Extinguishers are the fire equipment people are most likely to have and least likely to maintain. Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires facilities, equipment and devices provided under the Order to be subject to a suitable system of maintenance and kept in efficient working order, and for extinguishers that means two different jobs done by two different people.
The monthly check, which is yours
A visual check by somebody on site: the extinguisher is in its place, unobstructed and visible, the pressure gauge reads in the green, the pin and tamper seal are intact, the body is undamaged and uncorroded, the hose and horn are clear, and the label is legible. It takes a minute per unit and it is recorded. Most of the failures found on annual service are things a monthly check would have caught in week two.
The annual service, which is not
A competent engineer carries out the basic service to the recognised standard: external examination, weighing or pressure checking, discharge test where the type and age require it, replacing seals, and signing the label and the certificate. Some types also need an extended service or overhaul at longer intervals, which is why a quote per unit per year can hide a larger bill in year five.
Commissioning, and why new extinguishers need it
A new extinguisher is commissioned on site by a competent person, who checks it is the right type for the risk, is correctly located and mounted, is charged and sealed, and records it as commissioned. Buying extinguishers online and hanging them on the wall skips that step, and an inspector reading the label will see that it was never commissioned.
Siting, which decides whether they help
On escape routes and near exits, so people move towards the way out rather than deeper into the building to reach one. Near the specific risk for the specific type, such as a wet chemical unit by a fryer. Signed so they can be found. And mounted so they can be lifted by the people expected to use them, which is the reason larger units are often floor standing on a base rather than wall mounted at height.
What moves the cost
Number of units, the travel to site, whether the visit includes the monthly check training, and how many units fail and need replacing or overhauling. There is usually a minimum charge per visit, which is why a site with two extinguishers pays nearly what a site with six does, and why servicing is bundled with alarm or emergency lighting visits where a firm does both.
Questions people ask about fire extinguisher servicing
How often should fire extinguishers be serviced?
A recorded visual check monthly by someone on site, and a basic service annually by a competent engineer, with extended service or overhaul at longer intervals for some types.
What is extinguisher commissioning?
The check a competent person makes when a new extinguisher is installed: right type, right place, correctly mounted, charged, sealed and recorded.
Can I service my own extinguishers?
You can and should do the monthly visual check. The annual service requires a competent engineer, and the record of it is what shows the maintenance duty in article 17 has been met.
Where should extinguishers be sited?
On escape routes and near exits, and near the specific risk for the specific type, signed and mounted so they can be reached and lifted.