What Is a Class A Fire Extinguisher Used For?
A Class A water fire extinguisher is effective against fires involving:
- Paper, cardboard, and printed materials
- Wood and timber products
- Fabric and upholstery
- Plastics and rubber
- General organic combustibles found in offices, classrooms, and retail spaces
Important: a water extinguisher must never be used on electrical (Class E) fires, flammable liquid (Class B) fires, or cooking oil (Class F) fires. If your environment has mixed fire risks, speak to us about the right combination of extinguisher types to meet your obligations under AS 2444.
WHAT IS WATER FIRE EXTINGUISHER?
Water extinguishers are the most traditional and widely recognised type of fire extinguisher. Identifiable by their plain red cylinder with no colour band, they are filled with water and designed specifically for Class A fires involving ordinary combustible materials such as wood, paper, and textiles.
Water fire extinguishers should only be used on Class A fires and are ideal for environments such as offices, warehouses, and schools, where they help cool burning materials and prevent re-ignition. They are chemical-free, environmentally friendly, and highly effective for these types of fires.
Water fire extinguishers typically come in a 9-litre size, making them suitable for a wide range of commercial and industrial applications.
Can You Use a Water Extinguisher on Electrical Fires?
No. Water is electrically conductive, which makes it dangerous to use on live electrical equipment. For environments with electrical risk, a CO2 or ABE dry powder extinguisher is required. For environments with mixed risk (Class A and E), an ABE dry powder extinguisher covers both and is often the more practical choice. Our team can assess your space and advise the correct mix of fire equipment for your specific risk profile.
How Many Fire Extinguishers Does an Office Need in NSW?
The number and type of extinguishers required depends on the floor area of the space and the risk classification of the environment, as set out in AS 2444. As a general guide, one extinguisher is typically required per 200m² of floor area for standard Class A risk environments, with extinguishers spaced so that travel distance to any unit does not exceed 30 metres. Our team conducts site assessments to determine the correct number, type, and placement for your specific building.
Supply, Install & Service in Sydney & NSW
SPS supplies and installs water fire extinguishers for offices, schools, retail tenancies, and low-risk commercial properties across Sydney and NSW. We provide competitive pricing, professional installation with correct signage, and scheduled servicing to keep your equipment compliant. Get a water fire extinguisher supply and install quote in NSW today.
WHAT IS WATER FIRE EXTINGUISHER?
Water extinguishers are the most traditional and widely recognised type of fire extinguisher. Identifiable by their plain red cylinder with no colour band, they are filled with water and designed specifically for Class A fires involving ordinary combustible materials such as wood, paper, and textiles.
Water fire extinguishers should only be used on Class A fires and are ideal for environments such as offices, warehouses, and schools, where they help cool burning materials and prevent re-ignition. They are chemical-free, environmentally friendly, and highly effective for these types of fires.
Water fire extinguishers typically come in a 9-litre size, making them suitable for a wide range of commercial and industrial applications.
WHERE WATER EXTINGUISHERS ARE USED
ELECTRICAL SAFETY WARNING
Water extinguishers must never be used on electrical fires or near live electrical equipment. If electrical risks are present in your environment, a CO2 or ABE dry powder extinguisher must be provided in addition to, or in place of, water units.
How It Works
Water extinguishers suppress fire through cooling. When applied to burning material, water:
Absorbs heat from the fuel
Reduces the temperature below its ignition point
Prevents continued combustion
By removing heat from the fire triangle, the flame is extinguished and the likelihood of re-ignition is reduced.
NCC / BCA Considerations
Under the National Construction Code (formerly BCA), buildings must be protected against relevant fire risks, including Class A hazards.
However, in many building classifications, where a fire hose reel system is installed and compliant, the NCC permits Class A protection to be satisfied without requiring additional water extinguishers. This means:
- Water extinguishers may not provide additional compliance value where hose reels are present.
- Selection should be based on hazard assessment, not simply tradition or cost.
This is an important design consideration during compliance reviews.
Fire Extinguisher Installation
Our installation is compliant to AS 2444. The extinguishers we supply are also compliant to Australian Standards.
The units itself must also comply with their own specific requirement. During installation, consideration should be made to ensure that the types, sizes, classification and distribution of extinguishers is made correctly so that the compliance for the particular occupancy is achieved.
