Fire Extinguisher requirement for canal boats

[luctor et emergo]

Fire fighting is best left to the proffessionals. Insurance deals with the aftermath.

[Radiomariner]

Fire fighting is best left to the proffessionals. Insurance deals with the aftermath.

Exactly. The BSS requirments are for Inland waterways, where in general, evacuating a vessel is always a practicality. However, ships and seagoing boats do not have such luxury hence the reason "Cheese Please" and myself attended such courses.

[Roy n paula]

Best extinguisher is a good quality fire blanket,not one of the little lightweight cheepies ,a good heavy duty one,it will smother the flames and covers most of the classifications ,I know that you must still have the extinguishers to the correct rating,but the blanket is easier to use,oh yes and whilst on the subject fit good quality smoke and a carbon monoxide alarm.

[joyke]

In october 2012 the British Standards Institute withdrew their approval for the use of ABC powder fire extinguishers except when accompanied by a rigorous fire risk assessment. The reasoning behind their decision is that although this type of extinguisher is effective at knocking down a fire in its early stages, the amount of powder expelled can obstruct vision, cause respiratory and vision problems thus hindering escape and/or rescue.

British Standards are the body which advise on "best industry practice" and all fire extinguishers, at least in business premises, are serviced annually to BS5306/3 with an appropiate certificate issued.

There has been something of a major development in extinguisher technology and for the first time there is now a class of extinguisher which can deal with all classes of fire commonly encountered - the Class E fire extinguisher. It uses a "dry" water mist, is entirely non polluting, can be used on everything from a deep fat commercial fryer to a burning car, wood, paper, textiles etc. It's also particularly effective on electrical fires and can be sprayed inadvertentluy on live electrical equipment without causing any harm to the equipment.

[Rob@BSSOffice]

In october 2012 the British Standards Institute withdrew their approval for the use of ABC powder fire extinguishers except when accompanied by a rigorous fire risk assessment. The reasoning behind their decision is that although this type of extinguisher is effective at knocking down a fire in its early stages, the amount of powder expelled can obstruct vision, cause respiratory and vision problems thus hindering escape and/or rescue.

British Standards are the body which advise on "best industry practice" and all fire extinguishers, at least in business premises, are serviced annually to BS5306/3 with an appropiate certificate issued.

 

We checked this point out with the Fire Protection Association and it knows of no move by BSI to withdraw approval for the use of ABC powder fire extinguishers – The FPA says that dry powder is not hazardous if inhaled, but it is best not to. So, it’s down to boaters being confident about the effective use of the extinguishers.

[Radiomariner]

Reasonably priced fire extinguishers at BES Link below

The last three all appear to be suitable for boats, in that the certification and ratings, by the write up, seem to be within BSS Requirements.

They are not all Dry Powder.

 

 

http://www.bes.co.uk/products/225a.asp

[Higgs]

I just install what they tell me to install. Recently passed the Boat Safety with 3x2Kg powder (ABC) extinguishers for a 60' trad. Plus fire blanket.

 

Other markings read - 13A 70B C . ??

Edited June 29, 2013 by Higgs

[Radiomariner]

I just install what they tell me to install. Recently passed the Boat Safety with 3x2Kg powder (ABC) extinguishers for a 60' trad. Plus fire blanket.

 

Other markings read - 13A 70B C . ??

 

Ideal, and commendable but above the minimum requirement. Were you told that is what was necessary?

[Higgs]

Ideal, and commendable but above the minimum requirement. Were you told that is what was necessary?

 

 

I seem to think I was, and I've had the same examiner for the last three Boat Safety tests. It hasn't cropped up in conversation much since the first one; that's all good to me.

 

To be frank, one is borderline and should be renewed soon.

 

Recently, a boater nearby had a fire. He used up all available at-hand marina extinguishers and a few other boaters'. I missed all the drama. On arriving back all was over and one fire brigade tender had been enlisted.

 

The chap is all sorted now and has a better engine room than he had.

 

Edited June 29, 2013 by Higgs

[Arthur Brown]

CO2 is of particular value if your engine is a type which may run away. Blowing CO2 into the manifold is probably the only means of stopping a runaway diesel.

[Grace and Favour]

CO2 is of particular value if your engine is a type which may run away. Blowing CO2 into the manifold is probably the only means of stopping a runaway diesel.

Aye - - having learned from others that a dry extinguisher over an engine fire can seriously damage it, I've taken the precaution of mounting two CO₂ extinguishers in the engine 'ole. (I also have my battery bank in there)

[Radiomariner]

I dont wish to go into this again. CO₂ is not recommended for use in a confined space. OK for an engine bay if the gas can be contained. Neither should it be stowed in confined living space.

For those of you that do have CO₂ extinguishers you may do well to check that it is not one of these:

 

https://pro.boatsafetyscheme.com/media/135796/total%20co2%20pfe%20safety%20alert%20(11-004_newsletter)%20jul%2011.pdf

[Sheena J Rieckenberg]

Does anyone know how to tell if a fire extinguisher is out of date?.....I have BSS in two weeks...they all look ok, but they say 2005 on the info on the back....does this mean they are out of date? The last owners must have had them passed 4 years ago with these dates on, so I guessing this is not the out of date date, if you know what I mean..

 

Thanks

Sheena

[Alan de Enfield]

Have you been shaking & inverting them every quarter (3 months) to keep the power loose and un-compacted ?

[Nine of Hearts]

Does anyone know how to tell if a fire extinguisher is out of date?.....I have BSS in two weeks...they all look ok, but they say 2005 on the info on the back....does this mean they are out of date? The last owners must have had them passed 4 years ago with these dates on, so I guessing this is not the out of date date, if you know what I mean..

 

Thanks

Sheena

 

Mine have a wee pressure gauge on the top, I assumed if they were in the green on that dial then everything was hunky dory.

[Proper Job]

Have you been shaking & inverting them every quarter (3 months) to keep the power loose and un-compacted ?

 

That's always good practice.

 

My sister recently bought a boat and 2 out of the 3 extinguishers onboard had become compacted. We couldn't free them off by hand, but left in the engine room inverted, they loosened up.

 

They bought new ones anyway as soon as they could.