Fire Extinguishing Agent for Electrical Fires (CO2 and Powder Extinguisher)
The choice of extinguishing agent for a fire in or near live electrical installations (fire class per NEN-EN 2, often informally referred to as 'class E' though not an official class) is decisive for the safety of the person extinguishing: a carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguisher is electrically non-conductive and leaves no residue, making it suitable for sensitive equipment such as switchgear cabinets and server rooms, while an ABC powder extinguisher is likewise electrically insulated and broadly applicable but leaves a corrosive, hard-to-remove powder residue on electronics. Water and foam extinguishers are strictly prohibited on live installations because of the conduction hazard to the user; only after the installation has been made dead may they be used if the burning materials require it.
Voor de meterkast en serverruimte kiest de veiligheidscoördinator CO2-blussers in plaats van poederblussers, om bij een eventuele kleine brand schade aan gevoelige elektronica door poederresidu te voorkomen.
Een waterblusser of schuimblusser inzetten op een nog onder spanning staande schakelkast in de veronderstelling dat 'elke brand hetzelfde geblust wordt' — dit vormt een direct elektrocutiegevaar voor de gebruiker via de geleidende bluswaterstraal.
See also
- → EN 2 / IEC 61243 Fire extinguishers for electrical installations — there is no separate "fire class E", but there is a separate voltage test
- → §5 RI&E for Electrical Equipment
- → NEN-EN-IEC 60974 Arc welding — electrical safety and open-circuit voltage
- → NEN-EN 50110-1 First aid for electrical accidents — rescue and resuscitation
- → NEN 2535 (EN 54) Fire detection system interface with the electrical installation (NEN 2535) — why an alarm should not cut the mains
- → Richtlijn 2013/35/EU Exposure to electromagnetic fields — Directive 2013/35/EU