No regulation states how many extinguishers a workplace must have. The Fire Safety Order requires that premises be equipped with appropriate firefighting equipment, that it be easily accessible, simple to use and indicated by signs, and that sufficient people are nominated and trained. What counts as appropriate comes from the fire risk assessment.
What the Order requires
Premises must be equipped with appropriate firefighting equipment where necessary, having regard to the dimensions and use of the premises, the equipment in them, the physical and chemical properties of substances present and the maximum number of people who may be there. Equipment must be easily accessible, simple to use and indicated by signs, and the responsible person must nominate competent people to implement firefighting measures.
Who decides how many
The fire risk assessment, which should express provision as ratings and locations rather than as a count. A useful assessment says what class of fire is credible in each area, what rating is needed there, and where the extinguisher goes. That is auditable. A note saying six extinguishers is not, because it cannot be checked against anything.
Accessible, simple, signed
Three requirements people quietly break. Accessible means not behind a stack of boxes or a door that is normally locked. Simple to use means the instructions face outwards and are readable at the mounting height. Indicated by signs means there is a sign where somebody looking for an extinguisher would look, which in a large space means at height rather than only on the bracket.
What an inspector checks
The fire risk assessment and whether the provision follows from it. The extinguishers themselves: present, accessible, signed, serviced and correct for the room. The training records for the nominated people. And the log book. Extinguishers are the most visible part of a fire safety regime and consequently the first thing looked at, but the paperwork is what the findings usually turn on.
Questions people ask about fire extinguisher regulations uk
How many fire extinguishers does the law require?
The law does not give a number. It requires appropriate equipment having regard to the premises, their use, the substances present and the number of people, with the fire risk assessment deciding what appropriate means.
Must fire extinguishers be signed?
The Order requires firefighting equipment to be indicated by signs. In a large space that means a sign visible from where somebody would be standing, not only a label on the bracket.
Who must be trained to use them?
The responsible person must nominate sufficient competent people to implement firefighting measures and ensure they are trained. That is a duty on the employer, not on every individual employee.