Safety · Fire safety · Pro

Have your plan ready before a fire breaks out.

Which extinguisher hangs where, how many metres is it from the farthest corner to an exit, and when is a fire escape stair needed? This page explains the basic rules of fire safety for Türkiye, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the USA, with sources. Nodaform's Safety step applies the same rules to your plan: you place an extinguisher, corners it can't reach turn red, the route to the exit and its distance are drawn, and the evacuation plan sheet is ready.

Rules for my region

From official sources, dated · For information only · Safety step on Pro and higher plans

Smokethe real danger in a fire: escape routes must be short

The right extinguisherthe wrong one makes a fire bigger

A posted planmost countries expect an evacuation plan in the workplace

4 regionsrules with article and date

Safety · Fire check · Ground floorTürkiye · Shop

Class first, then extinguisher

The wrong extinguisher makes a fire bigger

Every fire falls into a class based on what is burning, and each extinguisher puts out only certain classes. Spraying water on hot oil makes the flames explode; spraying water on a distribution board can cause an electric shock. The letters on the extinguisher tell you which classes it is suitable for.

Solids

Wood, paper, fabric, plastic. Burns and leaves embers.

Flammable liquids

Petrol, thinner, paint, alcohol.

Flammable gases

Natural gas, LPG, propane. Shut off the gas first.

Metals

Magnesium, aluminium powder, sodium. Workshops and laboratories.

Cooking oil

Fryer and pan oil. In the USA this class is called K.

⚡

Electrical

In Europe it's not a separate class; it's marked separately on the extinguisher. In the USA, class C means energised electrical equipment.

Extinguisher	Adequate	Don't use on	Where it works
Dry chemical powder (ABC)	A · B · C	Cooking oil, metal	Homes, vehicles, shops, storerooms, car parks. The most common type, but it leaves powder behind and can damage sensitive equipment.
CO₂ (carbon dioxide)	B · electrical	Long periods in small enclosed spaces, metal	Distribution boards, server rooms, office equipment. Leaves no residue.
Foam	A · B	Electrical (unless stated otherwise), cooking oil	Offices, shops, fuel and paint stores.
Water / water mist	A	Electrical, oil, flammable liquids	Schools, offices, archives. Preferred in hospitals and nurseries.
Wet chemical (F / K)	F · A	Electrical (unless stated otherwise)	Café and restaurant kitchens, next to the fryer.
Metal powder (D)	D	Other classes	Metalworking workshops, laboratories.
Fire blanket	Small pans, clothing	A fire that has grown	Home kitchens. Lay it over the pan, turn off the hob and don't lift it.

By space

Which room, which extinguisher

An extinguisher hangs not next to where a fire might start but on the route to it, in the direction of the exit: if you can't put the fire out, your back should be towards the door. Never behind a door, in a locked cupboard or next to a heater.

01 · Home

Kitchen and hallway

A small ABC powder extinguisher in the hallway, near the kitchen but not next to the hob; a fire blanket next to the hob. Never pour water on a pan fire: cover it with a lid or a blanket and turn off the hob.

02 · Electrical

Distribution board and server room

CO₂ extinguisher: leaves no residue and doesn't damage equipment. If possible, switch off the breakers first. Large server rooms get a fixed gas suppression system.

03 · Café and restaurant

Fryer and extractor hood

A class F (class K in the USA) wet chemical extinguisher next to the fryer. In large kitchens, an automatic suppression system in the hood and ductwork; which kitchens require one varies by country, so see the region tabs.

04 · Garage and car park

Vehicles and fuel

ABC powder extinguisher; in enclosed car parks and storerooms, also a large wheeled extinguisher. Where there are batteries and charging points, the electrical risk is also taken into account.

05 · Office and shop

On the escape route

An ABC powder or foam extinguisher near the exit, where everyone can see it; CO₂ next to the distribution board. Area and hazard determine the number; the limit on how far anyone may have to walk to an extinguisher varies by region.

