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Types Of Fire Extinguishers And How To Use Them In Retail

It’s not something we like to think about but fire poses a risk to all of us, whether we’re caught up in the hustle and bustle of work or relaxing at home. While calling for help from the fire service may be our first thought when faced with a fire, with the correct equipment and confidence instilled with the right training, minor fires can be managed effectively and without panic.

At CPL Learning, we help businesses provide quality fire safety training to staff, so you can be sure everyone who works for or visits your venue is safe.  Fire safety has many strands which need to pull together to work properly, so we have a few tips to share to make sure you’re up to date on your knowledge. While prevention is key, having the knowledge to act quickly, safely and effectively is paramount when using fire extinguisher equipment. 

In this article, we’re going to look at the basics of which extinguishers to use in different situations and know what steps to take to turn theory into practice should a minor fire break out. Let’s dive straight in.

Posted 13/03/2025

Types Of Fire Extinguishers

Getting to grips with the basics of fire extinguishers

To go right back to basics, fire extinguishers are portable devices designed to help you put out small fires. They work by applying a substance which cools the flames, removes the oxygen, or smothers whatever may be fueling the flames. 

The emphasis really is on using them to tackle small fires only. For any fires that could quickly go out of control or place people at immediate risk, you should exit the building by the nearest, safest route and call 999.

Having the confidence to tackle a small fire, either at home or work, lies in effective fire safety training and knowing which fire extinguisher to use. Fires have different causes and so different extinguishers are needed to put them out - using the wrong one could agitate the flames and cause the fire to spread. While there are different types of fire extinguisher, the good news is that they’re all very simple to use. Let’s take a look at the six different classes of fire and which of the eight types of extinguisher you could use to put out the flames.

Fire classification and types of fire extinguisher

As we’ve just learned, fire extinguishers are designed to be easy to use. Should a small fire break out and you need to use an extinguisher, think P.A.S.S:

  • Pull - Pull out the extinguisher’s security pin

  • Aim - Point at the head of the flames and stand back 6 feet from the fire

  • Squeeze - Keep pressure on the trigger and make sure the extinguisher is upright

  • Sweep - Direct the extinguisher around the fire until it runs dry

This acronym applies to all types of fire extinguishers and is meant to help you use the equipment safely and effectively. There are eight types of fire extinguisher and all have different colour codes and labels to help you distinguish between them.

Class A fires

These fires are fuelled by burning flammable solids such as paper, wood, textiles, and other similar types of material.

Which extinguisher should you use?

Water extinguishers - marked with a red label. 

They work in two ways. First by cooling the temperature of the fire and second, by smothering the flames with water to reduce the amount of oxygen present. 

Class B fires

The source of this type of fire is flammable fluids such as petrol and paint.

Which extinguisher should you use?

Foam fire extinguishers - marked with a cream label.

Another form of water-based fire extinguisher which uses a foaming agent to stop re-ignition. You can also use this type of extinguisher to tackle Class A fires.

Class C fires

Caused by the release of combustible gases such as butane and hydrogen.

Which extinguisher should you use?

Dry powder, distinguished by a blue label.

They’re also known as ABC extinguishers as they can be used to tackle A,B and C type fires. They work by coating the source of the fire in a layer of dust that separates it from oxygen in the air and suffocates the flames. The dry powder in these extinguishers can be harmful if inhaled and so shouldn’t be used in confined spaces. 

Class D fires

Caused by combustible metals such as aluminium, potassium and magnesium.

Which extinguisher should you use?

Dry powder extinguishers can be used for this type of fire to smother the flames, cut off the oxygen and absorb the heat. Never use a water extinguisher on a Class D fire as it could cause it to spread.

Class K fires (also known as Class F)

These fires are common in kitchen areas and are caused by cooking oils and fats.

Which extinguisher should you use?

Wet chemical extinguisher - Identifiable by its yellow label. 

