- Portable Fire Extinguisher
A portable fire extinguisher1 , also known as a portable (non-aerosol) fire extinguisher2 or hand-held fire extinguisher is an appliance and type of fire extinguisher that contains a liquid, gas or chemical agent and a propellant stored within a pressure vessel that may be rechargeable or non-rechargeable to control or extinguish a small fire.
The control or extinguishment of a fire is achieved by discharging and directing the agent at the seat of a small fire.
A portable fire extinguisher by its nature is designed to be transported (carried) by a person from its storage location to a small fire and operated manually by hand. The design capacity of a portable fire extinguisher has a gross mass of not greater than 23 kg3.
In contrast an (aerosol type) fire extinguisher, is a stored-pressure device designed primarily for household or light-duty use, containing a liquid, gas, or chemical extinguishing agent combined with a propellant that is non-refillable, and must be discarded after any use.
Relevant Australian Standards
- AS/NZS 1841.1:2007 Portable fire extinguishers
Part 1: General requirements, published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. - AS/NZS 1841.2:2007 Portable fire extinguishers
Part 2: Specific requirements for water type extinguishers, published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. - AS/NZS 1841.3:2007 Portable fire extinguishers
Part 3: Specific requirements for wet chemical type extinguishers, published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. - AS/NZS 1841.4:2007 Portable fire extinguishers
Part 4: Specific requirements for foam type extinguishers, published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. - AS/NZS 1841.5:2007 Portable fire extinguishers
Part 5: Specific requirements for powder type extinguishers, published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. - AS/NZS 1841.6:2007 Portable fire extinguishers
Part 6: Specific requirements for carbon dioxide type extinguishers, published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. - AS/NZS 1841.172007 Portable fire extinguishers
Part 7: Specific requirements for vaporizing liquid type extinguishers, published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. - AS/NZS 1841.8:2007 Portable fire extinguishers
Part 8: Specific requirements for non‑rechargeable type extinguishers, published jointly by, or on behalf of, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand.