Do Fire Extinguishers Need To Be on a Stand?

Always there, waiting for the moment they’re needed in an emergency, fire extinguishers might be an item that you don’t give much thought to normally. Hopefully you’ll never need to use one, but a common question people ask is: do fire extinguishers need to be on a stand?

Aside from the traditional position of being fitted to the wall, stands are another handy way to keep your fire extinguishers stored within practical reach. Stands for fire extinguishers are the second most common storage method to remain legally compliant with fire safety rules. It is a legal requirement to have your fire extinguisher either wall-mounted or attached to a stand — they should never be left on the floor.

Attaching an extinguisher to the wall or keeping it in a designated stand helps to avoid it being moved around, misused or inappropriately used as door stops. This is why you legally need to wall-mount units or have them in an appropriate stand indoors.

There are multiple benefits beyond this, of course. So, if you’ve considered fire extinguisher stands for your site – or have been recommended by a professional to get them – then read on to find out why they could be the ideal solution.

The benefits of fire extinguisher stands

Whether you call them plinths or stands, these simple additions can benefit your office, residential building or commercial premises:

You get consistent placement

The location and placement of your fire extinguishers should be consistent. This is so that, in an emergency, people are familiar with where to look for them, providing a swift reaction and giving people more confidence so that they can remain calm. If you opt for one fire extinguisher stand over the wall-mounted route, then they should generally all be placed like this.

You avoid damaging the walls in your workplace

If aesthetics are important to you or you want to refrain from damaging the walls – something that particularly applies to historic and listed buildings or where you have glass walls – then fire extinguisher stands can help you meet your goals while maintaining legal compliance. 

You can place them in more locations

Versatility is key for many sites, something extinguisher stands give you in spades. From choosing between single and double stands to moving the units if your layout and usage of the building changes, you can situate the right extinguishers in the best location. This keeps a certain flow to your space and doesn’t result in constantly re-affixing the extinguishers around the building. Just make sure that, if you do move them, you make everyone aware of the change.

You make them easy to spot

When a fire breaks out, you should be able to spot and easily reach the relevant extinguisher. Stands and plinths help with this massively, often elevating the units they hold in line with BS 5306-8 — the British Standard instructing the proper way to position different fire extinguishers. This is important, as it could be the difference between a minor incident and a major disaster.

You can keep things tidy

The use of fire extinguisher stands can promote organisation within any building. Designating a space for them in specific locations – especially if you have different fire extinguisher types to meet different hazards – can keep your space looking tidy as well as reduce confusion.

Fire safety should be at the very top of the agenda for any premises in the UK. Taking proactive measures, such as purchasing fire extinguisher stands for your building, means you can not only uphold your legal obligations, but you can show that you’re investing in the safety of your employees and any customers or visitors. 

Because every second counts when dealing with a fire, make sure you have the right equipment in place. Browse and order from our fire extinguisher stands collection today and get fast, free delivery on quality equipment to help protect the people in your building.