Fire Extinguisher Safety Concerns: How to Safely Upgrade and Meet Regulations?

I am trying to replace the CO2 Fire Extinguisher Trigger Mechanism. The existing one is a SPINDLE Type (like a water tap), and I want to switch it to a HANDLE PRESSING type. I am concerned that due to the high pressure, the user/employee may get injured. Please advise.

Regulations Regarding Fire Extinguisher Density

Are there any regulations regarding the density of Fire Extinguishers in office premises? For example, the number of Fire Extinguishers per meter of space or any other relevant parameters?

Shelf Life of Fire Fighting Mechanism Cylinders

Is there a shelf life for Fire Fighting Mechanism Cylinders? If so, are there any standard regulations followed in India?

I need your urgent help.

CO2 Type Extinguisher Mechanism

CO2 Type Extinguishers may not have a trigger mechanism because if you push the trigger once, all the gas in the extinguisher will be released from the cylinder, which can be harmful. However, using a spindle, you can control the exit of gas and stop it when not required. The intensity depends on the volume of fire.

Regards,
Mangesh Wakodkar
Aurangabad

Fire Extinguisher Norms and Safety Guidelines

The fire extinguisher norms are defined as follows:

• Factories Act
• National Building Code

It may not be a good practice to use CO2 cylinders as they can be dangerous. These should be installed based on the type of fire (A, B, C, D, etc.). There are many IS codes related to portable extinguishers.

If you let us know your specific issue, we can try to assist you.

Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir

I have joined a company with zero attention to fire safety.

1. The fire extinguishers are old and need to be replaced. These are non-ISI stamped ones; however, the task is to refill them ASAP since their refill is overdue.

2. The office premises are approximately 1.5 lakh sq ft with a high number of electricity connections and paper materials as potential combustion hazards. What I am looking for are recommendations on how to calculate the required number of fire extinguishers for my office premises and create a budget accordingly.

It is a government agency that requires decisions based on rules and regulations. That's why I need the forum's assistance.

Regards