Question 1

What are fire pumps used for?

Accepted Answer

Fire pumps are part of a fire sprinkler system’s water supply, and are usually powered by electricity or diesel.

Question 2

How long will a fire extinguisher last while using it?

Accepted Answer

Standard fire extinguishers will have enough extinguishing agent to last around 10 seconds.

Question 3

How do you identify different types of fire fighting equipment?

Accepted Answer

Fire fighting equipment will all have different signs associated with it which can be easily identified by the corresponding signs – from fire extinguishers and fire blankets, to emergency exit signs and fire alarms.

Learn more about the different types of [fire extinguishers here](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses).

Question 4

How many types of fire equipment are there?

Accepted Answer

There are lots of different types of fire equipment, but there are four main types which are commonly found – fire extinguishers, fire hoses, fire blankets and fire buckets.

Read our [Fire Safety and Fire Protection Equipment Guide](/resources/fire-safety-and-fire-protection-equipment-guide) for more information.

Question 5

How many types of fire fighting systems are there?

Accepted Answer

There are four different types of fire fighting sprinkler systems – pre-action systems, dry pipe systems, wet pipe systems, and deluge systems.

Question 6

What are the different types of fire fighting equipment?

Accepted Answer

There are lots of different types of fire equipment, but there are four main types which are commonly found – fire extinguishers, fire hoses, fire blankets and fire buckets.

Read our [Fire Safety and Fire Protection Equipment Guide](/resources/fire-safety-and-fire-protection-equipment-guide) for more information.

Question 7

Does jockey pump need emergency power?

Accepted Answer

A jockey pump does not require emergency power, as it is fed in the same way all other pumps within the building.

Question 8

How does a fire protection systems work?

Accepted Answer

Fire protection systems typically comprise of multiple sprinkler heads which are plugged with liquid-filled bulbs to prevent water from escaping. In the event of a fire, these bulbs are heated and expand which causes them to burst and allow the water to release.

Learn more about recommended [fire safety and fire protection equipment](/resources/fire-safety-and-fire-protection-equipment-guide) here.

Question 9

How many types of fire pumps are there?

Accepted Answer

There are five types of fire pumps used in fire protection systems – horizontal split case, vertical split case, vertical in-line, vertical turbine, and end suction.

Question 10

What fire extinguisher is used for electrical fires?

Accepted Answer

Powder, foam or CO2 fire extinguishers should be used for tackling electrical fires.

Read our guide about [fire extinguisher types](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses) and uses to find out more.

Question 11

Is it illegal to lock a fire door?

Accepted Answer

Locking a fire door would be a violation of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) which states that “In the event of danger, it must be possible for persons to evacuate the premises as quickly and safely as possible”.

Question 12

What are the five types of fire extinguishers?

Accepted Answer

The 5 main types of fire extinguisher are – water, powder, foam, CO2, and wet chemical.

Read our guide about [fire extinguisher types and uses](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses) to find out more.

Question 13

What colour are fire equipment signs?

Accepted Answer

Fire equipment signs are red.

Question 14

What is a Class D fire extinguisher used for?

Accepted Answer

A Class D fire extinguisher is used exclusively on flammable metals.

Read our guide about [fire extinguisher types and uses](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses) to find out more.

Question 15

What is an ABC fire extinguisher?

Accepted Answer

A powder fire extinguisher is also known as an ABC fire extinguisher as it can be used on Class A, B and C fire types.

Read our guide about [fire extinguisher types and uses ](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses)to find out more.

Question 16

What is firefighting equipment?

Accepted Answer

Fire fighting equipment is a range of items to be used in the event of a fire which aim to extinguish fires or protect the user from fire.

Question 17

What is in a Class C fire extinguisher?

Accepted Answer

Class C fire extinguishers are typically called powder fire extinguishers, and are filled with a powdered chemical compound which reacts to the heat of the fire and form a barrier between the fuel source and the oxygen.