06 · Workshop and storage

By hazard

Foam or powder if there are flammable liquids, class D metal powder if metal is worked. In high-hazard areas, more extinguishers are needed and travel distances are shorter.

Escape routes and fire escape stairs

How many metres from the farthest corner to an exit?

In a fire, it's smoke that kills people; that's why escape routes must be short, clear and protected. The rules ask the same questions in every country: how far do you walk from the farthest point to an exit or a protected stair, can you escape in two directions, are the doors and corridors wide enough for the number of people, and does the door open in the direction of escape?

One way, two ways. On a route with escape in one direction only, the permitted distance is much shorter; dead-end corridors are limited separately.
Sprinklers extend the distance. In buildings with automatic suppression, the permitted travel distance is usually longer.
In crowded spaces, doors open outward. Above a certain number of people (50–60 in most countries), the door must open in the direction of escape and must not be kept locked.
Fire escape stairs. A protected stair is an escape enclosure separated from smoke by its walls and doors. As a building gets taller, a second stair, pressurisation and a fire safety lobby are required; an external stair only counts if it meets the conditions.
The stair enclosure stays clear. No boiler, meter, air conditioner outdoor unit or belongings in an escape stair.

Office floor · travel distanceExample

Fire escape stairs

Fire escape stairs: when and how?

A fire escape stair doesn't have to be a separate external stair; it's often a protected stair inside the building, separated from smoke by its walls and doors. The building's height determines when one is needed. The figures below are from Türkiye's fire regulation; other regions are at the bottom.

Apartment building section · fire escape stairsExample

The elements are shown together; the table alongside tells you which ones each building needs.

When: In residential buildings up to a building height of 21.50 m, a normal stair is enough. Between 21.50 and 30.50 m, at least two stairs, one of them protected. Between 30.50 and 51.50 m, two protected stairs, one with a fire safety lobby or pressurisation. Above 51.50 m, both with a lobby and pressurisation. art. 48
Door: Stair and lobby doors are self-closing and smoke-tight; they resist fire for at least 60 min if they serve fewer than 4 floors, and at least 90 min if they serve a basement or more than 4 floors. The stair enclosure wall at least 120 min. art. 38, 47
Dimension: Riser height at most 17.5 cm, tread depth at least 25 cm. In high-rise buildings, stairs are at least 120 cm wide; stairs wider than 200 cm are divided by a handrail. art. 33, 41
Fire safety lobby: An intermediate space of 3–6 m² between the stair and the floor, with 120-minute walls and a 90-minute door, so that smoke doesn't get into the stair. art. 34
External stair: Can be used instead of an internal stair; there must be no less-protected doors or windows within 3 m of it. If the building height exceeds 21.50 m, an open external stair does not count as an escape stair. art. 42
Prohibited: No boiler, meter, air conditioner outdoor unit or belongings in the stair enclosure. A spiral stair counts as an escape stair only for up to 25 people and up to a height of 9.50 m. art. 41, 43

Other regions: in the United Kingdom (England), more than one common stair is recommended in new apartment buildings whose top floor is at 18 m or higher (since 30 September 2026, with transitional provisions; it does not apply to existing buildings). In the USA, escape stair enclosures connecting 4 or more storeys have a 2-hour fire-resistance rating, those connecting fewer have 1 hour (IBC 1023.2). In Germany, the walking distance from any point to a required stair enclosure or to the outside is at most 35 m. Source: Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings · last checked 18 October 2026.

Extinguishing, detection and lighting

Where extinguishers aren't enough, systems take over

A portable extinguisher is for the first few minutes. Large, tall or crowded buildings need systems that detect a fire, raise the alarm and put it out automatically. The region tabs tell you which is mandatory in which building.

Sprinkler

Automatic sprinklers

The heads on the ceiling open one by one with heat and release water only over the fire. They may be mandatory in high-rise buildings, large car parks and shops; in some countries in new homes too.

