Fire safety on the road: fire extinguishers with transport brackets

On the UK’s roads, vehicle fires pose a real threat. While it’s tempting to think vehicle fires don’t happen all that often, the reality is, they do. For your customers who take to the roads every day for work, are you confident they’re aware of fire safety precautions and equipment provision? What’s more for some vehicles, carrying a fire extinguisher is compulsory.

Here, we take a look at which vehicles a fire extinguisher is required by law and discuss the powder fire extinguisher’s versatility in tackling vehicle fires.

Peace of mind while travelling

Car drivers in the UK are not legally required to carry a fire extinguisher – but it is a smart move to do so and a 1kg or 2kg powder fire extinguisher will usually suffice. For other vehicles, though, carriage of a suitable fire extinguisher is compulsory. Buses, coaches, heavy goods vehicles and vans, for example, must adhere to the regulations concerning the Carriage of Dangerous Goods (CDG) and ADR, which is a European agreement regarding the international carriage of dangerous goods by road. ADR regulations outline the minimum requirements for powder fire extinguishers. Vehicles carrying hazardous materials with a mass of more than 7.5 tonnes should be equipped with a minimum total of 12kg powder fire extinguishers. Find more information about maximum permissible mass and fire extinguisher regulations at Health and Safety Executive. However, for public transport vehicles, like taxis, we’d always recommend checking in with the local authority as they may be subject to further requirements.

Why powder fire extinguishers?

A dry powder fire extinguisher is extremely versatile. It’s multi-purpose and capable of tackling Class A (flammable solids), B (flammable liquids) and C (flammable gases) fires so it’s ideal for the many hazards and risks on the road. This type of fire extinguisher smothers the fire by producing a thick barrier between the fuel and the source of oxygen. A low minimum operating temperature means powder fire extinguishers are an ideal firefighting solution for vehicles, given they’re out on the road in the elements and sometimes freezing conditions.

Our 1kg, 2kg and 3kg powder fire extinguishers are supplied with a transport bracket as standard, allowing for easy fixing of the fire extinguisher in a mode of transport. A secure bracket is required to prevent the fire extinguisher moving around and potentially becoming damaged (and unfit for purpose) in transit. Transport straps and brackets make the fire extinguisher suitable for many industries and applications, including public transport, HGVs, taxis, minibuses and vans.

Commander and CommanderEDGE for vehicle fire safety

Market-leading brands Commander and CommanderEDGE have powder fire extinguisher needs covered – and each one is supplied with transport brackets that have a stainless steel centre strap.

CommanderEDGE 1kg ABC dry powder fire extinguisher has a fire rating of 8A 34B C. Meanwhile, CommanderEDGE 2kg ABC dry powder fire extinguisher has a fire rating of 13A 70B C. Both fire extinguishers feature the Kitemark certification and can be easily mounted into vehicles. Their smaller size means they’re ideal for protection in cars, taxis and public transport.

For a slightly larger unit, choose Commander 3kg ABC dry powder fire extinguisher, which has a fire rating of 13A 89B C and is perfect for installation within HGVs and trucks. Alternatively, view the entire powder fire extinguisher range, which is home to a range of unit sizes (from 1kg to 9kg).

Discover more about this versatile piece of fire safety equipment in our guide to dry powder fire extinguishers, and sign up to our newsletter to hear the latest fire safety and product news.