Please refer to table below to get the complete understanding of difference classes of fire and fire extinguishers.
Types Of Fire Extinguisher We Supply
| Types | Class A Fire | Class B Fire | Class C Fire | Class E Fire | Class F Fire |
| Wood, Paper, Plastic | Flammable and combustible liquids | Flammable gases | Electrically energized equipment | Cooking oils & fats | |
| Water | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Foam | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Powder (ABE) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| CO₂ | Limited | Limited | Limited | Yes | Limited |
| Wet Chemical | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Different types of extinguishers and how they put out fire
For a fire to occur, it will require the following three components, it is also called a fire triangle.
- FUEL: example wood, paper, textile, inflammable etc.
- HEAT: constant source of heat to keep the fire going.
- OXYGEN: constant source of oxygen to help fire keep going.
If any of the above three is discontinued, the fire will be extinguished. Fire extinguishers were designed based on this science.
- The CO2 fire extinguisher – or carbon dioxide fire extinguisher – is the go-to solution for protecting electrical equipment, server rooms, data centres, and any environment where residue-free suppression is critical. Available in 2kg, 3.5kg, and 5kg sizes, all approved to AS/NZS 1841.6, SPS supplies and installs CO2 extinguishers across Sydney and NSW with fast turnaround and full compliance documentation.
- The ABE dry powder fire extinguisher is Australia’s most versatile portable extinguisher, covering Class A, B, and E fires in a single unit. Whether you’re outfitting a warehouse, workshop, office, or industrial facility, the DCP fire extinguisher is the practical, multi-risk solution. SPS Fire & Safety supplies, installs, and services the full range of ABE dry chemical extinguishers – from compact 2kg units through to 9kg models – across Sydney and NSW to AS/NZS 1841.5.
- The wet chemical fire extinguisher – also known as the AF type fire extinguisher – is specifically engineered for Class F fires involving cooking oils and fats. It is a mandatory fire safety requirement in most commercial kitchens, restaurants, and food preparation environments across NSW. SPS Fire & Safety supplies, installs, and services wet chemical extinguishers for hospitality and food service businesses across Sydney and NSW, ensuring full compliance with Australian Standards and local fire safety regulations.
- The water fire extinguisher is the simplest and most cost-effective solution for Class A fires involving solid combustible materials such as wood, paper, fabric, and plastic. Suitable for offices, schools, warehouses, and low-risk commercial environments, the water extinguisher is a reliable first-response tool where flammable liquids and electrical equipment are not present. SPS Fire & Safety supplies and installs water fire extinguishers for businesses across Sydney and NSW to Australian Standards.
- Foam fire extinguishers are designed for Class A and Class B fires, making them ideal for environments where both solid combustibles and flammable liquids present a risk. The AFFF (aqueous film forming foam) extinguisher works by forming a blanket over the burning surface, cutting off oxygen and cooling the fuel. SPS Fire & Safety supplies and installs foam extinguishers – including PFAS-free and fluorine-free options – for industrial, commercial, and warehouse environments across Sydney and NSW.
- Evacuation diagrams are a legal requirement in Australian workplaces and buildings under AS 3745 (Planning for Emergencies in Facilities) and the Work Health and Safety Regulations. SPS Fire & Safety produces professional, site-specific evacuation diagrams for commercial buildings, offices, strata complexes, schools, and industrial facilities across Sydney and NSW. Our diagrams are compliant, easy to read, durable, and ready for display throughout your premises.
- A FIP zone block plan is a mandatory graphical document required at or adjacent to every Fire Indicator Panel (FIP), Sub-FIP, and Mimic Panel in a building’s fire alarm system. Under AS 1670.1, each zone block plan must clearly show the fire detection zones and their correspondence to the physical layout of the building, enabling fire brigade and facility personnel to rapidly locate the source of any alarm. SPS Fire & Safety produces compliant, professionally formatted FIP zone block plans for buildings across Sydney and NSW.
- The Fire Indicator Panel (FIP) is the central intelligence hub of a building’s fire detection and alarm system. It receives input from smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual call points, and other sensing devices, and activates audible and visual alarms, emergency warning systems, and brigade notification when a fire is detected. SPS Fire & Safety supplies, installs, tests, and maintains fire indicator panels and EWIS systems for commercial, residential, and industrial buildings across Sydney and NSW to AS 1670.