Hose reels and hydrants

Fire hose reel cabinets, hydrants

Hose reel cabinets are inside the building; hydrants are outside, for the fire service. Cabinets are on escape routes, with a limited distance between them.

Kitchen

Kitchen hood suppression

A wet chemical system installed in the hood and ductwork above cookers and fryers; it also shuts off the gas.

Gas

Gas suppression

In server, archive and electrical rooms where water would cause damage, the room is flooded with gas. No one must remain inside.

Detection

Smoke, heat and CO detectors

Smoke detectors in bedrooms and hallways, heat detectors in kitchens; a carbon monoxide detector in homes with gas- or fuel-burning appliances. Mandatory in homes in some countries.

Alarm and guidance

Call points, emergency lighting, signs

Manual call points, sirens and strobes warn everyone; emergency lighting shows the way when the power goes out. Escape signs are white on green, firefighting equipment signs are white on red.

Rules by region

The figures differ from country to country

Fire rules are national; the same question gets a different number in each country. Below, we've summarised the main rules for four regions from the official texts, with article references. Depending on the building type, there may be further requirements; check the current text and your local fire service before applying them.

Main sources: the Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings (2007; last amended 1 July 2025) and, for workplaces, the Regulation on Emergencies in Workplaces (2013).

Portable extinguishers: One 6 kg dry chemical powder (or equivalent gas) extinguisher for every 500 m² at low hazard and for every 250 m² at medium and high hazard. At most 25 m from any point to an extinguisher. 4–12 kg extinguishers are hung at a height not exceeding about 90 cm above the floor. Car parks, storerooms and plant rooms also get a wheeled extinguisher. art. 99
Maintenance: A general on-site inspection once a year; at the end of the fourth year, the extinguishing agent is renewed and a pressure test is carried out (TS ISO 11602-2) by an authorised company. art. 99/7
Travel distance: Without / with sprinklers, one way · two ways: apartment buildings 15 / 30 · 30 / 75 m; offices 15 / 30 · 45 / 75 m; shops, stores 15 / 25 · 45 / 60 m; hotels 15 / 20 · 30 / 45 m. Dead-end corridors 15 m (20 m with sprinklers). Within a flat, at most 20 m from any point to the flat entrance door (30 m with sprinklers); not required in residential buildings with no more than 4 storeys including the basement, or in detached houses. art. 32, 48, Annex 5/B
Doors, corridors, exits: Clear door width at least 80 cm, height 200 cm, no threshold. In spaces for more than 50 people, doors open in the direction of escape and are not kept locked; every space for more than 50 people has at least 2 exits. Corridors serving spaces at least 110 cm wide. art. 33, 39, 47
Fire escape stairs: In residential buildings up to a building height of 21.50 m, a normal stair is enough; between 21.50 and 30.50 m, at least two stairs, one of them protected; in taller buildings, two protected stairs and a fire safety lobby or pressurisation. Open external escape stairs cannot be used once the building height exceeds 21.50 m. No boiler, meter or air conditioner outdoor unit in the stair enclosure. art. 41, 42, 48
Sprinkler: Non-residential buildings over 30.50 m in height, residential buildings over 51.50 m, enclosed car parks larger than 600 m², multi-storey shops and shopping centres over 2000 m² and some accommodation buildings. art. 96
Detectors at home: In residential buildings, automatic detection is mandatory only where the building height exceeds 51.50 m. There is no national requirement for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in homes; fitting them is still recommended. art. 75, Annex 7
Emergency lighting, signs: At least 60 minutes on all escape routes (120 minutes in buildings for more than 200 people), at least 1 lux along the centre line of the route. In buildings with more than one exit, a white "ÇIKIŞ" (EXIT) sign on a green background, 200–240 cm above the floor. art. 72, 73
Evacuation plan: All workplaces prepare an emergency plan; an evacuation plan showing escape routes and assembly points is posted at eye level at entrances and on each floor. Drills at least once a year. Workplace Emergencies Reg. art. 12, 13
Commercial kitchens: Kitchen hood suppression systems, gas detection and gas shut-off in kitchens in shopping centres and high-rise buildings, in catering factories and in kitchens serving more than 100 people at once. art. 57

Sources: Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings · Regulation on Emergencies in Workplaces · Last checked: 18 October 2026

In the EU, building fire rules are set by each country. Workplace directives, product standards and signs are common at EU level. The example country for the figures is Germany; check your own country's rules.

