# Do You have A Fire Extinguisher In Your Shop??



## Randy_ (May 17, 2005)

Lou made an interesting comment in a current thread and it flicked on a little light.  I wonder how many folks keep a fire extinguisher in their work shop??  I do.


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## Mudder (May 17, 2005)

I have 3

1 by the door to the house
1 by the garage door
1 between the lathe and the grinder.

I also have a first aid kit at each door.


An ounce of prevention is worth 453.59237 grams of cure.


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## swm6500 (May 17, 2005)

A little early to determine, but lets hope that it stays at least at 80 percent. 100 percent would be better though.


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## Rifleman1776 (May 17, 2005)

I answered yes because I do have an extinguisher in my shop. Now, because of this poll reminding me, I'll have to look for it. It's there somewhere. And, I'm pretty sure it is less than 40 years old, so it should still be good. []


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## ryannmphs (May 17, 2005)

Yep, I've had one in the shop since it was a garage []!  I also have one in the kitchen.  Never have had to use either one, but they are there just incase

Ryan


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## PenWorks (May 17, 2005)

3 in the shop, 1 in my reloading room and a first aid kit.


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## Woodbutcher68 (May 17, 2005)

Got a 5 lb right inside the door.


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## MDWine (May 17, 2005)

Not right [:0] now, but I will by the weekend!![]

(Thanks for the reminder.... again!)


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## BogBean (May 17, 2005)

Everyone should have at least one in the kitchen. Make sure you have the correct type of extinguisher...

Class A extinguishers are for ordinary combustible materials such as paper, wood, cardboard, and most plastics. 

Class B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, grease and oil. The numerical rating for class B extinguishers indicates the approximate number of square feet of fire it can extinguish.

Class C fires involve electrical equipment, such as appliances, wiring, circuit breakers and outlets. Never use water to extinguish class C fires - the risk of electrical shock is far too great! The C classification means the extinguishing agent is non-conductive.

Class D fire extinguishers are commonly found in a chemical laboratory. They are for fires that involve combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, potassium and sodium. These types of extinguishers also have no numerical rating, nor are they given a multi-purpose rating - they are designed for class D fires only.


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## Randy_ (May 17, 2005)

What Chuck was dancing around but never quite got to is that the extinguisher in your shop should be a multi-purpose rated unit....ABC...as a shop fire could be any one of or a combination of materials:  wood, paper, flammable liquids and or electrical!!


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## Gary Max (May 17, 2005)

Just my two cents worth---keep them in a central location--If you have time to run to the door to get a fire extinguisher---Keep going. I really believe that you would only have seconds to get it under control. The biggest safety thing I did was getting a second exit. If I have a shop fire I am running--I might stop after a mile and look back.
Also I am a real big fan of a Big extinguisher in the kitchen---heck I am the cook.


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## opfoto (May 17, 2005)

Yes, 
 Mine is in the center of the basement/shop covered with the shop apron. I don't use the apron. And don't want to use the extinguisher. I should check it tho'.


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## Woodbutcher68 (May 17, 2005)

I check all my extinguishers at work every month, and they get checked by a service every October. I take my home extinguishers to work every October and have them professionally checked and serviced. Since the company president does all her woodworking at my house, she doesn't have a problem with me doing this.


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## Kevin M (May 17, 2005)

Yes, I keep a 20lb ABC next to the door of the garage and a 5lb ABC next to the lathe and a 5lb ABC next to the kitchen. I have used a fire extinquisher to put out kitchen fires before but thankfully never in my own home. A few additional thoughts..just because you have one, do you <b>really</b> know how to use it? And..a class C fire (energized electrical) reverts back to a class A or B fire once you <b>disconnect</b> the electricity.


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## Daniel (May 17, 2005)

I have two 5 pounders. am getting 20 pounders soon. they have saved my shop once.


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## Randy_ (May 17, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Gary Max_<br />...keep them in a central location--If you have time to run to the door to get a fire extinguisher---Keep going...



I believe the above stated philosophy is incorrect.  We moved into a new office some time ago and the fire inspector told us the extinguishers needed to be near the exits and visible to those who might be "entering" the building.  The logic, I believe, is that the first reaction to a fire should be to escape the building.  When at the exit and close to the extinguisher one can make a quick decision to leave the building or grab an extinguisher and fight the fire.  You don't want people to have to run "into" the fire to find an extinguisher.  I think it is perfectly OK to have a unit in the center of the shop so it is handy; but you also need to have units at the exits as well!!  If there is a fireman here who can offer more expertise, I would love to hear it!!


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## Kevin M (May 17, 2005)

I hope you can stand more of my insights, you are right about keeping the FE at the exits/entrance to the room that is why I do not recommend a FE <b>in</b> the kitchen but in the area next to the kitchen. Your first reaction is to back away from the fire which put you in the area of your FE. At that point reality take hold and you grab the FE and go to work. If the FE is in the kitchen or room most likely to be involved in a fire, you may not be able to access it.


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## melogic (May 17, 2005)

The way I look at fire extinguishers is, what ever size you think you need, double that and by twice as many as you think you need. But most importantly, know how to use them and keep a check on them. Get in a routine of checking them and having them professionally checked. [^]


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## timdaleiden (May 17, 2005)

I have a small glass of water sitting by the window...does that count?

Actually, the Fire Inspector comes by once a year and makes sure I am up to code. I am still not sure how they found out I have an actual wood-working business. The Dept. of Revenue might have tipped them off.


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## Mudder (May 18, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Randy._
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I'm with you Randy. Since my shop is 12x25 3 extinguishers in the shop puts me at 10 ft or less to an extinguisher at all times.


