinguishers for your premises. Contact CFA, MFB or your Municipal Building Surveyor for detailed information regarding your equipment requirements.

Type of building:

Building where hose reels are not provided
Schools
Commercial and Office Buildings
Hospitals, Health Care and Nursing Homes
Industrial Buildings
Flammable Liquids

Fire Extinguisher Guidelines
Schools
Building Location	Extinguishers	Extinguisher Location
Portable Classrooms	2A Water Type	Adjacent to Exit
Electrical Switch Rooms	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to and external to entry door
Electrical Switchboards	1A 20BE Dry Chemical (with hose attached)	Between 2m and 20m from Electrical Switchboard
Canteen or Kitchen	40BE Dry Chemical NOT ABE Powder	Adjacent to exit doors and accessible to cooking areas
Audiovisual	20BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Science Room	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Science Laboratories	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Home Economics	40BE Dry Chemical NOT ABE Powder	Adjacent to Exit Door
Boiler Rooms (oil fired)	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	External to and adjacent to Entry Rooms
Boiler Rooms (gas or electric fired)	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	External to and adjacent to Entry Rooms
Woodwork Room	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	External to and adjacent to Entry Rooms
Woodwork Machine Room	1A 20BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Art Room 3D (Spray Booth)	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Kiln Room	1A 20BE Dry Chemical	Accessible to Kiln
Metal Work	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Automotive Practices	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Computer Room	1A 20BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Electrical Practices	1A 20BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Staff Resources Area	1A 20BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Administration Area	1A 20BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Commercial and Office Buildings
Building Location	Extinguishers	Extinguisher Location
Takeaway Food Shop Kitchens (with deep fryer)	40BE Dry Chemical NOT ABE Powder	Adjacent to Exit Door and Accessible to Cooking Area
Takeaway Food Shop Kitchens (without deep fryer)	2A 20BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door and Accessible to Cooking Area
Electrical Switchboards	2A 20BE Dry Chemical (with hose attached)	Between 2m and 20m from Electrical Switchboard
Electrical Switchrooms	2A 40BE Dry Chemical (with hose attached)	Between 2m and 20m from Electrical Switchboard
Computer, Photocopier and Electrical Office Equipment Rooms	2A 40BE Dry Chemical
Plant Rooms and Oil Fired Air-conditioning (with hose reels)	80BE Dry Chemical
Plant Rooms and Oil Fired Air-conditioning (without hose reels)	4A 80BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to and external to Entry Door
Gas Fired Air-conditioning	2A 40BE Dry Chemical
Lift Motor	2A 20BE Dry Chemical
Hospitals, Health Care and Nursing Homes
Building Location	Extinguishers	Extinguisher Location
Operating Theatre	5BE Carbon Dioxide	Adjacent to Exit Door
Kitchens	40BE Dry Chemical (NOT ABE) Powder	Adjacent to Exit Door and accessible to Cooking Areas
Laboratories	5BE Carbon Dioxide	Adjacent to Exit Door
Switchboards	5BE Carbon Dioxide	Between 2m and 20m from electrical switchboards
Switchrooms	5BE Carbon Dioxide (with hose attached)	Between 2m and 20m from electrical switchboards
Plant Rooms (with hose reels)	80BE Dry Chemical for Gas Fired	Adjacent to and External to Entry Door
Plant Rooms (without hose reels)	4A 80BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to and External to Entry Door
Surgery	5BE Carbon Dioxide	Adjacent to Exit Door
Industrial Buildings
Building Location	Extinguishers	Extinguisher Location
Electrical Switchboards (Factory area greater than 600m²)	2A 40BE Dry Chemical	Between 2m and 20m from electrical switchboard
Electrical Switchboards (Factory area less than 600m²)	2A 20BE Dry Chemical	Between 2m and 20m from electrical switchboard
Vehicle Entry Points, Loading Bays (with hose reels)	80BE Dry Chemical	By vehicle entry doors at 1 per 18m
Vehicle Entry Points, Loading Bays (without hose reels)	4A 80BE Dry Chemical	By vehicle entry doors at 1 per 18m
Workshops and Garages (with hose reels)	80BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Workshops and Garages (without hose reels)	4A 80BE Dry Chemical	Adjacent to Exit Door
Building where hose reels are not provided
Building Location	Extinguishers	Extinguisher Location
Building where hose reels are not provided	2A Water Type (1 per 200m² or part thereof)	Adjacent to Exit
Flammable Liquids
For details and requirements relating to the fire protection of flammable liquid stores and installations reference should be made to Dangerous Goods (Storage and Handling) Regulations 2000 and Australian Standard AS1940 "The Storage and Handling of Flammable and Combustible Liquids" Visit the Worksafe website www.workcover.vic.gov.au for further information.

How is the correct extinguisher determined?

Portable fire extinguishers are classified for the use on certain types of fire and rated for relative extinguishing effectiveness. This rating is determined using Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS 1850) and is shown on each extinguisher. The fire rating of the extinguisher, rather than its size, is the guide to its extinguishing ability.

As a result of testing by Australia/New Zealand Standards, fire extinguishers carry on their label a classification consisting of a numeral followed by a letter. Guidance for the selection of fire extinguishers is based on their classification, location, rating and potential hazard as provided in AS 2444.

Find out more about different types of extinguishers