What Is Checked During Fire Extinguisher Maintenance?
by Norman Holden on 04/29/14
Fire extinguishers can and do save lives, and they are often also very important in preventing damage to property as well. This means that if you have either commercial or residential property, it would be necessary for you to do as much as you can to ensure that the ones you have in your premises are as trustworthy as possible. The only way to do this is by doing periodic checks on the extinguishers to make sure that they are always functional. This is a service that should be provided by a professional firm, since some of the things that need to be checked are technical and can not be done by just anybody. Some of the things that should be checked include:
Is the extinguisher there?
The first issue that needs to be sorted out is if the fire extinguishers that are supposed to be there are. In addition to that, one has to make sure that they are clearly visible, and can be reached with ease. Remember, in case a fire breaks out, chances are that people will go into a panic about what to do. In case the fire extinguisher is not easily visible or accessible, it will definitely be useless at this point in time, which defeats the purpose of spending money on it in the first place.
Is it in working order?
The other issue that must be checked during the inspection is if each extinguisher is in good working order. This means that the hose and nozzle should not be blocked, the tamper seal should be intact, the pin should still be in place and the pressure should be in the operational area. All of these factors affect how the extinguisher performs in case of a fire. In case any of these issues are compromised, it would be necessary to either replace the extinguisher or repair the damage that has been done. It would also be necessary to figure out if the extinguisher is full by examining its weight as well
In addition to that, it should be established that the instructions on using the extinguisher are still in place, legible and facing the potential user. .
Is it the right extinguisher in the right place?
Different types of extinguishers have to be used for different applications. For instance, in case the risk of an electrical fire is strong, it would make sense to use a dry chemical or Co2 fire extinguisher since this reduces the risk of harm in such a setting.
When was it's last maintenance?
All fire extinguishers have to undergo maintenance at least once a year if they have not been used during that period. All extinguishers should be inspected every month, during inspection it is important to check the tamper seal is not broken, the pressure is in the operable area, it is not falling down off the wall or obstructed in any way and check the tags to make sure that maintenance has been done within the last twelve months. In case more than twelve months have elapsed and the extinguisher has not been serviced, it would be important to schedule one such service to make sure that it keeps working.
Once all the above pointers are in order, one can be assured that the fire extinguishers are in good condition, and that they can be depended on in case of a fire.
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