EU-wide: The employer takes firefighting and evacuation measures and designates responsible employees. Emergency routes are kept clear and lead as directly as possible to the outside; emergency doors open outward and are not locked; sliding or revolving doors are not used as emergency exits. 89/391/EEC Art. 8 · 89/654/EEC
Portable extinguishers: German workplaces: the number is calculated in extinguishing units based on area (at normal risk, 6 units for 50 m², 36 units for 1000 m²). The actual walking distance from any point to the nearest extinguisher is at most 20 m. Expert maintenance every two years. ASR A2.2
Travel distance: German workplaces: escape routes at most 35 m (25 m at increased fire risk without automatic suppression). For residential and other buildings, the state building codes apply: at most 35 m from any point to a stair enclosure or the outside (example: North Rhine-Westphalia). ASR A2.3 · BauO NRW §35
Door and route width: German workplaces: up to 5 people, door 0.80 m and escape route 0.90 m; up to 50 people 0.90 / 1.20 m; up to 200 people 1.05 / 1.20 m. Clear door height at least 1.95 m. ASR A2.3
Sprinkler: When they're mandatory depends on the country and building type; design follows the European standard EN 12845.
Detectors at home: Smoke detectors are mandatory in homes in all 16 German states (usually in bedrooms, children's rooms and hallways). In France, at least one in every home since 2015; in the Netherlands, one on every storey with living space since 2022. Product standards: EN 14604 (smoke), EN 50291 (carbon monoxide).
Emergency lighting, signs: Escape signs are white on green, firefighting equipment signs white on red; the equipment itself is red. In German workplaces, emergency lighting on escape routes provides at least 1 lux for at least 30 minutes. 92/58/EEC · ASR A2.3
Evacuation plan: Germany: if the layout is complex, there are many visitors or the hazard is high, an escape and rescue plan is posted; the plan is up to date, legible and oriented to the viewer, and drills are held regularly. Plan symbols follow ISO 23601. ASR A2.3
Commercial kitchens: The European standard for kitchen suppression systems is EN 17446; requirements are national. In Germany, a fat fire extinguisher next to the fryer is listed as an example measure.

Sources: 89/654/EEC · 92/58/EEC · ASR A2.2 · ASR A2.3 · France, smoke detectors · Netherlands, smoke detectors · Last checked: 18 October 2026

For England: the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the building guidance Approved Document B (with the 2026 amendments) and the official risk assessment guides. Some rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Responsible person: In non-residential buildings and the common parts of apartment buildings, the "responsible person" carries out, records and regularly reviews a fire risk assessment. In buildings with two or more flats, residents are given fire safety instructions when they move in and every 12 months. Fire Safety Order art. 9 · 2022 Regulations
Portable extinguishers: Official guidance: for class A risk, roughly one water extinguisher per 200 m², at least two per floor; ideally no one should have to walk more than 30 m to an extinguisher. Handle at about 1 m for large extinguishers, 1.5 m for small ones. Visual check monthly, service yearly. The body is red and a colour band shows the contents: water red, foam cream, powder blue, CO₂ black.
Travel distance: One way · more than one way: offices and shops 18 · 45 m; accommodation, bedroom corridors 9 · 35 m; storage 25 · 45 m. Within a flat without a protected entrance hall, at most 9 m from the flat entrance door to each room. ADB Vol. 2 Table 2.1 · Vol. 1
Doors and exits: One exit for up to 60 people, two for up to 600, three for more. Door width 750 mm for 60 people, 850 mm for 110, 1050 mm for 220. Where there are more than 60 people, doors open in the direction of escape. ADB Vol. 2 Tables 2.2, 2.3
Fire escape stairs: From 30 September 2026, more than one common stair is recommended in new apartment buildings whose top floor is at 18 m or higher (with transitional provisions; it does not apply to existing buildings). An external escape stair is accepted only as an additional route.
Sprinkler: In England, in new apartment buildings with a top floor above 11 m and in new care homes. In Wales, in all new homes since 2016; in Scotland, in new flats since 2021.
Detectors at home: In rented homes, a smoke alarm on every storey with living accommodation; a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker. Mains-powered alarms in new homes. In Scotland, interlinked smoke and heat alarms in all homes since 2022.
Signs and lighting: Escape signs white on green, firefighting equipment signs white on red. Emergency lighting: a monthly function test and an annual full-duration test.
Drills and plans: Drills at least once a year, or as often as the risk assessment indicates. In a small workplace, the emergency plan can be as simple as a fire action notice.
Commercial kitchens: Class F extinguisher for fryers. Fixed kitchen suppression systems are not named in the law; the risk assessment and insurance decide.

