subject: The Automatic Fire Extinguisher [print this page] Last October 2006, a new law was ratified replacing over 70 safety laws - The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) or simply known as the Fire Safety Order. One of the law's aim was to decrease the timely occurences of fires in the United Kingdom - over 40,000 cases a year! Now, a number of tools, equipments and measures have been taken to make sure that the law is followed. Commercial establishments have to be able to prove through strict conditions, that they have adequate fire safety facilities. Some examples of these fire-dosing solutions are different types of fire extinguishers, fire blankets, fire hose reels, fireproofing via intumescent material and easy access to knowledge and information via the local fire station. A prime example that will be discussed here is the automatic fire extinguisher.
The device itself, is more of preventive in nature rather than something that actually battles with raging flames. The term automatic connotes that the device works on its own much like sprinklers and smoke detectors. It works in addition to the ever-reliable fire alarm but works a bit differently.
What it does, is it has a built-in sensor that responds to the temperature in a certain vicinity. When the temperatures reach alarming levels, a heat-sensitive bulb breaks and the automatic fire extinguisher releases either gas or powder that helps quell and prevent further spread of the fire.
Just like manual fire extinguishers then, the automatic extinguisher uses chemical reactions to quell the fire. The gas type variant of the device makes use of a mechanism that deprives a relatively small area of oxygen - thus cutting off the flame of its fuel and stopping any further spread of the flames. The powder type is used when the vicinity being covered is much larger and "choking the fire" simply won't work. The powder dispersed is a combination of chemicals that effectively quells flames of types A, B, and C. Thus, the fire could be happening while people are away from the place where the fire occured and the device would activate and be extremely helpful nonetheless.
The main advantage of the automatic fire extinguisher is exactly that - it is a form of safety even if there is no one in the direct vicinity who takes immediate action. If applied with several other fire safety measures such as fireproofing via intumescent material and the use of a fire alarm that will send the alert to the local fire station, the spread of fire and severe damaged could avoided.
When it comes to safety and valuing our lives and our most prized possessions, one can never be too careful. Manufacturers continue to create a variety of devices for our safety and security and when you put them together, it adds that much needed protection from the frequent fires that happen in our country. Ideally, households and commercial establishments should be implementing and installing such device in hopes of making the United Kingdom a more fire free country to live in.
by: Bennett Glover
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