What is the difference between a Class K Fire extinguisher and a Class ABC fire extinguisher?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have a list of fire extinguishers according to the fire classes available.
The fire extinguisher classes are named based on the fire classes we have. In the US, we have five fire classes. Class A fire, class B fire, class C fire, class D fire, and class K fire.
Your knowledge of this class of fire will help in choosing the kind of extinguisher to use during a fire emergency.
In the UK, we have fires from cooking fats and oil. They are called class F fires. In the US, they are called class K fires.
Class k fire extinguisher used to fight Class K fires. So, in the US, you can easily see a Class K fire extinguisher.
The Class K fire extinguishers.
A Class K fire extinguisher is designed to fight Class K fires. Class K fires are fires on cooking fats and oil. The fire extinguishers for fighting against class k fires are called class k fire extinguishers.
Wet chemical fire extinguisher.
The rating of a wet chemical fire extinguisher is Class K. So, they are Class K fire extinguishers. The contents are a wet mist of an alkaline solution like potassium carbonate, potassium acetate or potassium citrate. The content forms a foam that prevents the oil or grease from getting the oxygen needed to support the combustion process. Wet chemical extinguishers are a newer technology.
The ABC Fire Extinguisher.
As the name implies, the ABC fire extinguisher is named after class A, class B and class C fire. They extinguish Class A fires, class B fires, and Class C fires effectively.
Class K fire extinguishers and Class ABC fire extinguishers differences
The Class K fire extinguishers are not the same as Class ABC fire extinguishers based on the characteristics below.
- Class K fire extinguisher has a different colour from the class ABC fire extinguishers.
- The colour of Class K fire extinguishers is silver/Chrome. The ABC fire extinguishers are usually red in their body colour.
- The content of class k fire extinguishers is wet chemical. That of the class ABC fire extinguishers is dry chemical.
- The Class K fire extinguishers operate by saponifying the fuel Using an alkaline chemical like potassium carbonate, potassium acetate, or potassium citrate.
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- The operation of the class K fire extinguisher turns the burning cooking oil into a soapy form. The foam separates the fuel, oxygen, and heat, and the fire dies down.
- The ABC fire extinguisher coats the burning fuel with a layer of dust, mainly a combination of monoammonium phosphate and ammonium Sulfate. The fine layer of dust interferes with the chemical reaction and extinguishes the fire.
- The Class K fire extinguishers are mainly mounted closer to the kitchen and places where there is potential fire from cooking fats and oil. You can place the Class ABC fire extinguishers in various locations in a building.
- The class K fire extinguisher symbol is a Black hexagon. The Abc fire extinguisher symbol is that of the class a, class B and class fire symbol.
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