As electric forklifts are widely applied in modern industrial logistics, warehouse and manufacturing scenarios, the number of dedicated charging stations for these material handling equipment keeps rising in recent years. During the regular charging process of electric forklift batteries, improper operation, aging components or overheating may trigger potential fire risks, making proper fire protection configuration a core part of on-site safety management. Among all the fire protection measures, standardized deployment of fire extinguishers near charging stations is the most accessible and effective measure to contain initial fire incidents.

The first core rule covers fire extinguisher type selection. Users should first evaluate the common fire types that may occur in the charging zone, including electrical fires caused by faulty circuits, thermal runaway risks of lithium batteries, and possible combustion of nearby flammable packaging or warehouse supplies. Operators are required to choose fire extinguishers that are suitable for electrical fire scenarios and compatible with lithium battery fire suppression features, avoiding inappropriate water-based extinguishers that may cause electric shock risks, or common powder extinguishers that may leave heavy corrosion residue on nearby forklift equipment. The total fire extinguishing capacity of the configured devices should match the maximum number of forklifts charged at the same time and the total area of the charging zone, to meet the basic requirements of local industrial safety regulations.

The second key part is the placement specification of fire extinguishers. All fire extinguishers near electric forklift charging stations should be installed at eye-catching positions within 3 meters of the charging operation area, without being blocked by stacked pallets, parked forklifts or sundries. The installation height of bracket-mounted fire extinguishers should be controlled between 1.2 meters and 1.5 meters above the ground, to ensure that all on-site staff can grab and operate the device without extra obstacles. For separated independent charging compartments, at least two qualified fire extinguishers should be deployed respectively, and extra supplementary fire extinguishers should be added in the area near the centralized battery storage cabinet.

Regular daily inspection and staff training are also necessary supporting requirements. Management teams should arrange specially assigned personnel to check the pressure status, appearance integrity and validity period of all fire extinguishers on a monthly basis, paste standardized inspection labels, and replace expired or failed devices in time through qualified professional service agencies. It is not allowed to move fire extinguishers to other irrelevant work areas without permission. All operators that work in the forklift charging zone should receive systematic fire operation training, to master the correct steps of using the fire extinguishers to handle initial fire incidents properly and minimize possible safety losses.