Annual Fire Extinguisher Inspection

[Guest]

As a business user - normal office - why do I need an annual inspection/maintanance visit when the unit has a 5 year warrenty?

Thanks A.M

[Garry Webster]

Dear A.M

The British Standard BS5306-3 requires yearly inspection. If you are a business, your own fire risk assessment will usually refer to this standard and your business insurance will usually require this standard.

The five year warranty just means that if the unit is faulty within the 5 years, we will replace the unit or repair it for free.

Kind regards Garry

[Guest alif]

Is it a regulatory requirement to change extinguisher tags & rings each year on inspection?

[Tom Sutton]

BS 5036 pt 3 2009 says you should reassemble according the manufacturer instruction also replace with new any safety clip and indicating device designed to show if the extinguisher has been operated.

[green-foam]

Thinking out loud.

Tom, what if the extinguishers in question are stored pressure. The engineer could not take anything apart, there for has no need to change the anti tampering tag.

[Tom Sutton]

Green-foam, I agree, but I am just quoting the BS, but common sense says why! If you haven't damaged the tamper tag why replace it? I think the problem is, they are trying to deal with different types of extinguisher with the same clauses and I believe you need to apply common sense at times.

[Shawn Bosworth]

As part of the basic service you have to remove the safety device (pin) to ensure that it moves freely and check that the handle also has free movement. To do this you must break the tamper seal. This applies to all extignuishers, stored pressure and cartridge operated.

[Tom Sutton]

I stand corrected Shawn as you say, remove the safety device (pin) to ensure that it moves freely and check that the handle also has free movement is in accordance with the BS but why would you need to replace the pin, can it become damaged when you try to remove it?

[Guest chogs]

You would need to replace the pin on chubb type units that have a breakable indicator attached.

[Guest SuzanneJ]

hi, I wonder if you can advise who is correct, I am querying my head offices view on the testing of fire extinguishers, I think the MUST be done every twelve months, but my HO say that they can be serviced upto 6months after the 12 months is up, meaning it can be upto 18 months before its serviced, - stating this is in line with legislation
Can you confirm what is correct?

Thank you for your help

[Tom Sutton]

As far as I am aware and according to BS 5306 part 3 2009 you are required to service all extinguisher (basic service) every twelve months (+/- one month) from the date of commissioning or last service. The extended service is slightly different, for all extinguishers except CO2, it is five years from the date of commissioning or 6 years from the date of manufacture which ever the sooner and then every five years. For the full information you should read BS 5306 part 3 2009 and if they have used other guidance you should ask what guidance.