At a glance
- General industry: training at hire and at least annually, 29 CFR 1910.157(g)(1) and (g)(2). Construction: a 2A extinguisher for each 3,000 square feet, 29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(i).
- About 5 minutes: read the script out loud, then ask the three questions.
- FY2025 citations: 29 CFR 1910.157, 1,953 (189 at construction sites); 29 CFR 1926.150, 160 (155 at construction sites).
- Free PDF: the script, the questions, the rule and a 20-line sign-in sheet. No account, no email.
Read this to your crew
Today is about the fire extinguisher, and the first thing to learn is when not to use one. An extinguisher is for a fire that is just starting: a small fire, on one object or one surface. Once it is spreading, climbing a wall or filling the room with smoke, we get out and call 911.
Before you fight any fire, check four things. Has someone raised the alarm and called 911? Is the fire small and contained? Can you breathe and see through the smoke? Do you have a clear way out behind you? If any answer is no, leave, and keep everyone else out.
Know what you are holding. The label shows the classes of fire it is rated for: A for wood, paper and trash, B for flammable liquids and gases, C for energized electrical equipment. Many jobsite extinguishers are ABC dry chemical and cover all three. Water on a fuel fire spreads it, and water on live electrical equipment can shock you.
Use the PASS method. Pull the pin, with the nozzle pointed away from you. Aim low, at the base of the fire, not at the flames. Squeeze the handle slowly and evenly. Sweep from side to side across the base until the fire is out. Start from the distance printed on the label and move in as the fire dies down.
A small extinguisher empties fast. If the fire is not clearly shrinking when it runs out, back away with your exit behind you and leave. Once a fire looks out, keep watching it, because fires can rekindle. Then tell me, so the extinguisher gets recharged or replaced before the next shift.
Last, find them. Before we break, everyone points to the nearest extinguisher from where you will work today and checks that nothing is stacked in front of it. On a construction site, the rule puts a 2A extinguisher within 100 feet of travel from any point of the protected area (29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(i)), so you should never be far from one.
Three questions for the crew
- What four things do you check before deciding to fight a fire?
Listen for: The alarm raised and 911 called, a small contained fire, smoke you can breathe and see through, a clear exit behind you. - Where is the nearest extinguisher from where you will work today, and which classes of fire is it rated for?
Listen for: An exact location, and the letters on its label. If nobody knows, walk to it together. - What do you do after using an extinguisher, even a little?
Listen for: Watch for a rekindle, tell the supervisor, and take it out of service until it is recharged or replaced.
What are OSHA's rules for fire extinguisher training?
In general industry, where the employer provides portable fire extinguishers for employee use, the employer also provides an educational program on the general principles of extinguisher use and the hazards of incipient stage fire fighting (29 CFR 1910.157(g)(1)), upon initial employment and at least annually after that (29 CFR 1910.157(g)(2)).
In construction, a fire extinguisher rated not less than 2A is provided for each 3,000 square feet of the protected building area, with no more than 100 feet of travel to the nearest one (29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(i)), and one or more on each floor, with at least one next to a stairway in multistory buildings (29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(iv)).
Construction crews also fall under the general training duty: each employee is instructed in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)).
The paragraphs, word for word:
“(g) Training and education. (1) Where the employer has provided portable fire extinguishers for employee use in the workplace, the employer shall also provide an educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting.”
“(2) The employer shall provide the education required in paragraph (g)(1) of this section upon initial employment and at least annually thereafter.”
“(c) Portable firefighting equipment—(1) Fire extinguishers and small hose lines. (i) A fire extinguisher, rated not less than 2A, shall be provided for each 3,000 square feet of the protected building area, or major fraction thereof. Travel distance from any point of the protected area to the nearest fire extinguisher shall not exceed 100 feet.”
How often did OSHA cite these rules in FY2025?
| Standard | Construction sites | Other industries | All FY2025 citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.157Portable fire extinguishers, general industry | 189 | 1,764 | 1,953 |
| 29 CFR 1926.150Fire protection, construction | 155 | 5 | 160 |
Citation items under 29 CFR issued Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025, at federal and State Plan inspections, counted by HazComFast on U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data (extracted Oct 13, 2026). Construction means an inspection whose NAICS code starts with 23. The counts describe inspected establishments, not every employer.
Which extinguisher class for which fire?
| Class on the label | Fire it is rated for | Jobsite examples |
|---|---|---|
| A | Ordinary combustibles | Wood, paper, cardboard, trash, many plastics |
| B | Flammable liquids and gases | Gasoline, solvents, paint thinner, propane |
| C | Energized electrical equipment | Panels, cords, tools still plugged in |
| D | Combustible metals | Magnesium or titanium shavings |
| K | Cooking oils and fats | Site kitchens and food trucks |
An ABC extinguisher carries all three letters on its label. Use one only on the classes its label shows.