Read our guide about [fire extinguisher types and use](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses)s to find out more.

Question 18

When should fire fighting equipment be used?

Accepted Answer

Fire fighting equipment like fire extinguishers and fire blankets should be used if a fire is still contained and you have the right type of extinguishers for that classification of fire.

Question 19

What kind of water do firefighters use?

Accepted Answer

Firefighters use mains water to fight fires.

Question 20

What are the 4 types of fire extinguishers?

Accepted Answer

There are 5 main types of fire extinguisher – water, powder, foam, CO2, and wet chemical.

Read our guide about the [different types of fire extinguishers and their uses](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses) to find out more.

Question 21

What does fire safety mean?

Accepted Answer

Fire safety is a set of procedures which aim to reduce the amount of damage and injuries caused by fires. These include risk assessments to help identify and reduce areas of fire risk, and formulate an emergency and evacuation plan in the event that a fire does break out.

Question 22

What does the fire alarm sign indicate?

Accepted Answer

Fire alarm signs give a clearly visible indication of where the nearest fire alarm is and will usually be located near fire emergency equipment.

Question 23

What information do fire safety signs give?

Accepted Answer

Fire safety signs give a range of information via clear graphics, from prohibition signs around smoking to fire action signs giving instructions on what to do in the event of a fire.

Discover more about [fire safety signs](/resources/a-guide-to-fire-safety-signs-in-the-workplace) with our guide.

Question 24

What is an example of a Class C fire?

Accepted Answer

Class C fires are defined as flammable gases, such as a fire fuelled by methane or propane gases.

Question 25

What is the first thing you should do in a fire?

Accepted Answer

The first thing you should do if a fire breaks out is use the nearest fire alarm and evacuate the building.

Question 26

What is the shape and colour of a cautionary safety sign?

Accepted Answer

Cautionary safety signs are triangular and yellow.

Question 27

What are the 4 types of safety signs?

Accepted Answer

The four types of safety signs are prohibition and fire (red), mandatory (blue), caution (yellow), and safe condition (green).

Read our guide about [fire safety signs in the workplace](/resources/a-guide-to-fire-safety-signs-in-the-workplace) to find out more.

Question 28

What are the components of fire safety?

Accepted Answer

Fire safety can be broken down into three sections – active fire protection made up of equipment designed to tackle fires, passive fire protection which refers to aspects of a building made to limit the spread and damage of fire, and education which covers fire safety training and fire emergency and evacuation plans.

Question 29

What are the classification of safety signs?

Accepted Answer

The four different classifications of safety signs are prohibition and fire (red), mandatory (blue), caution (yellow), and safe condition (green).

Read our guide about [fire safety signs](/resources/a-guide-to-fire-safety-signs-in-the-workplace) to find out more.

Question 30

What are the symbols of fire extinguishers?

Accepted Answer

The symbols on fire extinguishers represent the types of fire they should be used for, e.g. Class A fires (flammable solids) are represented by a burning bin and wood.

Read our guide about the different types of fire extinguishers and their uses to find out more.

Question 31

What can cause the most dangerous fires?

Accepted Answer

There are numerous factors which can contribute to how dangerous a fire can grow to be. Grease and cooking oil fires can get out of control quickly and require specific methods to be extinguished which might not be known to everyone, meaning they can present a large amount of danger if improperly dealt with. Chemical fires present similar challenges.

Question 32

Who can carry out a fire risk assessment?

Accepted Answer

Although there is no specific precedent for who can carry out a [fire risk assessment](/resources/fire-safety-risk-assessment-guide), it should be carried out by someone who is ideally trained in fire safety or at least has an adequate understanding of the risks associated with your particular building.

Question 33

Why are safety signs different colours?

Accepted Answer

Safety signs are colour coded so that they are easily understood at a glance.

Question 34

What colour is a danger sign?

Accepted Answer

Yellow signs represent warnings around potential dangers.

