4 actions to take when sprayed in the face by a fire extinguisher

AsiaOne recently wrote about an incident in Singapore where a child allegedly sprayed another in the eye with a fire extinguisher.

Fire extinguishers were meant to protect people, but like any other tool, it can be misused. Here is what to do if you have been sprayed by a fire extinguisher.

Actions to take when sprayed by a fire extinguisher

1. Cover your face immediately.
2. Call for help.
3. Rinse your eyes with saline solution immediately, preferably with an eye bath from the local pharmacy
4. Seek medical attention.

Why seek medical attention after being sprayed?

It is important to seek medical attention as AB powder is very fine and would mildly irritate your eyes, tear duct, and nasal cavity.

What can be done to prevent misuse of fire extinguishers?

Our Hercules fire extinguishers come with a safety seal on top of the safety pin as a deterrent to mischief.

1. The safety pin prevents accidental discharge of the fire extinguisher.
2. The safety seal prevents the safety pin from falling out.
3. This safety seal can be broken with a slight twist for quick use in an emergency.

What else can be done?

Facility owners can consider adding cabinets to house the fire extinguishers.

1. Such cabinets are manufactured to standards,
2. Designed to house fire extinguishers, and
3. Come with either a cam lock or a key behind the safety glass.

While not entirely proof from mischief, you must be very determined to get past a cabinet with a lock, safety seal, and safety pin.

In consideration of schools and childcare centres, We have brought to market a child safe cabinet 🙂 These cabinets have curved corners, which prevents painful knocks on the head for children. Perfect for an environment with children running around.

Conclusions

We must strike a balance between what is practical and what we can do to prevent mischief. While not entirely foolproof from mischief, our goal is to not compromise the functionality and ease of use of fire safety equipment.

Contact us today to get your fire protection equipment. Whether it is a fire extinguisher for your home or a new cabinet for your commercial facility, we strive to be your expert partner!