5.

PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

5.1 DESCRIPTION
Portable Fire Extinguishers are elementary firefighting equipment intended for
first-aid firefighting during the initial outbreak of fire incident to prevent
escalation into a full scale fire. Proper usage of portable fire extinguishers often
effectively control and extinguisher a fire even before fire authorities is
summoned. However they are not supposed to be used against a large scale fire.
Portable fire extinguishers should have minimum gross weight but with higher
fire rating in order to be user friendly and shall be able to be carried and
operated by one person.
Portable fire extinguishers should be maintained and serviced annually for their
effectiveness.

5.2 DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

5.2.1 Codes and Standards
a.
Under the Uniform Building By-laws 1984, portable fire extinguisher
requirement is described under By-law 227.
Uniform Building By Laws 227: Portable extinguisher shall be provided
in accordance with the relevant codes of practice and shall be sited in
prominent positions on exit routes to be visible from all directions and
similar extinguishers in a building shall be of the same method of
operation.
b.
Portable fire extinguisher shall be designed, tested, select, install and
maintain in accordance to:

M.S. 1539 Specification for portable fire extinguishers:

Part 1: Construction and test methodology

M.S. 1539 Specification for portable fire extinguishers:

Part 4: Selection and Application Code of Practice

M.S. 1539 Specification for portable fire extinguishers:

Part 4: Maintenance of portable fire extinguishers Code of Practice
c.
Portable fire extinguishers shall be manufactured with the following
requirements:

SIRIM quality certification scheme

5.2.2 Classes of Fire
Portable fire extinguishers should be provided for dealing with the following
potential classes of fire identified in the risk assessment: (See Figure 5.2.2.1)
a.
b.
c.
d.

Class A: Fires involving solid materials of organic nature with the formation
of glowing ambers, eg. Paper, wood, etc
Class B: Fires involving liquids or liquefiable solids, eg. Petrol, kerosene,
diesel, etc
Class C: Fires involving gases, eg. Oxygen, LNG, LPG, etc
Class D: Fires involving metals, eg. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, etc

e.
f.

Class E: Fires involving electrical equipment

Class F: Fires involving fats and cooling oils

5.2.3 Selection and Application

They typical medium for portable fire extinguishers are as follows:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Water
Suitable for Class A fires
Foam
Suitable for Class A and Class B fires
Dry Chemical Powder
Suitable for Class A, B, C and E fires
Carbon Dioxide
Suitable for Class B and E fires

5.2.4 Colour Coding

Colour of extinguisher cylinder/ body shall be signal red to RAL 3000. All
wordings, diagram, pictograph shall be white in colour and all extinguishing
medium shall be colour coded as follows: (See Figure 5.2.4.1)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Water
Red
Foam
Cream
Dry Chemical Powder
Blue
Carbon Dioxide
Black
Halon
Golden Yellow

Note: Halon portable fire extinguishers are only allowed for military, aviation or
special applications only where permitted by Department of Environmental
Malaysia.
5.2.5 Label Marking
All portable fire extinguishers shall be marked as per labels attached. All label
markings shall be fully visible from the front (see Figure 5.2.5.1 and 5.2.5.2)
5.2.6 Installation
Generally, portable fire extinguishers should be located in conspicuous position
where they can be easily spotted by person following an escape route.
Siting position near to room exits, corridors, stairways, lobbies and landings are
most suitable. They should not be sited where a potential fire might prevent
access to them.
Extinguishers should be located preferably within recessed closets if they be
sited along protected corridors to avoid obstruction during evacuation.
They should be sited not more than 20 meters from a potential fire hazard.
5.2.7 Performance Design
Fire classes, fire hazard location, extinguisher distribution, extinguisher
performance as well as application should be the criteria for determining the size
and quantities of portable fire extinguishers.
For dry chemical powder extinguisher, vast improvement in chemical content has
increased the performance of the extinguisher. Weight is hence no longer the
criteria for selection but fire rating determines the performances eg. Minimum
fire performance rating of a 9kg extinguisher of 30% chemical powder is 27A and

144B. A 6kg extinguisher of 50% chemical powder can achieve a fire rating of
27A and 183B.
Gross weight of portable fire extinguishers should be kept to a minimum
(recommended to be below 12kg) to ensure portability. Current weight rating of
portable fire extinguishers is net weight of fire extinguishing medium excluding
the weight of the cylinder, valve body, metre and hose; eg. Gross weight of 5kg
CO2 extinguisher is 21kg.
It is recommend to design for 2 smaller extinguishers to achieve the same rating
instead of 1 extinguisher to increase the effectiveness of fire extinguishment.
Example 1
For a single storey building of floor area 1,600m 2, the minimum aggregated class
A rating is
0.065 x 1,600 = 104A
The total fire rating can be provided by:
8 x 13A PFE = 104A

8 x 4kg PFE of 13A

4 x 27A PFE = 108A

4 x 6 kg PFE of 27A

*PFE Portable fire extinguisher

Note Portable fire extinguishers of smaller capacity but higher fire rating is
preferred for portability and effectiveness.

5.3 VISUAL INSPECTION CHECKLIST

5.3.1 Portable fire extinguisher
R Cylinder body should be red with medium colour coded in respective colour
R All label marking wordings, diagrams and pictograms shall be in white colour
and shall be fully visible from the front
R Label should carry SIRIM product certificating logo
R Extinguishers shall have valid Fire and Rescue Department Approval Letter
R Each Extinguisher shall have a valid Fire and Rescue Department H13
certificate
R Extinguisher meter indication should indicate adequate pressure (Green
Zone) within the cylinder
R Cylinder body and valve should be rust free
R Safety pin should be in place and secured
R Discharge Hose should have no cracks