Own a Retail or High Street Business? This is your must-read guide!

Our series of complimentary guides and articles continue with this valuable piece, detailing which fire extinguishers are essential for most common high street businesses.

Firstly, it's important to note that ALL extinguishers must be certified on-site by a qualified engineer to adhere to UK regulations. We offer this service for a nominal fee of £8.25 per extinguisher, or at no cost if you purchase the extinguishers from us, along with a 10-year guarantee.

While this guide is based on our extensive experience, remember that each business site is unique. We recommend having a professional fire safety survey conducted, a service we provide free of charge.

Click Here & Contact us if you wish to discuss this for your business.

Why do we offer these benefits for free? The answer is simple - we believe in educating our clients to avoid any pitfalls when dealing with larger national companies. We aim to demonstrate our trustworthiness and commitment to long-term customer relationships, rather than quick profits. We're here for your annual inspections and all your fire safety needs.

For any questions regarding the information below, don't hesitate to reach out.

Typical High Street Retail Business (Up to 400 sq meters)

The following is the minimum equipment needed per floor. If you have multiple floors, multiply the required equipment accordingly:

• 1 x 2kg Co2
• 2 x 6l Foam
• 1 x Fire Blanket (if kitchen present)

This applies to:

• Banks
• Post Offices
• Pharmacies
• Clothing Stores
• Newsagents
• Homeware Stores
• Bookshops
• Video Game Shops
• Travel Agencies
• Mobile Phone Shops
• Estate Agents
• Electronic Good Stores

Small/Micro Retail Premises (Up to 200 sq meters)

Again, this is the minimum requirement per floor. For multiple floors, multiply the below equipment:

• 1 x 2kg Co2
• 1 x 6l Foam

This applies to:

• Barbers/Hairdressers
• Laundrettes
• Dry Cleaners
• Bookmakers
• Beauty Salons
• Nail & Tanning Salons
• Off Licence / Alcohol Stores

Food & Drink Premises

These businesses vary greatly in layout and design, so we've listed the types of extinguishers needed and their uses below:

• Pubs (no food): Require more Co2 extinguishers, specifically in cellars and near bottle storage.
• Pubs (with food): In addition to the above, kitchens need specific cover, such as a dry powder extinguisher & fire blankets. If cooking oils or deep fat fryers are present, wet chemical extinguishers will be needed.
• Cafes: Most commonly need fire blankets in the kitchen and possibly dry powder and Co2 extinguishers. Wet Chemical extinguishers are required if cooking oils or deep fat fryers are used.
• Coffee Shops: Co2 extinguishers are ideal as they are clean upon use and suitable for numerous electrical appliances. Additionally, foam extinguishers are required to meet minimum UK fire regulations.
• Cinemas: Fire blankets are best for areas where snack food or heated fast food is sold.
• Restaurants & Takeaways: Typically require Co2 & powder extinguishers, and almost definitely need wet chemical extinguishers for deep fat fryers and cooking oils. The size of the kitchen will determine whether a 2L or 6L Wet Chemical extinguisher is required. Larger kitchens, like in Fish & Chip shops, may need multiple Wet Chemical extinguishers depending on the number of deep fat fryers present.

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