Types of Fire Extinguishers: UK Colour Chart and Uses

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There are five main types of fire extinguishers in UK workplaces: water, foam, carbon dioxide (CO2), dry powder and wet chemical. Every new extinguisher has a red body with a coloured band that shows what is inside: red for water, cream for foam, black for CO2, blue for powder and canary yellow for wet chemical. Which one you need depends on the class of fire it has to fight, from Class A solids to Class F cooking oils, and whether live electrical equipment is involved.

Our Fire Warden and Fire Marshal course covers choosing and using extinguishers safely, along with evacuation and your role in a fire.

UK fire extinguisher colour chart

The table below is based on the government fire safety risk assessment guides and fire and rescue service guidance (GOV.UK, London Fire Brigade GN08).

Type	Colour band	Use it on	Do not use it on
Water	Red	Class A: wood, paper, textiles and other solids	Burning liquids, live electrical equipment or metal fires
Foam	Cream	Class A solids and Class B flammable liquids such as petrol and diesel	Deep-fat fryers or chip pans, live electrical equipment or metal fires
Carbon dioxide (CO2)	Black	Fires involving electrical equipment and Class B flammable liquids	Metal fires; the fire can reignite once the gas disperses if materials are still hot
Dry powder	Blue	Most classes, including A, B and C, and electrical equipment	Metal fires (unless it is a specialist powder) and, generally, enclosed spaces
Wet chemical	Canary yellow	Class F: cooking oil and fat fires, such as deep-fat fryers	Check the label for any other classes it is rated for

You may also see green bands on clean agent extinguishers in certain specialist applications.

How the colour coding works

This is the part that confuses people who remember all-blue or all-black extinguishers. Under the current system:

The body of the extinguisher is signal red, whatever it contains.
A colour zone of up to 5% of the body surface identifies the extinguishing agent. It sits above or within the operating instructions.
New extinguishers are manufactured to BS EN 3-7, and the UK colour coding is set out in BS 7863.
Older extinguishers with bodies painted entirely in one colour remain acceptable until they are no longer serviceable. The government guides say it is good practice not to mix old and new styles on the same floor.

Always read the label as well as the colour. The label carries the fire rating and the classes the extinguisher has been tested for.

The classes of fire explained

Fires are classed by what is burning. The government guides list five classes, and the extinguisher you provide should match the classes of fire that could occur on your premises.

Class	What is burning	Suitable extinguishers
A	Solid materials such as wood, paper or textiles	Water, foam, dry powder
B	Flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel or oils	Foam, CO2, dry powder
C	Flammable gases	Dry powder; seek advice from a competent person
D	Metals	Specialist powder or dry sand; seek specialist advice
F	Cooking oils and fats, such as in deep-fat fryers	Wet chemical
Electrical	Fires involving electrical equipment	CO2 or dry powder; isolate the power if possible

Electrical fires are not one of the five classes, so extinguishers are labelled to show whether they are safe to use on electrical equipment. The government guides also warn that it is not safe to fight fires involving aerosols with extinguishers, and that if a Class C or D fire is possible on your premises you should get advice from a competent person (Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service).

Strengths and limits of each type

Water. Soaks in and cools burning solids. Versions with additives can match a heavy 9 litre unit while being smaller and lighter. Water conducts electricity, so keep it away from live equipment.
Foam. Forms a film that smothers burning liquids and cools them. It should not be used on free-flowing liquid fires unless the operator has been specially trained.
CO2. Particularly suitable for fires involving electrical equipment, because it puts the fire out without causing further damage in most cases (some electronic equipment, such as computers, can still be affected). Once the gas disperses, the fire can reignite if the materials are still hot.
Dry powder. Gives a fast knockdown on many fire types, but it does not cool, so fires can reignite. It reduces visibility, can affect people with breathing problems and will almost certainly ruin electrical equipment it is used on.
Wet chemical. Designed for commercial kitchens. The chemical reacts with burning fat or oil to smother and cool it.

What the numbers on the label mean

Each extinguisher carries a fire test rating, such as 13A, 34B or 15F. The letter shows the class of fire it has been tested on. London Fire Brigade points out that you should choose extinguishers by rating, not by size or weight: a 13A extinguisher does not have to be a heavy 9 litre water unit, and a 2.5 kg CO2 extinguisher is rated 34B.

How many extinguishers do you need, and where?

The law does not give a fixed number. Under article 13 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must provide appropriate fire-fighting equipment where necessary, make sure any manual equipment is easily accessible, simple to use and indicated by signs, and nominate competent people with adequate training to use it. The type and number should come from your fire risk assessment.

The government guide for offices and shops gives this rule of thumb:

For Class A risks, roughly one water-based extinguisher for every 200 square metres of floor space, with at least two per floor.
Put general extinguishers on escape routes, near the exit from the room, floor or building, and put specialist ones near the hazard they cover.
Mount them on a stand or wall bracket so the handle is about 1 metre from the floor for larger extinguishers and 1.5 metres for smaller ones.
Ideally nobody should have to travel more than 30 metres to reach one.
Very small premises of less than 90 square metres may need only one, depending on the risk assessment.

Employers also have wider duties under health and safety law, which our guide to what the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 covers explains.

Checks, servicing and fire blankets

Brief checks should be made regularly; in normal conditions the government guides say a monthly check is enough, with maintenance by a competent person every year to BS 5306-3. A quick user check should confirm that each extinguisher is in its place, the instructions are legible, it has not been used or damaged, any pressure gauge is in the safe range and the seals and tamper tags are intact.

Light-duty fire blankets are suitable for small fires in containers of cooking oil or fat and for fires involving clothing. Keep them near the hazard, but somewhere that can be reached safely if a fire starts.

Who should use a fire extinguisher?

Extinguishers are for tackling small fires in their early stages, and only by people who know which one to pick and how to use it. That is why the Fire Safety Order requires nominated, trained people. Target Zero’s Fire Warden and Fire Marshal course covers fire legislation, fire behaviour, fire prevention, fire extinguishers, emergency evacuation and fire assembly, and your role in a fire. Delegates leave able to manage people to safety and to use fire extinguishers safely, and the course can run at one of our training centres or at your premises or site.

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FAQs

What are the 5 types of fire extinguisher?

Water (red), foam (cream), carbon dioxide (black), dry powder (blue) and wet chemical (canary yellow). All have a red body, with the colour shown as a band or zone.

What colour is a CO2 fire extinguisher?

A CO2 extinguisher has a red body with a black colour band. It is used on fires involving electrical equipment and flammable liquids.

Which fire extinguisher is used for electrical fires?

CO2 is the usual choice for electrical equipment, and dry powder can also be used, although it will almost certainly damage the equipment. Never use water or standard foam on live electrical equipment, and isolate the power if you can.

What is a Class F fire?

A Class F fire involves cooking oils and fats, such as a deep-fat fryer fire. It needs a wet chemical extinguisher with a canary yellow band.

What extinguisher should not be used on a chip pan fire?

Do not use water or foam on a chip pan or deep-fat fryer fire. Use a wet chemical extinguisher, or a light-duty fire blanket on a small pan fire if you have been shown how.

Can old style fire extinguishers still be used?

Yes. Older extinguishers with bodies painted entirely in one colour remain acceptable until they are no longer serviceable, but it is good practice not to mix old and new styles on the same floor.

Picking the right extinguisher is only useful if someone on site knows how to use it. Book your fire wardens onto our Fire Warden and Fire Marshal course or call 0333 444 0018 to arrange a session at your premises.