The number of fires being successfully extinguished using portable extinguishers has increased from 80% in 2003 to 93% in 2021.
Following the comprehensive surveys originally reported back in 2003 and again in 2008, technicians from companies in the four main UK fire trade associations undertook to ask businesses which had used an extinguisher on a fire the same questions in 2021. Some significant trends have appeared in this latest survey which cannot be ignored and can be read in the presentation attached. The survey is ongoing and UK-FA members who service portable extinguishers are encouraged to login here; https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BJX8PQX and register (It only takes a minute!) their findings on each occasion they find a portable extinguisher that has been used to put out a fire.
The Associations that took part all believe that people need to be reminded of the value portable fire extinguishers provide. It is already widely recognised that a high percentage of businesses suffering a fire incident never recover and subsequently are forced to close down. A recent report prepared by David Wales “An Evaluation of the Role of Extinguishers” that can be read here; https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/65405266/an-evaluation-of-the-role-of-fire-extinguishers also provides a compelling case for the provision of portable extinguishers in certain types of residential dwelling.
The UK-FA along with the other trade associations will continue to champion the use of portable fire extinguishers which provide a common sense solution to extinguish fires before they develop to a size that threatens life, property and business continuity. The Fire Safety Order states; ‘Where necessary in order to safeguard the safety of relevant persons, the responsible person must ensure that the premises are equipped with appropriate fire-fighting equipment and fire-fighting equipment is simple to use and indicated by signs. The responsible person must take measures for fire-fighting in the premises and nominate competent persons to implement those measures and ensure that the number of such persons, their training and the equipment available to them are adequate.’
Alan Palmer
Secretary, UK-FA