What are the NFPA Standards for Fire Extinguishers & Sprinklers?

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has published a set of standards that focus on the selection, installation, design, and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers and different sprinkler systems. Each standard plays a combined role in establishing a comprehensive network that standardizes the installation, inspection, and maintenance of active fire-suppression systems (sprinklers) and localized fire equipment (fire extinguishers).

Here’s a quick breakdown of each NFPA standard:

Portable Fire Extinguishers:

• NFPA 10 Standard governs the installation and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers. This will include how many extinguishers are needed in a given area, what type they should be, and much more.
• NFPA 408 Standard specifies requirements for the usage of hand-portable fire extinguishers in aircraft, which have differences for the devices as they are used in confined spaces and at high altitudes.

Fire Sprinkler Systems:

• NFPA 13 Standard offers recommended guidelines for the design, installation, and testing of fire sprinkler systems. Other specialized-related standards are:
  
  • NFPA 13R Standard for the installation of sprinkler systems in low-rise residential occupancies.
  • NFPA 13D Standard for the installation of sprinkler systems in one- and two-family dwellings and manufactured homes.
  • NFPA 13E Standard is the recommended practice for fire departments' operations in properties that have sprinkler systems installed.
• NFPA 25 Standard details the inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based fire sprinkler systems.
• NFPA 16 Standard details the installation of foam-water sprinkler and foam-water spray systems. Although this standard was withdrawn at the end of the fall 2020 revision cycle and incorporated into NFPA 11.

Whether looking at extinguishers or sprinkler systems, it is important not only to ensure they are installed correctly, but also that they are properly maintained. These types of equipment need to be inspected regularly to ensure they will work should there ever be a fire in the area. Without proper testing, those in the area could have a false sense of security, which can put them in grave danger.