Sources: Fire Safety Order 2005 · Approved Document B · Office and shop risk guide · Smoke and CO alarm regulations · Last checked: 18 October 2026

In the USA, the rules come from model codes adopted by states and cities (IBC, IRC, IFC) and from NFPA standards; for workplaces, OSHA. Which edition applies depends on the location. Measurements are in feet (ft) and inches (in).

Portable extinguishers: For class A, at most 75 ft (≈ 23 m) from any point to an extinguisher; for class B, 30–50 ft; a class K extinguisher at most 30 ft (≈ 9 m) from commercial cooking equipment. For extinguishers up to 40 lb, the top at most 5 ft (≈ 1.5 m) above the floor and the bottom at least 4 in above it. In workplaces, a monthly visual check, annual maintenance and annual employee training. NFPA 10 · IFC 906 · OSHA 1910.157
Extinguishers at home: Not required in one- and two-family homes. NFPA recommends at least one 2-A:10-B:C extinguisher on every floor and within 40 ft.
Travel distance: Without / with sprinklers: 200 / 250 ft (≈ 61 / 76 m) in assembly, educational, mercantile and residential buildings; offices 200 / 300 ft. At least 2 exits on floors with up to 500 people. IBC 2021 Table 1017.2, 1006.3.3
Doors and corridors: Clear door width at least 32 in (≈ 81 cm). In spaces for 50 or more people, doors open in the direction of escape. Corridors generally 44 in (≈ 112 cm); 36 in for fewer than 50 people and within dwelling units. IBC 1010, 1020
Bedroom windows: An emergency escape opening in every bedroom and basement: net clear opening at least 5.7 ft² (≈ 0.53 m²), at least 24 in high and 20 in wide, sill at most 44 in above the floor. IRC R310
Sprinkler: The model code (IRC) requires sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes, but many states have removed this provision (California keeps it). The IBC requires sprinklers in Group R buildings such as apartments and hotels.
Detectors at home: Smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside the bedrooms and on every floor; interconnected, mains-powered with battery backup. A carbon monoxide alarm if there is a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage that opens into the home. Smoke alarms are tested monthly and replaced every 10 years. IRC R314, R315 · NFPA
Emergency lighting, signs: Emergency lighting for at least 90 minutes. Letters on exit signs at least 6 in high; every point in a corridor at most 100 ft from a sign. IBC 1008, 1013
Evacuation plan: OSHA requires an emergency action plan (it can be oral for 10 or fewer employees): escape route assignments, headcount, duties. The OSHA text does not require posting a diagram; local fire codes may. OSHA 1910.38
Commercial kitchens: Kitchen hood suppression systems to NFPA 96 and UL 300, serviced at least every 6 months; class K extinguisher. IFC 904.13

Sources: OSHA 1910.157 · OSHA 1910.38 · IBC 2021 chapter 10 · IRC 2021 chapter 3 · NFPA extinguisher placement · Last checked: 18 October 2026

This section is for information only; it does not replace the regulation itself, a fire safety design or the opinion of a licensed engineer or the fire department. Rules may change; check the current official text before applying them.

