Fire Extinguisher Toolbox Talk: Talking Points, Questions and Checklist

This fire extinguisher toolbox talk is for everyone on site, and especially for anyone your emergency plan names as allowed to use an extinguisher. It runs about five minutes, and it lands best if you finish by walking to the nearest extinguisher. The crew will learn the types on site, the PASS method, and, most importantly, when to leave instead.

Why do fire extinguishers matter?

OSHA notes that workplace fires and explosions kill hundreds and injure thousands of workers each year. Used properly, a portable extinguisher can put out a small fire or hold it back until help arrives.

The catch is that extinguishers are small. OSHA's fight-or-flee guidance warns that fires can grow and block your exit in seconds, and that extinguishers can be emptied in seconds too. It recommends fighting only very small, early-stage fires.

The wrong extinguisher makes things worse. OSHA's extinguisher basics say never to use water on flammable liquid fires, which can spread them, or on electrical fires, which risks electrocution.

In the US, 29 CFR 1910.157 requires monthly visual checks, annual maintenance, and training on hiring and at least once a year after that. Check the rules where you work, as classes and colour codes vary by country.

Talking points for your fire extinguisher toolbox talk

• Raise the alarm first. Before anything else, set off the alarm or shout for help so others start to evacuate.
• Know the types. In the US system, Class A is ordinary combustibles such as paper and wood. Class B is flammable liquids, C is electrical equipment, D is combustible metals and K is cooking oils. Multi-purpose dry chemical covers A, B and C. Read the label before you need it.
• Fight only if it's small, you're trained and your exit is behind you. If the fire is spreading, filling the room with smoke or between you and the door, leave.
• Use PASS. Pull the pin, Aim low at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side. Watch for re-ignition.
• Keep them reachable. Never block, move or hang things on extinguishers. They need to be visible and in their marked spot.
• Report used or missing extinguishers. A partly used extinguisher may be empty next time. Report every discharge, even a short one.

Example to share with the crew

For example, a small fire starts in a waste bin near a workbench. One worker grabs the nearest extinguisher and starts spraying from the far side of the bin, with the fire between her and the door, before anyone has raised the alarm.

Ask the crew what she should have done first, and where she should have stood. The answers are raise the alarm, then keep the exit at her back.

Fire extinguisher checklist

• Extinguishers are in their marked locations and unobstructed
• The type on each extinguisher matches the fire risk nearby
• Pressure gauges read in the operable range and pins and seals are intact
• The monthly inspection tag or record is up to date
• No extinguisher has been used without being reported and replaced
• Staff expected to use extinguishers have had training this year
• Everyone knows that raising the alarm comes first

Questions to ask the crew

1. Where is the nearest extinguisher, and what type is it?
2. What fire in our area would you never try to put out yourself?
3. Who here has actually used an extinguisher in training?

How to close the talk

The one takeaway from this fire extinguisher toolbox talk: alarm first, small fires only, and always keep your way out behind you. If an extinguisher is missing, used or blocked, report it to your supervisor or through the site's hazard reporting system. Pair this with our fire prevention talk, or explore more safety topics for toolbox talks.