How to protect fire safety equipment in harsh weather conditions | CheckFire
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How to protect fire safety equipment in harsh weather conditions

Ensuring fire safety equipment is present on the premises can mean the difference between life and death should a fire ever take hold. It’s vital then that every measure is taken to ensure these life-saving pieces are kept in good working order and will perform exactly as expected in the moment.

It’s important to protect all fire extinguishers from any kind of damage but for those that sit outside, measures to prevent corrosion in harsh weather should also be considered. Here, we look at why it’s important to protect fire extinguishers from the elements and consider the best ways to do it.

 

Meeting standards

Fire safety equipment stored outdoors needs to take cover from bad weather just as we do. With winter – and possibly freezing weather – just around the corner, it’s wise to consider and arrange protection for fire safety products now. BS 5306 Standards outlines a requirement for protective measures to be taken for extinguishers or alternatively, opt for extinguishers designed to withstand certain environments.

Cabinets are a great way to protect extinguishers in outdoor settings. Manufactured from ABS plastic, they possess remarkable protection qualities, including resistance to chemicals. Plus, their clever weather seals make sure extinguishers are firmly covered so they’ll last as long as possible. A lockable cabinet will not only protect against accidental damage and harsh weather conditions, it’ll offer an added level of security thanks to its lockable system. Cabinets are extremely durable and shatterproof.

An extinguisher cover is an alternative option for protection – and with its large transparent panel, equipment can be easily located and its type easily identified.

 

Protecting against freezing temperatures

Cabinets and covers are great for all-round fire extinguisher protection and keep cold, wet weather at bay. However, certain extinguishers will need extra protection from freezing weather temperatures. Water and foam extinguishers installed outdoors (or in areas with no heating) are particularly vulnerable and their contents may freeze and the internal lining become damaged. This renders them useless should they ever be needed. An anti-freeze fire extinguisher provides a solution for those environments that can reach bitterly cold temperatures. This type of extinguisher is ideal for building sites and construction sites, as well as other outdoor settings like camping sites, farms and places of education. An anti-freeze extinguisher ensures that, should you need to use the equipment in winter, it’s functional and its contents haven’t frozen.

 

Spend some time now making sure important fire safety equipment is protected from the elements for peace of mind it’ll work properly if it’s ever needed.

The content of the CheckFire blog is for general information purposes only. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy at the time of publication, under no circumstances should it be considered professional advice. Any reliance you place on the information is at your own risk. Always seek the advice of a fire professional for your particular circumstances and requirements.

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