We are regularly asked whether practice extinguishers should require an approval mark from the authorities. That is an interesting question, and we try to answer it as fully as possible in this article.
The website www.rijkstypekeur.nl is the official KIWA NCP website, an organisation that is responsible for approval marks issued by the authorities. On that website the following is stated with respect to fire extinguishers: 'To be allowed to sell or trade a portable fire extinguisher (up to 20 kg) in the Netherlands, the Dutch Approval Mark is required. This "approval mark" is indicated in the ellipses on the label of a portable fire extinguisher. On the basis of the Dutch Approval Mark it can be ascertained that the extinguisher is suitable for the fire rating as indicated on the label (A, B, C, D or F). The foregoing is legally enshrined in the Decree on portable fire extinguishers of 1997'.
Reference is made in this extract to the Decree on portable fire extinguishers, which contains (in Section 1: Definitions, Article 1.D) the definition of a portable fire extinguisher:
'Portable fire extinguisher: an object intended to fight fire that can be turned on and operated using simple levers, which is designed so that the fire is fought using a substance contained in the extinguisher and the weight of which, when operational, does not exceed 20 kg;'
The question we can then ask ourselves is: is a practice extinguisher an object intended to fight fire? The answer is a wholehearted 'NO', as a practice extinguisher is an educational tool that is used to teach people how a 'real' extinguisher should be used. It is a simulator, as it were, and a practice extinguisher is neither used nor sold for the purpose of fighting an actual fire.
The definition of a fire, according to the NIFV (the Netherlands Institute for Safety), is: 'Fire is unintended combustion involving flames that can spread unhindered and that causes damage and/or hazards' (Manschap A, textbook, part A: fire and fire development, chapter 1, Introduction)
During a training session we are dealing with planned combustion, while the fire cannot spread unhindered either – the fire remains within the training area. If this were not the case, the student would not be able to practice in a safe and controlled situation. While training the student extinguishes a controlled flame, and he or she is not fighting an actual fire.
Conclusion: A practice extinguisher is not a tool within the meaning of the Decree on portable fire extinguishers, which is why it does not require an approval mark from the authorities. But a CE declaration of conformity is naturally still required for a practice extinguisher.
We do however strongly urge that a suitable fire extinguisher is always available during an exercise, in the event of a real fire breaking out during a simulation.
The value of topping up practice extinguishers yourself: prices are under pressure in the training sector, and cutting costs is a logical move to maintaining a profitable margin. Moreover, every trainer still wants to offer quality, and by using practice extinguishers one can ensure that every student can run through the entire process with their own practice extinguisher. That means more value for the client at a lower price!
A practice extinguisher also means benefits for a training institute from an operational perspective. For example, it becomes easier to schedule when the extinguishers must be topped up, while considerable savings can also be realised in terms of logistical and storage expenses.
From the point of view of the environment, there are also advantages to using practice extinguishers. A gas flame is often used for exercises, which is very difficult to extinguish using foam. This means it is just as good to use practice foam, which looks just like a 'real' extinguishing agent but is less damaging to the environment.
Practice extinguishers are easy to top up and the process is very quick when using a dispenser. Topping them up yourself also costs a fraction of having it done. The safety of the FireWare practice extinguisher is guaranteed by its CE declaration of conformity.