Emergency evacuation plan · Ground floorA3

Evacuation plan · Pro

Generate the plan for your wall from your floor plan

Shop, café, office, gym, clinic: in most countries, a workplace is expected to have an emergency plan and a visible evacuation plan; in Türkiye it's mandatory for all workplaces. You don't need to have this plan drawn separately: in Nodaform it's generated from the floor you've already drawn to scale.

Escape arrows, automatically. The route from each room to the nearest exit is found through the doors and drawn with green arrows.
"You are here" and assembly point. You mark where the plan will hang and the assembly point outside.
Equipment and legend. Extinguishers, hose reel cabinets, call points and emergency exits in international colours; legend, emergency number and short instructions on the sheet.
In 12 languages. The plan is printed in the language you use the editor in.

The Safety step in Nodaform

Place, check, get the sheet

There's a new step on the left of the editor: Safety. You place the fire equipment and choose your region and the building's use; the check scans the plan with the rules of the region you chose.

STEP 01

Place the equipment

Extinguishers (powder, CO₂, foam, class F, wheeled), fire hose reel cabinet, fire blanket, smoke, heat and carbon monoxide detectors, sprinklers, manual call point, emergency lighting and exit sign. Shown with standard symbols on the plan and at real mounting heights in 3D.

STEP 02

Run the check

Choose the region (Türkiye, Germany, England, USA) and the use (residential, office, shop and café, hotel, hospital, premises with flammable materials). Extinguisher reach is shaded by walking distance, and corners out of reach turn red. The shortest escape route and its distance are drawn from every room to an exit; rooms over the limit, extinguishers missing for the area and doors that don't open in the direction of escape are listed.

STEP 03

Get the evacuation plan

The "Evacuation plan" sheet brings together the escape arrows, equipment, You are here marker, assembly point, legend and emergency number on a single page. Download it as PDF or PNG, frame it, hang it.

For your home

Home fire safety checklist

Most home fires start in the kitchen, in the electrics or with heaters. Whether or not it's a legal requirement, going through the list below once greatly improves your family's safety.

To spot overloaded socket circuits, see Nodaform's voltage and load calculation.

Smoke detector in the hallway leading to the bedrooms and on every floor; press the test button once a month.
Carbon monoxide detector in the room with a combi boiler, water heater, stove or fireplace, if you have one, and near the bedrooms.
Extinguisher and blanket. A small ABC powder extinguisher in the hallway and a fire blanket next to the hob; everyone in the family should know where they are.
No water on a pan fire. Cover it with a lid or a blanket and turn off the hob.
Sockets. Don't plug an extension lead into another extension lead; don't connect a heater, oven and washing machine to the same power strip.
Escape plan. Think of two ways out of every room, pick a meeting point outside and practise once with the children.
Keys and doors. Keep the key to a locked door next to the door; don't leave things in the stairwell.
Check the extinguisher. Is the pressure gauge in the green? Has the last service date passed?

What it is not

It informs; it doesn't replace a fire safety design

This page and the Safety step help you ask the right questions at the start of the design and spot obvious gaps. A building's fire safety also depends on building materials, fire resistance, building services, use and operation. For building permits, occupancy permits and business licences, what counts is a fire safety design prepared by a licensed engineer and the fire department's opinion.

Nodaform doesn't hide this limit: the rule set, source and assumptions used by the check are shown in the results panel. A red warning must always be dealt with; a green result, on the other hand, doesn't mean "everything is fine".

