BSS Fire Extinguisher Requirement for Working Boat

[cheshire~rose]

Well the very nice man has called to advise us that Carrie~Lou now possesses a very nice shiny new BSC. The question was asked - "The Fire Extinguishers are still ok then?" and the reply was affirmative so we are not going to argue with him but when we visit her next time we will have a close look at those gauges before we get any heat in there and see what they show. I think we will have to consider either getting them serviced or replacing them just to be on the safe side but at least for the time being we have ticked the box of getting the formalities done without having a last minute headache of dashing down there to replace them this week.

[ditchcrawler]

Yes - if you count during the training I undertook in 1994 for the F.E.T. A. Certificate and on real test fires. Very messy. Carbon Dioxide is not suitable for Class A (wood etc) fires. Halon was much better before being unjustifiably banned. Halon was (and still is) very effective in the hands of an untrained user and unlike for its other former uses, extinguishers are designed for absolute minimum leakage if any. Halon is destroyed by fire - one means used for disposal and whilst some escaped to the atmosphere when used to extinguish a fire, the overall adverse effect is still less than for powder, foam, water and / or Carbon Dioxide because there is a higher probability that the fire will be extinguished and hence fewer combustion products released.

 

Re pressure gauges, the needle is normally midpoint when pressurised at the factory or when refilled. Changes in ambient temperature will result in movement from this point because the pressurising gas expands when warmed and compresses when cooled. Leakage of the gas also causes the gauge to move to a lower value hence their reason for being there. I have also seen a gauge stuck at the midpoint reading with the valve assembly removed from the extinguisher!!

Fully agree with your view of Halon.

[benfordboy]

Unless I have missed something in earlier posts , I think our BSS examiners comments of 'Your extinguishers are fine, but remember they are there to give you an exit path in case of a fire, rather than to save your pride & joy' is worthy of a mention.

 

Having a GRP boat (And having seen what is left of one after a fire) wise words indeed !

[springy]

<snip> Halon was much better before being unjustifiably banned. Halon was (and still is) very effective in the hands of an untrained user and unlike for its other former uses, extinguishers are designed for absolute minimum leakage if any. Halon is destroyed by fire - one means used for disposal and whilst some escaped to the atmosphere when used to extinguish a fire, the overall adverse effect is still less than for powder, foam, water and / or Carbon Dioxide because there is a higher probability that the fire will be extinguished and hence fewer combustion products released.

<snip>

 

 

 

 

As an untrained user I agree completely - having tackled a potentially very nasty fire (grinding spark into paper bag on shelf under a shelf full of part tins of paint) with a halon extinguisher - which simply put it out, no fuss, no mess. Fortunately I've never had to use a dry powder but I have seen the aftermath and I got the impression that in terms of its "extinguishing" capabilities was not impressive (wall cladding fire).

 

 

 

 

 

springy