Fire extinguishers are a vital piece of the Active Fire Protection puzzle. Often the first line of defence, they are integral to preventing costly fire damage and, ultimately, loss of life.
The importance of fire extinguishers is highlighted in Chapter 4 of the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice: “Portable Fire Extinguishers are the best available first response to table the fire at its incipient stage.” The Code of Practice further states that to ensure this first-aid response, fire extinguishers shall be “kept in their designated places at all times when they are not being used” and “conspicuously located where they will be readily accessible and immediately available in the event of fire.”
However, the misuse and neglect of fire extinguishers and their accessories in Dubai’s buildings is not uncommon, rendering them inaccessible or ineffective in a real emergency. As part of the Office of the UAE Attorney General’s ongoing campaign to increase public awareness of the law, it was announced that fines and even jail sentences would be imposed for fire extinguisher misuse.
The office states in Article 311 of the Federal Penal Code that: "Any person who removes a fire extinguisher or changes its location or renders it unfit for use shall be punished by a jail sentence for no less than one year or a fine of not less than 50,000 AED."
With requirements for extinguishers to be installed near doors or exits, it is all too tempting for them to be used as temporary doorstops. Seeking to improve airflow, some individuals remove fire extinguishers to wedge open doors, undermining fire safety and making the extinguisher difficult to locate in an emergency.
Safety Technology International’s Extinguisher Stopper® is a sturdy, tamperproof, standalone alarm designed to prevent the misuse or unwanted removal of fire extinguishers. A strong PVC-coated metal rope wraps around the neck of the extinguisher, and when removed from the unit, it activates a piercing 95/106 dB alarm, alerting people to any misuse or removal.
Acting as both a physical safety seal and an audible tamper indicator, the Extinguisher Stopper® helps the person responsible for fire extinguisher inspection and maintenance avoid fines or jail sentences for failing to keep them fit for use. The self-contained unit ensures that the extinguisher remains accessible for emergencies without interfering in the event of a real fire. Additionally, the alarm serves as a pre-alarm, helping to alert people in surrounding areas to a fire before an official alarm sounds.
The compact design of the UV-stabilised polycarbonate unit allows for easy mounting next to a vulnerable fire extinguisher. The alarm is simple to install, and a deactivation cable is provided for ease of servicing the protected extinguisher—a requirement of the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice.
Recent updates to the unit include universal sound symbols for global recognition and space for a choice of 21 different language labels, including Arabic. Wireless options for remote monitoring using STI protocol are also available.