Fire Extinguisher Cabinet Installation and Placement
Having the right extinguisher is only half of compliance. California also dictates where it goes. Extinguishers must be securely mounted, visible, unblocked, and within a specific travel distance of the hazard they cover. Placement is one of the three things Cal/OSHA cites employers for most often, and it is the easiest of the three to get wrong without realizing it.
Travel distance requirements by class
Travel distance means the actual walking distance from anywhere in the space to the nearest appropriate extinguisher, not a straight line across the room.
| Class | Covers | Maximum travel distance |
|---|---|---|
| Class A | Ordinary combustibles | 75 feet |
| Class B | Flammable liquids | 50 feet |
| Class C | Electrical | Distributed based on the existing Class A and Class B pattern |
| Class D | Combustible metals | 75 feet |
| Class K | Cooking oils and fats | 30 feet |
In a commercial kitchen the 30-foot rule for Class K is tighter than most owners expect, and it is a common finding during inspection. If your kitchen has grown or the line has been reconfigured, your original placement may no longer comply.
Mounting requirements
- Securely mounted, so the unit cannot fall or be knocked loose.
- Visible, with clear signage where the extinguisher itself is not in plain sight.
- Unblocked, meaning no inventory, pallets, carts, furniture, or seasonal storage in front of it.
- In its correct location at all times, which means the location it was assigned during your assessment.
An extinguisher on the floor behind a stack of boxes is a citation waiting to happen, and it is also useless in the ninety seconds you would actually need it.
What we supply and install
- Fire extinguisher cabinets, surface-mounted and recessed
- Wall brackets and hangers
- Vehicle brackets for trucks, vans, and fleet vehicles
- Fire hose cabinets
- Signage and location markers
We match the cabinet and mounting to the environment. A cabinet in a commercial kitchen, a warehouse aisle, an outdoor loading area, and a public corridor can each have different requirements. Need the units themselves as well? See fire extinguisher sales.
Environments we work in
Restaurant and ghost kitchens, warehouses and manufacturing floors, data centers and server rooms, laboratories, auto shops and EV dealerships, retail and multi-site chains, office campuses, greenhouses and nurseries, solar and battery storage facilities, co-packing and food production.