How Often Should Fire Extinguishers Be Inspected?
Once a fire starts in a commercial building, it can spread quickly, endangering the well-being of anyone inside and leading to enormous amounts of property damage. That is why fire safety is vital in a commercial environment, and fire extinguishers are essential to any fire safety plan.
They can be used to stop the fire at the source, but if they are not inspected regularly, they may fail when you need them the most. Periodic fire extinguisher inspections are an easy and cost-effective way to protect your Northern California business from fires, and here are a few guidelines to help you determine when you should have your fire extinguishers inspected.
Visual Inspections
Commercial facilities should perform a complete visual inspection of all fire extinguishers once a month, according to OSHA and NFPA standards. Properly trained employees can do this, and it should include ensuring that the fire extinguisher is firmly mounted in place, easily accessible, and has no visible damage to the exterior, such as dents, corrosion, or a damaged handle. The pressure gauge should be checked to ensure the fire extinguisher is still charged and ready to operate, and the pin should be present and not loose or damaged.
Lift the cylinder to ensure it is full, and that the gauge is not faulty. Then, make sure that the fire extinguisher is visible or that there are signs in place to indicate its location. Finally, the fire extinguisher’s tag for the date of the last professional inspection and document the current inspection on the tag and any internal logs.
General Maintenance Inspections
Once a year, a qualified fire protection company must be brought in to complete a comprehensive maintenance inspection of all the fire extinguishers in your California facility.
This will include checking for damage, ensuring the fire extinguisher is charged, and looking for any problems that could require repairs, hinder the operation of the fire extinguisher, or make it unsafe to use. Each passing fire extinguisher will receive a new annual inspection tag, and those that fail the inspection will need to be repaired or replaced.
Internal Inspections
Every few years, internal inspections of your fire extinguishers must be done by a professional fire protection company. Depending on the type of fire extinguisher, every five, six, or 12 years, the fire extinguisher will need to be discharged, and all the internal components of the fire extinguisher will need to be inspected for proper operation.
The cylinders must also be inspected and hydrostatically tested to ensure that they have no corrosion or cracks that could cause leaks and that they can withstand the pressures of the chemicals and propellants they contain. Once they pass the inspection and testing, they can be recharged and returned to service.
Expert Fire Extinguisher Services in Northern California
When you need a certified fire protection company to inspect your fire extinguishers in Northern California or the Bay Area, turn to our team at Foothill Fire Protection. We have been serving California businesses for over 25 years, and we offer fire extinguisher inspection and testing, maintenance, recharge services, and more.
Our team is passionate about fire safety, and we work hard to protect our client’s businesses while meeting all their fire protection needs. With 24/7 availability, local teams, and the highest quality products and workmanship, you can count on us to keep your fire extinguishers charged and ready to work.
Call us today at (916) 663-3582 or contact us online to schedule a fire extinguisher inspection or a general fire safety inspection anywhere in Northern California.
