Why Fire Extinguisher Inspections Are Vital for Your Business
For workplace safety, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires routine inspection of all fire extinguishers.
Annual and other involved inspections must be completed by a certified and licensed fire inspector from a fire protection equipment company. (We detail those requirements below.)
Monthly inspections are different. Anyone on staff can complete these simple checks to ensure that devices are fully charged and ready for use. It’s crucial, however, that the person know what to do so your business remains in compliance with federal regulations.
Fire extinguisher inspections are required for your business as a matter of law. Here is a five-step checklist for performing monthly inspections.
Step 1: Make sure the extinguisher is not blocked or otherwise obscured from view and that it has a valid maintenance tag.
Step 2: Check that the tamper seal and pin are in place and that the extinguisher is free of damage, corrosion and tampering.
Step 3: Make sure that the extinguisher is full by lifting or weighing the device.
Step 4: Check to see that it is charged and that the pressure gauge is in the green.
- For cartridge-operated extinguishers, the indicator should be depressed.
- CO2 (carbon dioxide) extinguishers don’t have pressure gauges. Instead, these must be weighed to ensure that they are the same weight as recorded on the maintenance tag.
Step 5: Sign and date the maintenance tag. Create, sign and date a report of the monthly inspection that includes each extinguisher’s location and explanation of any deficiencies found.
Certified and Licensed Fire Inspector Requirements:
More involved inspections must be completed by a certified and licensed fire inspector from a fire protection equipment company.
Annual: A yearly inspection is legally required. A dated inspection tag, valid for one year, is provided for every passing extinguisher.
Hydrostatic Testing: Hydrostatic testing of wet chemical extinguishers with stainless steel cylinders is done every five years, dry chemical extinguishers every 12 years.
Internal Inspection: Every six years an internal inspection must be completed. The process consists of discharging, examining and recharging each fire extinguisher.
All checks and inspections are documented. Any fire extinguisher that fails inspection must be repaired or replaced.
Fire extinguisher inspections are vital for your business. To ensure you remain up-to-date with your fire extinguisher inspection requirements, contact our team at Getz Fire Equipment Company today.