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Fire Extinguisher Service & the 7 Steps of Monthly Inspections

Posted by Joshua Fleishman on Tue, Feb 04, 2014 @ 09:00 AM

When it comes to fire extinguisher inspections, many of us think that annually you should be checking your fire extinguisher(s) and getting them serviced or refilled. Hopefully, you do at least this otherwise what I'm about to say may shock you.
 

You must do a monthly inspection of all of your fire extinguishers in your home/workplace.
 

importance of safety training, fire extinguisher service, fire extinguisher training, fire extinguisher inspectionLuckily for us, this is a simple 7 step process that will become routine in time. The first two things you must know before starting an inspection of your fire extinguishers are:

  • Who is responsible for doing the monthly checks? If you are at home reading this, it may be a simple answer of yourself. But if you are at work then who is responsible? 
    • Whoever is should always be; it tends to be easier this way. The person held accountable gets used to that responsibility.
  • Before doing a monthly fire extinguisher inspection, you should always have a pen or marker and a rag with you.

Now that you have decided who will be responsible and they have all the necessary materials to check the fire extinguisher, here are the 7 steps to follow in order to properly inspection your fire extinguisher.
 
  1. As you as approaching the fire extinguisher, you should first be checking that it is readily available. This means that it is not blocked by any objects, is not difficult to get to, and is within reach. It should be mounted with a sign above that states that an extinguisher is underneath.  
  • If anything is blocking the fire extinguisher, now is the time to resolve the issue.
     
  • Your next check is to pick up the extinguisher. Is it a powder type? Youimportance of safety training, fire extinguisher service, fire extinguisher training, fire extinguisher inspection must prevent the powder from settling. Go ahead, give it a shake. While its in your hands, is it any lighter than usual or than you'd expect? Call your servicing company (or Safety Training Services here) to have them check it out. It's better to be safe than sorry!
     
  • The next check should be to check the extinguisher all over for dents, rust, oil, etc. If any substance (such as oil) is on it, dampen your rag and wipe it off. If there is any rust or the extinguisher has severe abuse, replace it soon as possible.
     
  • Mount the fire extinguisher back on the wall, make sure the instructions are still legible, and check the labels. Make sure to turn extinguisher so that the label is facing outward.
    • If the label is missing or anything is illegible, get a new label when possible. You may even, depending on the extinguisher's state, look into purchasing a whole new fire extinguisher.
       
  • importance of safety training, fire extinguisher service, fire extinguisher training, fire extinguisher inspectionNow that the extinguisher is placed correctly and the label is facing outward, check the pin or safety seal. It should still be intact; if not, you should replace the fire extinguisher.
     
  • You should now look check the gauge. Is it still in the green zone? If not, call a service person/company immediately to have the extinguisher serviced and back in working order.
     
  • Lastly, make sure to check the tag on the fire extinguisher to verify that yearly service has been done within the last year. This is usually marked off on the tag or hole-punched (month/year). Most service companies sign off or mark when the inspection took place, not when its due, so be sure to take a moment to process the information so that you are in compliance with the yearly inspection. Check with your servicing company (or simply contact STS here) if you need assistance. If your fire extinguisher has NOT been serviced in the last year, call immediately to schedule for that to be done.
     
  • importance of safety training, fire extinguisher service, fire extinguisher training, fire extinguisher inspectionCongratulations, your monthly inspection is complete. Be sure to sign your initials on the tag when it has space for monthly inspections. This verifies that the extinguisher is up-to-date and also proves to OSHA (if need arises) that a monthly inspection has been performed. 

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    If you want some or all of your employees to use fire extinguishers in an emergency, you must make sure they are fully trained. We will discuss fire extinguisher training; some issues and some safety tips in the next safety blog article! In the meantime, feel free to check out our fire extinguisher training course here:

    Click Here for Fire  Extinguisher Training

    Tags: OSHA, importance of safety training, fire extinguisher service, fire extinguishers, fire extinguisher training, fire extinguisher class, fire extinguisher maintenance