Fire Extinguisher Basics

29 CFR 1926.150 · 29 CFR 1910.157 · This talk in Spanish

Why it matters

A small fire is the only kind a worker should fight, and only with the right extinguisher close by. Many workers have never actually discharged one, and the middle of a fire is a bad classroom. Today we cover where the extinguishers are, which one fits which fire, and when to get out instead.

Hazards

⚠ Extinguishers buried behind material or locked in trucks
⚠ Wrong extinguisher class for the fuel burning
⚠ Expired or discharged units nobody checked
⚠ Crew members who have never used one
⚠ Fires blocking the only exit path

Controls and safe practices

✓ Travel distance to an extinguisher: no more than 100 feet, and within 50 feet of every 5 gallons of flammable liquid in use, per 1926.150(c).
✓ Know your classes: A for wood and trash, B for liquids and gas, C for electrical. Multi-class ABC covers class A, B and C fires.
✓ Check the gauge and pin monthly; annual professional inspection.
✓ PASS: Pull, Aim at the base, Squeeze, Sweep. Aim at the base of the flames, not the smoke.
✓ Fight a fire only when it is small, you have an exit at your back, and someone has called for help.
✓ After any use, even partial, the unit gets recharged or replaced.

What the OSHA standard says

Exact words from the official text, with a link to each paragraph.

“A fire extinguisher, rated not less than 2A, shall be provided for each 3,000 square feet of the protected building area, or major fraction thereof. Travel distance from any point of the protected area to the nearest fire extinguisher shall not exceed 100 feet.”

29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(i)

“A fire extinguisher, rated not less than 10B, shall be provided within 50 feet of wherever more than 5 gallons of flammable or combustible liquids or 5 pounds of flammable gas are being used on the jobsite.”

29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(vi)

“All firefighting equipment shall be periodically inspected and maintained in operating condition. Defective equipment shall be immediately replaced.”

29 CFR 1926.150(a)(4)

“The employer shall assure that portable fire extinguishers are maintained in a fully charged and operable condition and kept in their designated places at all times except during use.”

29 CFR 1910.157(c)(4)

Site check before the talk

Walk the site and tick each line. Each line comes from the text quoted above.

☐Provide at least one 2A extinguisher for every 3,000 square feet of building. (29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(i))
☐Make sure no spot is more than 100 feet from the nearest extinguisher. (29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(i))
☐Keep a 10B extinguisher within 50 feet of over 5 gallons of flammable liquid in use. (29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(vi))
☐Keep a 10B extinguisher within 50 feet of over 5 pounds of flammable gas in use. (29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(vi))
☐Inspect fire gear on a schedule and replace any broken unit right away. (29 CFR 1926.150(a)(4))
☐Keep each extinguisher fully charged and in its marked spot. (29 CFR 1910.157(c)(4))

Quotes checked word for word against the official eCFR text on October 5, 2026. This is a summary for a crew talk, not legal advice; the full official text governs. How we check

Crew discussion questions

Where are the extinguishers on this site, exactly?
Who here has actually discharged an extinguisher before?
What fuels are on site today, and do our extinguisher classes match?
What is the exit plan from where we are working if a fire starts?

Applicable OSHA standards

29 CFR 1926.150, 29 CFR 1910.157

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