Fire extinguishers play an essential role in putting out a fire and preventing excessive damage. There are different types like CO2 Fire Extinguishers, foam fire extinguishers, and dry powder fire extinguishers, which help put out different kinds of flames. You should have one in your facility.
Proper maintenance of fire extinguishers is essential to ensure that this fire-fighting equipment is fully functional in dangerous situations. Each employer must ensure that the fire extinguishers in their company are regularly maintained by specialized technicians. Here are common maintenance practices that should be carried out.
Initial Check
Exam in which the maintenance company verifies:
- That the fire extinguishers are not included among those out of service
- That inscriptions and markings are present and legible
- Availability of the use and maintenance booklet issued by the manufacturer. The maintenance technician will then communicate the outcome of the inspection activity to the responsible person.
Periodic Check
It must be performed by a competent technician and has a maximum period of 6 months. In this phase, the efficiency of portable or wheeled fire extinguishers is checked, ascertaining, for example:
- Value of the internal pressure (for pressure extinguishers)
- State of charge, by weighing, of the carbon dioxide extinguishers
- Presence, type, and charge of the auxiliary gas cylinders for the extinguishers pressurized with this system.
Scheduled Review
Performed by a competent technician, it concerns technical interventions such as, for example:
- Examination and functional check of all parts
- Internal examination of the appliance
- Inspection of components
- Replacement of safety devices, if present
- Replacement of the extinguishing agent
- Replacement of gaskets
- Replacement of the dispensing valve for carbon dioxide extinguishers
- Reassembly of the extinguisher in perfect condition
Both inside and outside the fire extinguisher, the date and the company that carried out the revision must be reported.
Testing
The test must be carried out by a competent person and is used to check the stability of the fire extinguisher tank or cylinder. This type of activity necessarily involves auditing as well. Also, in this case, the date (month/year) and the company that carried out the test must be reported both inside and outside the fire extinguisher.
Extraordinary Maintenance
Done by a competent person, it must be carried out when ordinary maintenance operations are not sufficient to restore the efficiency of the fire extinguisher.
All fire extinguishers must carry the maintenance tag. When the initial check is carried out for the first time, the label of the previous maintenance technician must be removed and replaced with a new one.