Inspection And Maintenance Of Fire Extinguishers

In order for the fire extinguisher not to fail at a crucial moment, it must be ensured that the extinguisher is in working order.

A fire extinguisher is required:

• check
• 1 time a year, if the extinguisher is exposed to moisture, vibration or temperature fluctuations, for example outdoors, in a vehicle or in a cottage,
• 1 time in two years, if the extinguisher is stored in a dry and uniform temperature place,
• if something suspicious is found during the inspection.

• Maintain
• after each use,
• if defects are discovered during the inspection,
• after the period prescribed by legislation or manufacturer's instructions.

Excerpt from the regulation "Requirements for fire extinguishers and hose systems, their selection, installation, marking and maintenance":

§ 9. Fire extinguisher inspection

The owner shall check the condition of the fire extinguishers once a quarter to make sure that the fire extinguisher:

1. located in the designated place;
2. is not hidden by anything and the label with the instructions for use is legible;
3. not significantly damaged;
4. the pointer of the pressure gauge (if present) is in the green zone;
5. seals, barriers (hereinafter seal) are undamaged.

In case of suspicion of a malfunction of the fire extinguisher revealed during the inspection, the owner of the fire extinguisher arranges a fire extinguisher inspection to identify the malfunction and maintenance to eliminate the malfunction.

§ 10. Fire extinguisher inspection

1. The fire extinguisher is checked with the frequency prescribed by the manufacturer or if the results of the inspection require it.
2. If the manufacturer has not specified the frequency of fire extinguisher inspection, the fire extinguisher is inspected:
3. once a year if the extinguisher is stored in a place where it is exposed to moisture, vibration or temperature fluctuations;
4. once every two years if the extinguisher is stored in a dry place with a constant temperature.

Inspection of a pressurized fire extinguisher includes the following steps:

1. checking the legibility of the inscription and, if necessary, updating the inscription;
2. visual inspection of trigger, valve and seal;
3. fire extinguisher pressure control (except carbon dioxide extinguisher);
4. in the case of a carbon dioxide gas extinguisher, fire extinguisher control weighing;
5. in the case of a powder extinguisher, checking the flow of fire extinguishing powder;
6. hose inspection;
7. external inspection of the hull;
8. checking the compliance of the fire extinguisher with the requirements set forth in § 3 of this regulation;
9. equipping a fire extinguisher with a control label.

Checking a pressure cartridge fire extinguisher includes the following steps:

1. checking the legibility of the inscription and, if necessary, updating the inscription;
2. weighing the compression cartridge and equipping the compression cartridge with an inspection label inside the extinguisher;
3. checking the properties of the extinguishing agent;
4. valve cleaning;
5. checking seals and replacing them if necessary;
6. hose inspection;
7. external inspection of the hull;
8. checking the compliance of the fire extinguisher with the requirements set forth in § 3 of this regulation;
9. equipping the fire extinguisher with a seal and inspection tag.

§ 11. Fire extinguisher maintenance

1. The fire extinguisher is put into working order after each use and maintained as needed, but not less often than prescribed by the manufacturer.
2. If the manufacturer has not specified the frequency of fire extinguisher maintenance, then water and foam extinguishers are serviced every five years, other fire extinguishers every ten years.
3. Parts and compressed gas used for maintenance must not reduce the safety of the fire extinguisher and the fire extinguishing capacity specified by the manufacturer. The properties of the fire extinguishing agent must correspond to the information on the label of the extinguisher.

Maintenance includes at least the following actions in addition to what is performed during inspection:

1. emptying the fire extinguisher;
2. internal inspection of the fire extinguisher body;
3. checking the integrity and wear of all parts of the fire extinguisher and, if necessary, replacing them;
4. changing or restoring the fire extinguishing agent according to the manufacturer's instructions;
5. according to the manufacturer's instructions, but not less often than every 10 years, a pressure test of the fire extinguisher body and pressure cartridge at the test pressure prescribed by the fire extinguisher manufacturer, on fire extinguishers without a safety valve, a pressure test is also performed on the valve;
6. checking the operation of the pressure indicator;
7. equipping the fire extinguisher pressure cartridge with a service tag inside the extinguisher. On pressurized fire extinguishers, a maintenance label is installed around the neck of the fire extinguisher, which cannot be installed or removed without disassembling the fire extinguisher;
8. loading the fire extinguisher (filling with extinguishing agent and pressurizing if necessary);
9. equipping the fire extinguisher with a seal, maintenance and inspection label.