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Fire Extinguisher Servicing
Proper maintenance of fire fighting equipment should include a combination of regular checks and inspections as well as professional fire extinguisher servicing by a specialist company. The inspections can be carried out in house and are simply about making sure that your appliances are kept in good working order. The fire extinguisher servicing involves a thorough inspection and testing of the equipment, and taking care of any necessary repairs. This should also include recharging or replacing appliances as necessary.
Legislation requires that fire extinguisher servicing should be carried out not less than once a year by a 'competent person'. This should either be someone representing the appliance manufacturer or a trained engineer working in the specialist field of fire extinguisher servicing. The simplest and most reliable way to ensure this happens is to set up a contract with a reputable company and they will arrange to undertake the necessary inspections whenever they are due and advise you of any action necessary to keep your equipment in good working order.
Fire Extinguisher Servicing - Regular Checks And Inspections
It is not enough to set up a contract with a specialist company to do your fire extinguisher servicing. You must also set up your own system for regularly checking all your appliances. This does not need to be time consuming and is very much a simple checking system, but you must make sure it is done at regular intervals. Exactly how often you need to inspect every appliance will depend on the nature of your premises, but in general your checks should not be less than once a month.
You can use the following as a guide for what to check when you do your regular inspections:
- Check that the appliance is in its proper place, easily accessible and not obstructed by anything else (including not being used as a coat hanger or door stop!).
- Check that the pressure is at the recommended level. Some fire extinguishers have a gauge and if so check that the needle is in the green area, showing that the pressure is correct. If the pressure is too low it may need to be recharged.
- Check that the pull pin is properly in place (in the handle) and has not been pulled out or lost.
- Check that any tamper seals are fully in tact.
- Check that the appliance has not been damaged, looking out for dents, cracks or signs of rust. Make sure it is clean and that all instructions can be easily read.
- Some manufacturers of dry powder fire extinguishers recommend that the appliances are shaken every month to ensure the powder does not stick together or become compact.
These inspections can be carried out quickly and easily, but are invaluable in making sure that your emergency equipment is going to be in good working order when you need it. The inspections are only of value if they are carried out properly and on a regular basis.
If you find that an extinguisher has been discharged or interfered with in any way, even just partially discharged, it should be replaced immediately.
Fire Extinguisher Servicing – Longer Term Requirements
As well as annual fire extinguisher servicing and your regular inspections, there are periodic tests that must be carried out too. Fire extinguishers should have what is known as a hydrostatic test every few years to make sure the cylinder is still safe to operate. Check with the manufacturer for specific requirements for each appliance type.
Another requirement is that all appliances must be fully discharged periodically. The details of when this needs to happen are summarised below:
Every five years
Every five years
Every ten years for the first twenty years, then every five years after that. If you have a full annual inspection done every year from purchase, the first discharge test does not need doing until after twenty years.
Every Five Years
