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The maintenance and servicing of fire extinguishers is extremely important. Not only is it a legal requirement but as extinguishers play such a crucial part in putting fires out before they get out of hand, it’s vital that they work as and when they are needed.

The British Standards,. which provide guidelines for fire safety in the workplace, state that annual maintenance of fire protection equipment, including fire extinguishers must be carried out by a competent person. See details here.

What’s more, if you ensure that your fire extinguishers are serviced and maintained on a regular basis, they should last for many years years  before they will need replacing.

Fire Extinguisher Maintenance and Servicing

When your fire extinguishers have been installed, the engineer should provide you with a maintenance plan which shows how often the equipment should be maintained.  In short, the recommended frequency is as follows:

• When delivered or already on site (commissioning service by a professional fire safety equipment servicing company)
• Monthly (on site by a designated person)
• Annually (by a professional fire safety equipment servicing company).

The reasons for these stages of servicing are as follows:

• Commissioning service: this is an initial examination and service of the extinguisher to check for any signs of damage prior to installation. It’s important that this takes place after delivery, in case of any damage caused in transit.
• Monthly fire extinguisher maintenance: it’s very important to carry out regular fire extinguisher inspections on a monthly basis. This will ensure that the extinguisher is in full working order between annual services. These assessments can be undertaken by a designated member of staff (a designated person). Records should be kept of each inspection in a dedicated log-book.
• Annual fire extinguisher servicing and maintenance: this is the most detailed and thorough examination of fire extinguishers and will take place during the equipment’s annual servicing. As part of the annual servicing  plan, the extinguisher may be due an extended service during which it will be emptied; the inside will be inspected before it is then refilled. A discharge test would also be conducted to ensure the extinguisher discharges correctly. After the service, the label must be updated with the date maintenance took place, the weight of the extinguisher, details of the engineer who carried out the service, when the next discharge test is due and any other additional comments raised during the examination.

Fire Extinguisher Maintenance Plans

Peace of mind is important, particularly when dealing with the threat of fire which is why the proper maintenance of all extinguishers on your premises is essential.

Fire safety equipment companies, like Hartson Fire, offer fire extinguisher maintenance plans, which are the most sensible and cost effective option, particularly if you have multiple fire extinguishers on site.

 We also run reports for our clients which show when servicing and maintenance inspections are due so you don’t need to think about this yourself.  However, if you have any concerns that your fire extinguishers may not be in full working order, you should call your equipment service provider immediately.

To find out more about Hartson Fire’s servicing options click here  or call a member of our team on the number below: