Many of our customers, and particularly new business owners who are looking at fire safety for the first time, always have a number of questions for us. To help people who are still unclear about their responsibilities and types of equipment required, we thought it would be helpful to share with you the most frequently asked questions and our answers. So, here we go:
The types of extinguishers you will need will depend on the nature of your business and the working environment (ie which types of materials or equipment could cause a fire to break out). For example, you will need different extinguishers in a professional kitchen compared to what you would need in an office. If you click here you will see a full showing the different classes of fires and what they are use for. If you’re still not sure, call us for first-hand advice.
A CO2 Fire Extinguisher will require replacing after 10 years and all other types will require an extended service every 5 years (a discharge, pressure test and refill) carried out by a qualified technician. Always ensure equipment is stored correctly and serviced regularly.
Check out our fact sheet on fire extinguishers here .
As mentioned above, fire extinguishers can be discharged, pressure tested and then refilled, providing the used cylinder meets all the legal fire safety standards. In some instances, due to damage to parts caused by weather conditions or misuse, the extinguisher may need to be replaced.
To be compliant with the British Standard 5306 part 3, fire extinguishers must be serviced and by a qualified engineer every year. If you are concerned that your extinguisher is not in full working order then you should call an engineer to check it out.
Business owners are required to provide functioning fire extinguishers in the building to protect your employees and other visitors including the general public. Fire extinguisher servicing guarantees that the equipment is functioning fully and as it should be.
During the service, a qualified engineer will wipe down the extinguisher, check the pin can be removed safely, then replace the pin securing it with a tamper seal. Check the hose / horn. Carry out a gauge test, weight the appliance and record all findings on the maintenance label. As well as making sure it is still suitable for the business environment, at Hartson Fire, our engineers always ensure that we cause minimum disruption to our customers when carrying out the maintenance inspection.
Once the servicing is complete, you should receive a document detailing the engineer’s visit and any recommendations made. This document may be required by your insurance provider or by your local authority’s fire officer.
If you have any further questions about fire extinguisher or servicing, please call us on the number below. We are happy to answer your questions over the phone or we can arrange for one of our engineers to visit your business premises to give you an assessment of your fire safety obligations.
