Regulation hub / Article
EN 3: the European fire extinguisher standard
EN 3 is the design standard for portable fire extinguishers across Europe. Every compliant extinguisher you buy in the UK will carry an EN 3 mark — but knowing what's on the label is the difference between buying a product and buying compliance.
Fire ratings — the numbers that matter
Each extinguisher is tested against standard test fires:
- Class A (carbonaceous solids) — rated by the length of the test crib extinguished, e.g. 13A, 21A, 27A, 34A, 43A.
- Class B (flammable liquids) — rated by the volume of liquid extinguished, e.g. 21B, 55B, 89B, 113B, 144B, 183B, 233B.
- Class C (flammable gases), D (metals) and F (cooking oils) — marked separately. F-class is for kitchens.
Colour coding
The body is red. A coloured panel (covering up to 5% of the area) indicates the extinguishing medium: white = water, cream = foam, blue = powder, black = CO2, yellow = wet chemical (F-class). This UK convention complies with BS 7863.
Marking — what must be on the label
EN 3 requires the manufacturer, model, charge weight, fire ratings, operating instructions in pictograms and words, dangers, and the year of manufacture. Any extinguisher missing this information should be rejected at delivery.
Checks at delivery
Before signing off a delivery: confirm the EN 3 mark, check the pressure gauge sits in the green, inspect the seal and pin, weigh CO2 cylinders against the stamped tare weight, and confirm the supplier has provided a commissioning certificate (BS 5306-3).
Service life
EN 3 does not set a maximum service life — that's covered by BS 5306-3 maintenance regime. In practice, with proper extended servicing, expect around 20 years of service before replacement.