Regular fire extinguisher maintenance is part of the legal requirements for premises owners and managers under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The Order states that: “The responsible person must ensure that the premises and any facilities, equipment and devices provided are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”
However, the Order is rather short on detail on exactly what a ‘suitable system’ actually consists of. Enter British Standard BS 5306-3:2009 which offers; “Recommendations for the initial commissioning of portable fire extinguishers and schedules for the subsequent maintenance of extinguishers installed in all locations.”
Below we simplify this and provide a weekly or monthly fire extinguisher maintenance checklist.
Regular Visual Inspection Checklist
You should visually inspect all your fire extinguishers at least once a month, and once a week for premises where extinguishers may potentially be discharged or suffer damage more frequently.
Your visual fire extinguisher checklist should include the following
- All extinguishers are in their designated places, either on stands or hung on walls, and aligned with any signs indicating fire extinguisher type
- Every fire extinguisher is visible and easy to access
- Operating instructions printed on the extinguisher are clean, legible and facing outwards
- Your extinguishers are not damaged, have not been used, and still have all their component parts
- Each extinguisher pressure gauge shows contents are held within the acceptable range as shown on the gauge
- All anti-tamper seals are intact (if used)
You should record all your findings in your fire extinguisher maintenance log, noting any extinguishers that need replacing or servicing, and arrange for this to be done as soon as possible. In addition, fire safety experts suggest:
- Checking the cleanliness and integrity of any fire extinguisher boxes or covers, so that the view of the contents remains clear
- Ensuring that fire extinguisher signs are clearly visible and free from dirt or grime
- Checking that fire extinguisher stands are undamaged, free from accumulated dirt and grime, and located in their original place
- If photoluminescent signs are used, these should be checked for their visibility in dark conditions.
Spotting Damage To Your Fire Extinguishers
A careful visual inspection can spot early indicators of damage or wear and tear, such as:
- Dents, gouges or scratches on the body of the fire extinguisher
- Light rusting or corrosion of any element
- Fraying or splitting of hoses
- Cracked or damaged horn (CO2 fire extinguishers only)
- Dirty or damaged nozzle or wand (wet chemical fire extinguishers)
- Excessive dirt on top valves and pressure gauges
- Damage to fire extinguisher cabinets or covers
Servicing Your Fire Extinguishers
All types of fire extinguishers should have a basic service at least once a year, more frequently in high use, dirty or potentially damaging environments.
BS 5306-3 recommends that water, powder and CO2 extinguishers all undergo a basic service every 12 months.
Water and powder extinguishers should have an extended service every 5 years.
Current fire legislation requires that you, as the responsible person, only use a competent person to maintain fire extinguishing equipment.
In practice, these means someone properly trained in the maintenance and repair of extinguishers, which is why the majority of the UK’s fire extinguishers are maintained and serviced by professional fire safety companies.
New Extinguishers From Your Maintenance Company
Many of these companies do not actually repair fire extinguishers at your premises, but simply swap out the ones needing attention with recently serviced models that are safe to use.
This saves time on site and ensures your premises are never without the correct level of fire protection equipment.
With the possibility of your fire extinguishers being swapped out at least once a year, it is all the more important that the first visual maintenance check after servicing is conducted thoroughly, so your staff are familiar with the appearance and condition of these replacement extinguishers.
Repair Or Replace?
However, for smaller premises and businesses with standard fire extinguisher types, a servicing agreement may prove to be less cost-effective than simply replacing fire extinguishers every year with brand new models purchased online.
This is actually more environmentally-friendly than it might first appear, as fire extinguishers can be dismantled with working component parts reused and any damaged metal parts recycled.
If you decide this approach is more viable for your business, there is the added advantage that you can use the original fire extinguishers for staff training.
Just be aware of the requirements for disposal of the discharged contents and do not flush discharge down drains, as some chemical components are toxic to marine life.