Fire extinguishers for offices are mandatory!
In Germany, fire extinguishers are mandatory in workplaces according to the Technical Rules for Workplaces ASR A2.2. As a result, fire extinguishers are also required for offices.
What are the regulations for fire extinguishers in the office?
The workplace regulation ASR A2.2 requires a certain number of fire extinguishers depending on the fire risk, use and floor space of the office rooms. The specific number of fire extinguishers for an office results from:
- Office area
- Fire risk
- Location of fire extinguishers (in case of normal fire risk, the walking distance to the nearest fire extinguisher may not exceed 20 metres)
- Type and extinguishing units of the fire extinguishers.
With the help of the above information, the specific number of fire extinguishers must be determined by means of ASR A2.2. In addition, fire extinguishers must be serviced by a competent person at least every 2 years.
The CWS experts will be happy to advise you on the regulations for fire extinguishers in the office and determine together with you how many fire extinguishers are necessary in your office.
How many fire extinguishers
are necessary in the office?
An example calculation:
- Office floor space: 400 m²
- Floor: Ground floor only
- Fire risk: Normal, i.e. no servers or other electrical installations to be protected
- Required extinguishing units (LE): 18 LE
At least three foam extinguishers with at least 6 extinguishing units each are required in the office. Depending on the length of the walkways, further fire extinguishers may be necessary.
Which fire extinguisher for an office?
The decision which fire extinguisher is suitable for an office must be made on the basis of the place of use and the fire classes. Basically, water extinguishers and foam extinguishers are most suitable in the office, as they only lead to minor extinguishing damage. Furthermore, a grease fire extinguisher in the office is recommended for (tea) kitchens. At the same time, CO2 fire extinguishers are useful for class B fires or IT server rooms. They extinguish without leaving residues and are particularly suitable for IT and electrical systems.
Our recommendation for you: foam extinguishers!
Foam extinguishers are suitable for fire classes A and B, have a high extinguishing power and cause only minor extinguishing damage & contamination.
In contrast, powder fire extinguishers are not suitable for an office (or for interiors in general), as the powder endangers electrical equipment and leads to heavy soiling.
Maintenance of office fire extinguishers
Fire extinguishers in offices must be checked for functionality by a competent person at least every 2 years, according to ASR A2.2. In addition, fire extinguishers must be visually inspected regularly, e.g. to replace defective hoses promptly.
Are your office fire extinguishers due for maintenance?
Contact your regional CWS Fire Safety contact. Our certified fire safety technicians will take care of the maintenance of your fire extinguishers.
With a maintenance contract from CWS, we automatically take care of the fire extinguishers in your office. This means we take care of the next maintenance appointments and prepare the necessary documentation. Contact us now.
