How Many Fire Extinguishers Does My Office Need?

IS 2190 recommends that a person should not have to travel more than about 15 m to reach an extinguisher for ordinary (Class A) or flammable liquid (Class B) fires. Walk your floor from every desk, meeting room and pantry, and make sure an extinguisher is within that distance.

• Place at least two extinguishers on every floor, one near each exit or staircase
• Add units so no point is more than about 15 m from an extinguisher
• Add CO2 or clean agent units near every electrical panel, UPS and server room
• Add a kitchen extinguisher and fire blanket in pantries with cooking
• Add larger units (or trolley units) in warehouses, parking and plant rooms

Your fire safety consultant or the fire department may specify more depending on occupancy and hazard.

• Mount on walls with the handle at an easy height (around 1 m to 1.5 m)
• Keep them visible and unobstructed; do not hide them in cupboards
• Place them along exit routes, so users can fight a fire with a way out behind them
• Use signage above each extinguisher
• Protect outdoor units from sun and rain

A 5,000 sq ft office floor with one server room, one electrical panel and a pantry might need four ABC 4 kg units spread along the corridors, one clean agent unit at the server room, one CO2 unit at the panel and one kitchen unit plus a fire blanket in the pantry. That is seven units, not the two most offices have.