Among the different types of fire equipment to have in the workplace, fire extinguishers are among the most important. You not only need to train employees how to use them properly, but know where to place them. This allows you to access them no matter where the fire breaks out. Here are some places to put your fire extinguishers.

Kitchen or Break Room

If you have a break room with kitchen appliances in your office, it should have at least one fire extinguisher in the kitchen or just outside the door. This area of the workplace has a lot of fire hazards, between the microwave and the stovetop and oven if you use it. Even the coffee maker or hot water pitcher can potentially cause a fire or electrical hazard. Also remind employees that if there is a grease fire in the kitchen, to smother it instead of attempting to use water to put it out.

Near Electrical Equipment

If you have a utility closet or other space in your workplace with different electrical equipment, have a class C fire extinguisher in that area. Class C fire extinguishers are for electrical fires, which are often caused by faulty wiring, appliances, and faulty fuse boxes. If you have this type of fire, you not only want an extinguisher nearby, but the right one. A good location to have this type of fire equipment is in the area where you have your furnace, hot water heater, and electrical panel or fuse box.

Close to the Offices

Buildings with multiple offices might need an additional fire extinguisher, aside from the class C extinguisher and the one in the kitchen area. The larger your building is, the more extinguishers you need. Contact your fire department to get the exact spacing requirements for commercial or industrial buildings. Typically, you need at least one for every floor of the building, and possibly one at each end of the hallways for larger office buildings.

Workshop or Garage

If your buildings has a workshop or garage area where you have different machinery and flammable liquids, definitely have at least one fire extinguisher in that space. This is another area of certain types of workplaces that poses a high risk for fire. You might have an auto shop garage where there are flammable liquids like oil and grease, or a wood workshop for your furniture that poses a big fire risk. In both cases, make sure you have the right classification of fire extinguisher.