Does: Extinguisher reach (walking distance), number of extinguishers by area, travel distance from rooms to an exit, doors that don't open in the direction of escape, evacuation plan sheet
Doesn't: Fire resistance and material class calculations, smoke extraction, sprinkler hydraulics, fire escape stair design, official approval of occupant load calculations
Assumptions: Travel and reach distances are the shortest walking route through doors; furniture is not treated as an obstacle, and you enter the number of occupants yourself
Proper use: Test the draft, fix the reds, take the plan to your specialist; make the final decision with them

By plan

Safety step on Pro and higher plans

FREE

Homeowner · Student · Hobbyist

All the information on this page and a dimensioned plan of your home. Fire equipment and the check are locked.

PLUS

Agent · Solo designer

Fire equipment symbols on the plan and in 3D: extinguishers, hose reel cabinets, detectors, sprinklers, call points, emergency lighting, exit signs.

PRO

Business owner · Architect · Interior designer

The full Safety step: extinguisher reach and travel distance checks with the rules of four regions, findings list, evacuation plan sheet.

ULTIMATE

Engineer · Design office · Contractor

The full Safety step; voltage and load simulation and BIM in the same project.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is it mandatory to keep a fire extinguisher at home?

In Türkiye, the regulation sets the number of extinguishers by area but has no separate "one extinguisher per flat" rule. In England, the fire safety order doesn't cover private homes; in the USA, extinguishers are not required in one- and two-family homes. Still, all sources recommend a small ABC powder extinguisher near the kitchen and a fire blanket next to the hob.

How often should a fire extinguisher be checked?

In Türkiye, a general on-site inspection once a year, and refilling and a pressure test at the end of the fourth year. Germany requires expert maintenance every two years in workplaces, England a yearly service and a monthly visual check, and the USA a monthly visual check and yearly maintenance in workplaces. Check the pressure gauge and expiry date of your extinguisher at home regularly.

At what height is an extinguisher mounted?

In Türkiye, 4–12 kg extinguishers are hung no higher than about 90 cm above the floor. In the USA, the top of an extinguisher up to 40 lb is at most 5 ft (≈ 1.5 m) above the floor. The guidance in England puts the handle at about 1 m for large extinguishers and 1.5 m for small ones. The common goal is for the extinguisher to be visible and within everyone's reach.

Are smoke detectors mandatory at home?

It depends on the country. They are mandatory in homes in all German states, in France and in the Netherlands; in England, they are required in rented homes and new buildings, and in Scotland in all homes; in the USA, the model code requires them in new buildings. In Türkiye, there is no national requirement for homes (except buildings over 51.50 m), but fitting them is recommended.

Why shouldn't you pour water on an oil fire?

Water that sinks below hot oil instantly turns to steam and throws the burning oil out; the flames reach the ceiling within seconds. A pan fire is covered with a lid or a fire blanket and the hob is turned off; in commercial kitchens, a class F (class K in the USA) wet chemical extinguisher is used.

Do I have to post an evacuation plan at my workplace?

In Türkiye, all workplaces prepare an emergency plan, and an evacuation plan is posted at eye level at entrances and on each floor. In Germany, an escape and rescue plan is posted if the layout, number of visitors or hazard requires it. In England, a risk assessment and an emergency procedure are required; in the USA, OSHA requires a written emergency action plan and doesn't require posting a diagram, but local codes may.

Do I have to build a fire escape stair for my apartment building?

In Türkiye, a normal stair is enough for residential buildings up to a building height of 21.50 m. Taller apartment buildings require at least two stairs, one of them protected; as the height increases, a fire safety lobby and pressurisation are added. The regulation also covers existing buildings; the deadline for fixing deficiencies that require construction work ended on 31 December 2025. The exact requirements for your building are determined by a licensed engineer and the fire department.

Which plan includes the Safety step?

Fire equipment symbols are on Plus and higher plans; extinguisher reach and travel distance checks, the findings list and the evacuation plan sheet are on Pro and Ultimate. The information on this page is open to everyone.

Start

The extinguisher's place, the way out: in your plan.

Create a free account and draw your floor to scale. Pro unlocks the Safety step: place the equipment, run the check, hang the evacuation plan.

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