Discover more about [fire safety signs ](/resources/a-guide-to-fire-safety-signs-in-the-workplace)with our guide.

Question 35

What do the safety symbols mean?

Accepted Answer

Safety symbols aim to convey dangers at a glance by using clear graphics, e.g. a yellow sign with a flame on it represent a danger of fire.

Discover more about [fire safety signs](/resources/a-guide-to-fire-safety-signs-in-the-workplace) with our guide.

Question 36

What does a blue circle mean in fire safety?

Accepted Answer

Blue circular signs are used to indicate mandatory actions in relation to fire safety, e.g. ‘fire door keep shut’.

Question 37

Who issues a fire safety notice?

Accepted Answer

Fire safety notices will be issues by your local fire and rescue service, usually via a fire safety officer who will visit your premises to assess your fire safety measures.

Question 38

What is fire safety?

Accepted Answer

Fire safety is a set of procedures which aim to reduce the amount of damage and injuries caused by fires. These include risk assessments to help identify and reduce areas of fire risk and formulate an emergency and evacuation plan in the event that a fire does break out.

Learn more about Fire Safety with our online course.

Question 39

What are some fire safety tips?

Accepted Answer

Ensure that you have smoke alarms installed throughout your home or business and test them every month in case the batteries are flat. Take care when cooking with oil at home and never leave lit candles unattended. Have a thorough [fire safety evacuation plan](/resources/fire-evacuation-procedures-in-the-workplace) in case of a large fire and carry out drills regularly. If a fire does occur, make sure you stay outside and call for help until the fire has been completely extinguished.

Question 40

Can water make fire worse?

Accepted Answer

Depending on the type of fire, using water to try and extinguish it can make the situation worse. In the event of a fire, its best to use a fire extinguisher which correlates to the type of fire you're dealing with, but only attempt to do this if your exit is clear.

Learn more about the different types of [fire extinguishers ](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses)here.

Question 41

Do I need a fire prevention plan?

Accepted Answer

It is recommended that any business which carries a higher risk of fire than average, such as from storing combustible waste or chemicals on site, has a fire prevention plan to properly protect both the business and the environment from damage.

Find out more about [emergency fire planning ](/resources/fire-safety-management-and-emergency-plan-guide)here.

Question 42

Do you have to be a firefighter to be a fire inspector?

Accepted Answer

While it isn’t essential to have firefighting experience to become a fire inspector, the majority of fire inspectors have spend an amount of time as firefighters. Those fire inspectors who don’t have hands on experience usually come from roles which relate to fire safety outside of the traditional fire service.

Question 43

How do I make a fire evacuation plan?

Accepted Answer

In order to make a fire evacuation plan, you will first need to conduct a fire risk assessment of your business. Once you have done this, you can decide upon your fire safety strategy, which includes evacuation routes, safe meeting points for staff, and proper procedures for contacting the fire department.

Take a look at our fire [risk assessment template](/resources/workplace-fire-risk-assessment-guide) here.

Question 44

How often should you do fire safety training?

Accepted Answer

Whenever new staff join the business, you’ll need to ensure they’re trained on your fire safety procedures. In addition to this, if anything changes within your business which adds new risks, you will need to inform all staff of the new fire risks.

Make sure you and your team are fully fire safety trained with our online course here.

Question 45

In what situations should you not fight a fire?

Accepted Answer

Tackling small fires is fine, provided you are cautious and have a clear escape route. If you would need to put yourself in a compromised position, such as having the fire between you and your escape route, then you should not attempt to fight the fire. If you don’t have the right type of [fire extinguishe](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses)r for the fire, or it has started to spread, then do not try to extinguish the fire and prioritise evacuation.

Question 46

Is using water a dangerous way to remove heat from fire?

Accepted Answer

Water is typically one of the most straightforward ways of removing heat from a fire, but there are times where this is dangerous. You should never use water on cooking oil fires and metal fires as it will make the situation worse and add further dangers.

Question 47

What are the 3 main causes of fire?