It works by spraying the fire with a potassium-based mist which reacts to the burning material and forms a soapy film on the surface. This film smothers the flames by preventing oxygen from reaching it. 

Electrical fires

Fires stemming from electrical sources are some of the most common causes of fires at work and in the home. This type of fire happens as a result of overloaded or faulty circuits, using a light bulb with a wattage that’s too high for the light fixture, and even placing flammable liquids next to an electrical appliance or outlet. 

Which extinguisher should you use?

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) extinguisher - marked with a black label.

This type of extinguisher works by spraying the fire with liquid carbon dioxide which suffocates the flames. The CO2 is also extremely cold which helps to cool the temperature of the fuel source, too.

Other types of extinguishers

We’ve looked at the six classes of fire and the extinguishers most commonly used to tackle them. However, there are other types of extinguisher which can also be used to tackle minor fires. These include:

Water mist

These are identified by a white label and are a broad spectrum extinguisher that can be used on Class A, Class B and Class C fires. Similar to water extinguishers, they apply a fine mist of deionized water to the fuel source and serve to cool the temperature and reduce the amount of oxygen present. Because they don’t contain any chemicals, water mist extinguishers are suitable to use in schools and homes and are also safe to spray on people if their clothing is on fire.

Dry chemical 

This is identifiable by its blue label. While it works in a similar way to a CO2 extinguisher, its main purpose is to interrupt the chemical reaction of fire and reduce its ability to burn and spread. It can be used to tackle minor Class A, Class B, Class C fires as well as Electrical fires involving electrical equipment under 1000v.

Clean agent

This type of extinguisher is marked with a green label. It uses an electrically non-conductive chemical, or inert gas, to put out fire. Because this type of extinguisher doesn’t leave a residue, they’re used to extinguish fires in servers, computer rooms and libraries where expensive damage limitation is paramount.

How to use fire extinguishers in the retail sector

As in any industry, the fire extinguishers you are most likely to use depend on the types of materials and equipment that surround you in the workplace. However, there are some specific aspects of fire safety businesses in the retail industry should focus on to keep staff and customers safe. 

What are the most common causes of fire? 

Your retail business is, perhaps, most likely to be a tenant and your building’s management team should already have fire safety policies and emergency plans in place to keep everyone safe. However, as an employer you have a duty of care towards staff and customers so it’s important to check that fire safety equipment is in place and in good working order.

Start by walking around your premises and take a look at the materials and equipment in each room. If you have a lot of electrical equipment, check whether you have the following extinguishers available:

  • Clean agent extinguisher with a green label

  • CO2 extinguisher with a black label

  • Broad spectrum extinguisher such as Water mist

Perhaps your retail business has a lot of material or paper stock in which case your premises will need Class A fire extinguishers such as Water extinguishers and Water mist extinguishers.

Lastly, those working in premises which cook food using electrical appliances and hot oil will need a broader mix of extinguishers to put out Class K (or Class F) fires including wet chemical extinguishers, distinguishable by their yellow label.

Fire safety is everyones’ responsibility and the safe use of fire extinguishers is a last resort when preventative steps haven’t worked.

Get the knowledge and be fire safe with Access CPL Learning

In this article you will have read key messages about which extinguishers your retail business should use and when, as well as how easy they are to use. But now that we’ve taken a closer look at the different classes of fire and fire extinguishers, you may have more questions about how you and your colleagues could competently tackle fire safety in the retail sector.

CPL Learning Fire Safety Awareness in Retail is an online course that will give you more in depth knowledge and training in how to tackle a real fire situation. It goes without saying that the best approach to fire safety is to prevent it from happening in the first place, but even so, fire safety training must be prioritised for everyone’s sake. 

That’s why our expert-reviewed e learning Fire Safety Awareness in Retail is available 24/7, meaning your employees can learn onsite or at home at their own pace and convenience.  In addition to practical prevention measures, this course covers fire safety laws and details on fire detection systems to support the practical steps we should all take to look after our safety at work.

Get in touch today to start your learning journey.