How to Use a Fire Extinguisher: The PASS Method and Fire Classes

The PASS Method

1. Pull the pin to break the tamper seal.
2. Aim low, at the base of the fire, not the flames.
3. Squeeze the handle to release the agent.
4. Sweep from side to side across the base until the fire is out, watching for reignition.

Match the Extinguisher to the Fire Class

• Class A: ordinary combustibles, wood, paper, cloth.
• Class B: flammable liquids and gases.
• Class C: energized electrical equipment.
• Class D: combustible metals.
• Class K: cooking oils and fats.

OSHA requires training for employees expected to use extinguishers. The hard part is not the four letters of PASS, it is acting correctly under stress, which is why hands-on practice matters. See our fire extinguisher simulation training and the full safety program.

Fire Classes and Extinguisher Types

Ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids and electrical fires need different agents. Read the label before use.

Never use water on electrical or grease fires.

Evacuation First

Ensure the alarm is sounded and there is an exit at your back. Fight only small fires.

Leave if in doubt.

Inspection and Maintenance

Extinguishers need monthly checks and annual servicing. Confirm pressure and access.

Report used or damaged units.

Monthly Checks and Maintenance

Inspect extinguishers regularly for pressure, seals and damage, and follow the required service schedule. A discharged unit must be replaced or recharged.

Keep access clear.

Training and Drills

Hands-on practice builds confidence. Combine it with evacuation drills so people know when not to fight a fire.

Refresh training periodically.

What the Acronym Covers

The pull, aim, squeeze and sweep sequence is a memory aid for operating a portable extinguisher, and it exists because people forget procedure under stress.

Pull the pin to release the handle, aim at the base of the fire rather than at the flames, squeeze the handle to discharge and sweep across the base of the fuel.

Aiming at the flames rather than at the fuel is the most common error, and it empties the extinguisher without affecting the fire at all.

The Decision Before the Sequence

The more important decision happens before the extinguisher is picked up, and it is whether to fight the fire at all.

A fire is appropriate for a portable extinguisher only if it is small and contained, if the correct extinguisher is present, if the area is not filling with smoke and if there is a clear exit behind the person.

If any of those conditions is absent, the correct action is to evacuate and to activate the alarm, and attempting a fire that has outgrown a portable extinguisher is how people become casualties.

Extinguisher Classes

Extinguishers are rated by the class of fire they are designed for, covering ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, energized electrical equipment, combustible metals and cooking media.

Using the wrong agent can be worse than using nothing, and water on a grease fire or on energized equipment produces a substantially more dangerous situation.

Multipurpose units cover several classes but not all of them, and kitchen and metal fires require specific agents that a general purpose unit does not provide.

Practical Limits

A typical portable extinguisher discharges in a matter of seconds, which is far less time than most people expect and leaves no margin for a second attempt.

Effective range is limited, and standing too far back wastes the agent while standing too close risks scattering burning material.

After apparent extinguishment, the fuel can reignite, which is why leaving the area and having the fire service confirm it is part of the procedure.

Placement and Readiness

Extinguishers are required to be accessible, visible, appropriate to the hazard in that area and within their inspection interval.

Monthly visual checks and periodic professional maintenance are requirements, and a unit blocked by stored material is unavailable regardless of its service record.

Requirements for type, placement, travel distance and inspection are set by the applicable fire code and by the authority having jurisdiction.

Training That Works

Reading the sequence does not produce the ability to perform it when adrenaline is affecting judgment, and hands on practice is what makes the behavior available.

Simulation and structured practice let people rehearse the decision and the technique repeatedly without the cost and hazard of live fire exercises.

Applicable fire codes, workplace safety regulations, insurer requirements and employer emergency procedures govern this, and current requirements should be confirmed with the relevant authority.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Recurring errors include aiming at the flames instead of the fuel, attempting a fire that is already too large, using the wrong class of agent, standing at the wrong distance and failing to keep an exit route behind.

Supervisors can help by making it acceptable to pause and ask. A culture where questions are treated as competence rather than weakness produces fewer errors in extinguisher use.

How Employers Evaluate Readiness

Employers assess this through training and drill records, inspection compliance for extinguishers, incident outcomes, fire inspection findings and whether staff can state the decision criteria rather than only the acronym.

Keeping Skills Current

Occupancy, stored materials, equipment and codes change. Reviewing the hazard in each area periodically prevents extinguishers placed for a risk profile the building no longer has.

Planning and Preparation

Preparation includes confirming which class of extinguisher suits the hazards in each area, verifying placement and travel distance requirements, keeping access clear and ensuring staff know evacuation and alarm procedures before any decision to fight a fire.

Documentation That Holds Up

Monthly inspection records, maintenance and hydrostatic test documentation, training and drill records and post incident reports are what demonstrate compliance to a fire inspector and to an insurer.

Related Guides

These cover adjacent ground with a different focus:

• Best Safety Training Companies in Fresno (2026)
• Best Safety Training Companies in Greensboro (2026)
• Best Safety Training Companies in Harrisburg (2026)

Fire Extinguisher Use PASS: what to know

This guide covers what it is, who is required to complete it, how it is usually delivered, and what The Prime VR changes when the same material is rebuilt as scored practice in a headset. Every attempt is logged, so competence is something you can see rather than assume.

Frequently Asked Questions