Accepted Answer

Three major causes of fires are cooking equipment overheating, faulty electrical wiring or appliances and smoking.

Question 48

What are the fire evacuation procedures?

Accepted Answer

In the event of a fire, you should take the following steps to ensure that everyone is evacuated safely from the building: set off the fire alarm, call 999, help any injured people while exiting the building, ensure everyone is out of the building and secure the site, and stay away from the building until it is safe to return.

Learn more about [fire evacuation procedur](/resources/fire-evacuation-procedures-in-the-workplace)es in the workplace here.

Question 49

What are the requirements for emergency and evacuation procedures?

Accepted Answer

Businesses must have a fire emergency and evacuation plan which contains actions on what to do if a fire occurs. All employees must be aware of what this plan is, the evacuation route as per the floor plan, and should give easily understood instructions on what to do.

Read our [Fire Safety and Evacuation Planning Guide](/resources/fire-evacuation-procedures-in-the-workplace) here.

Question 50

What are the rules for fire safety?

Accepted Answer

While there aren’t universal rules around fire safety, there are a number of essential points you should consider. Conducting a fire risk assessment will help you understand areas of risk within your home or business, and how to reduce this risk. Keeping sources of ignition and burnable substances far apart from each other is one of the most important parts of fire safety, as it reduces the risk of a fire starting in the first place.

Question 51

What are the three elements of fire?

Accepted Answer

The three elements that a fire would need to ignite are heat, a fuel source and oxygen.

Question 52

What are the three key elements in a fire prevention plan?

Accepted Answer

The three key parts to a fire prevent plan are having establish fire exits for your building, forming a comprehensive emergency and evacuation plan, and keeping fire extinguishers on hand for tackling smaller fires.

Learn more about reducing the [risk of fire in schools](/resources/fire-safety-in-schools) here.

Question 53

What are the three main causes of fire in the NHS?

Accepted Answer

The three main causes of fire on healthcare premises are smoking, faulty electrics and cooking appliances.

Question 54

What can cause the most dangerous fires?

Accepted Answer

There are numerous factors which can contribute to how dangerous a fire can grow to be. Grease and cooking oil fires can get out of control quickly and require specific methods to be extinguished which might not be known to everyone, meaning they can present a large amount of danger if improperly dealt with. Chemical fires present similar challenges.

Question 55

What is fire prevention and fire fighting?

Accepted Answer

A fire prevention plan is a set of procedures and measures which aim to reduce the risk of fires on-site. Firefighting is a means of tackling fires, whether they are smaller fires which can be extinguished by following specific instructions with specialist equipment, or larger fires which require trained firefighters to tackle with heavy-duty equipment.

Reduce common fire hazards in the [workplace with our guide](/resources/guide-to-fire-safety-in-the-workplace) here.

Question 56

What is a fire safety course?

Accepted Answer

A fire safety course is a series of modules delivered by trained individuals or e-learning platforms which aim to raise the awareness of potential causes and risks associated with fires, including how to safely tackle one if it breaks out.

View our full range of fire safety courses here.

Question 57

What is fire safety training?

Accepted Answer

A fire safety training is a course delivered by trained individuals or e-learning platforms which aim to raise the awareness of potential causes and risks associated with fires, including how to safely tackle one if it breaks out.

View our full range of fire safety courses here.

Question 58

Does smoke and combustion gases spread faster than fire?

Accepted Answer

Yes - smoke and hot gases will spread as the result of a fire, travelling through a building in hot air currents and cause combustible materials to ignite, thus spreading the fire.

Question 59

What is a FPFF course?

Accepted Answer

A Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF) course explains the causes of fires, how to minimise the risks of fire and how to safely extinguish them.

Question 60

What is the best way to fight a fire?

Accepted Answer

The best way to fight a fire is to use the corresponding fire extinguisher which matches the type of fire, e.g. a dry powder extinguisher (blue label) for tackling Class A, B, C and electrical fires.