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## jdavis (May 18, 2005)

We have 5 in our woodshop here and a sprinkler system in the finish rooms. Stain room and spray room. I have several at home scattered around in the house, garage, and woekshop out back.


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## Randy_ (May 18, 2005)

> _Originally posted by timdaleiden_<br />I have a small glass of water sitting by the window...does that count....



If you have a fire, just be sure you don't confuse the glass of water and the glass of tequila!!![][]



Please, everyone, don't get upset.  The glass of tequila is to celebrate another successful shop session and is put into action only after all of the tools are shut down and the shop lights are turned off.


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## timdaleiden (May 18, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Randy._
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 I won't get the two confused, the glass of tequila is much larger. [:0]

 I forgot to mention in my first post that I do have two "A-B-C" fire extinguishers.


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## DCBluesman (May 18, 2005)

Ok, I just got reamed by my 22-year old daughter.  She's a volunteer firefighter and EMT.  Here's her suggestions (I edited out the part about how dumb she thinks I am. [])  First, keep a 5-pound ABC fire extinguisher between  the work area and the door.  The work area includes your power tools and flammable liquids.  Second, if it's a small smolder or tiny, controlled fire, go ahead and try to put it out with the fire extinguisher.  Third, if it's a real fire, get yourself and anyone else out of the structure, then call 9-1-1.  The gases from even a small fire can do you great harm while you are trying to fight it.


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## woodwish (May 18, 2005)

Lots of great advice in this thread, hope everyone reads it and learns from it.  I do have two in my shop plus two more between the house and shop in the garage.  I am thinking about adding fire sprinklers since residential sprinklers are becoming affordable.  Most important thing to fight a fire is probably a cordless phone you can use to call 911 from OUTSIDE the building on fire, just call quickly before the lines go dead if the fire really gets going.  If it's a little fire I will fight it with an extinguisher, but once it takes hold I am going to stand in the driveway and watch for the big red trucks, that's why I have insurance.

The best solution to fires is good prevention.  I don't want to preach here but everyone pokes fun at me because my shop is clean, but I clean as much for fire prevention as I do cleanliness.  Vacumn at the end of every work session and always take out the sawdust.  Leaving smoldering sawdust in a DC or shop vac doesn't make sense, does it?  I've seen shop fires (not mine) and I don't intend to give a fire a chance in mine.


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## Geo in Winnipeg (May 19, 2005)

I have one in my basement shop, one in the kitchen and one in the garage - all A-B-C. I get them checked every year. I have smoke detectors as well -- and NO, I never take the batteries out of them except to change them once a year.


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## Daniel (May 19, 2005)

to ad to the to do, not to do things. if you use a 20 pounder make sure you know the way out before you fire it. the ABC extinguishers will leave you in a blinding cloud. this does not mean it will put out a fire that is filling your shop though.
I had to use one at work to put out a fire about the size you would find in an average fire place. or small garbage can. this was for training, outdoors where the dust was carried away and all that. it took nearly the entire 20 pounds to put that fire out about a half dozen times. several of us where getting trained. withthe 5 pounders you have about one good shot at the fire and they will be pretty much empty. more of a cut yourself a path out if you need it. so think 5 pounds for a way to get yourself out of the shop. a 20 pound to give a half way decent chance to fight it. so the 5 pounder near by and the 20 pounder at the door makes alot of since to me after having actually used them. but be very careful when you pull the triger on that 20 pounder. it can quickly leave with nothing to breath but powder filled air.


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## ed4copies (May 19, 2005)

Yes, I also have three in the shop (basement).  

A couple weekends ago, I started a fire to burn boxes (legal on my few acre parcel).  The fire spread-happens almost every spring, but this time my snowshovel control system failed and I realized it was spreading to the "Woods".  Ran to the house and, although I have extinquishers upstairs, I went directly to the basement because I know where they are down there.  Grabbed 2 5pound and got the brush fire under control.

Amazing-looking at the extinquishers nearly every night made me immediately go to THEM.  Saved the local fire department some time.  So, protecting your shop CAN also protect your other property.


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## FireMedic4Christ (May 19, 2005)

To keep fueling the fire so to speak. When I teach fire extinguisher and fire warden classes to the public, FE are considered exit tools. The thought being if one encounters a fire on the way out (which is why they are usually by exits), it can be used to try to extinguish the fire or if needed can be used to breach a window or door or wall to create another exit. The same reasoning goes for why FF's carry axes and haligans when they enter a structure. I usually show a video of a house fire that starts by a cigarette in a trash can. The room is unsurvivable in about 20 seconds due to the by-products of combustion. Many of these are lethal with one breath in addition to the super heated air that one might breath in and burn your lungs. The room goes on to flash over in less than 1 minute. This is when everything in the room reaches its ignition point and the room essentially explodes. Even a FF in full protective gear would not survive a flashover without severe burns. This example room was set up to resemble the average room in a house. The average workshop has a much higher fire load due the wood and such things such as paint, finishing products, gas for the lawn mower, pesticides that greatly accelerate the fire spread.

Be Safe,
Brian


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## KKingery (May 19, 2005)

I actually have 3 in the garage, and one in the house.


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## alamocdc (May 19, 2005)

I think I have one somewhere. [:0] At least I used to. Now I'm going to have to make sure I can find it.


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## rtjw (May 19, 2005)

I always try to keep one around.


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## coach (May 24, 2005)

i have one


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## Penmonkey (Aug 4, 2005)

I did have one but the yard caght on fire (right now in Texas yards are a bunch of dead weeds) so it was used on that.[]


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