Learn more about the different types of fire and which [fire extinguishers t](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses)o use here.

Question 61

What is the difference between fire prevention and fire protection?

Accepted Answer

Fire prevention is a series of steps which can help prevent fires from occurring, while fire protection is the use tools and procedures to minimise the risks in the case of a fire breaking out.

Question 62

What is the main cause of death in a fire?

Accepted Answer

Smoke inhalation is the main cause of death associated with fire.

Question 63

What must you decide before using a fire extinguisher to put out a fire?

Accepted Answer

Before using a fire extinguisher, ensure that you can confidently tackle the size of the fire safely. Do not put yourself in a compromised position in order to attempt to fight the fire, and make sure that you have the right fire extinguisher for the type of fire.

Learn more about which [fire extinguisher to use ](/resources/fire-safety-a-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-and-uses)here.

Question 64

Why does water put out fire?

Accepted Answer

Water is a completely oxidised material (H2O), which means that it can’t oxidise any further and acts as a barrier between the fuel source (whatever is burning) and the oxygen source because it won’t ignite, effectively smothering the flames. This principle also applies to using CO2 to extinguish a fire.

Health and Safety FAQs

Fire Safety

Fire Safety Equipment

What are fire pumps used for?

How long will a fire extinguisher last while using it?

How do you identify different types of fire fighting equipment?

How many types of fire equipment are there?

How many types of fire fighting systems are there?

What are the different types of fire fighting equipment?

Does jockey pump need emergency power?

How does a fire protection systems work?

How many types of fire pumps are there?

What fire extinguisher is used for electrical fires?

Is it illegal to lock a fire door?

What are the five types of fire extinguishers?

What colour are fire equipment signs?

What is a Class D fire extinguisher used for?

What is an ABC fire extinguisher?

What is firefighting equipment?

What is in a Class C fire extinguisher?

When should fire fighting equipment be used?

What kind of water do firefighters use?

Fire Safety Signs

What are the 4 types of fire extinguishers?

What does fire safety mean?

What does the fire alarm sign indicate?

What information do fire safety signs give?

What is an example of a Class C fire?

What is the first thing you should do in a fire?

What is the shape and colour of a cautionary safety sign?

What are the 4 types of safety signs?

What are the components of fire safety?

What are the classification of safety signs?

What are the symbols of fire extinguishers?

What can cause the most dangerous fires?

Who can carry out a fire risk assessment?

Why are safety signs different colours?

What colour is a danger sign?

What do the safety symbols mean?

What does a blue circle mean in fire safety?

Who issues a fire safety notice?

General Fire Safety

What is fire safety?

What are some fire safety tips?

Can water make fire worse?

Do I need a fire prevention plan?

Do you have to be a firefighter to be a fire inspector?

How do I make a fire evacuation plan?

How often should you do fire safety training?

In what situations should you not fight a fire?

Is using water a dangerous way to remove heat from fire?

What are the 3 main causes of fire?

What are the fire evacuation procedures?

What are the requirements for emergency and evacuation procedures?

What are the rules for fire safety?

What are the three elements of fire?

What are the three key elements in a fire prevention plan?

What are the three main causes of fire in the NHS?

What can cause the most dangerous fires?

What is fire prevention and fire fighting?

What is a fire safety course?

What is fire safety training?

Does smoke and combustion gases spread faster than fire?

What is a FPFF course?

What is the best way to fight a fire?

What is the difference between fire prevention and fire protection?

What is the main cause of death in a fire?

What must you decide before using a fire extinguisher to put out a fire?

Why does water put out fire?

Why is fire safety important in the workplace?

Fire Wardens

Do I need a fire warden at work?

Do you need training to be a fire warden?

What does a fire warden do?

How do you become a fire warden?

How long does fire warden training last?

How many trained emergency wardens should be in a workplace of 100 workers?

How often should fire warden training be carried out?

Is fire warden training mandatory?

What are the duties of a fire warden?