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Fire Extinguisher Servicing

Fire Extinguisher Testing Services

Having fire extinguishers tested is the fastest and easiest way to ensure that you and your business are protected in the event of a fire.

Most fire incidents can be resolved using a fire extinguisher. Countless lives, not to mention properties, have been saved through the proper maintenance, testing, and use of a fire extinguisher.

Our team of professional technicians have the skills, experience, and equipment necessary to meet your fire extinguisher testing needs. We can also give you important information about the extinguishers and how to use them.

How Often Should Fire Extinguishers be Tested?

Fire extinguishers should be inspected at least once per year
They are pressure tested and refilled once every five years at the least
The tests should be recorded on the PVC tag attached to the fire extinguisher

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Fire Equipment Testing Services

Proper fire extinguisher testing is an important part of fire safety. Our technicians are able to inspect and test extinguishers and can refill them if they need it.

While our fire extinguisher technicians can offer advice, they can’t alter official company policy in your workplace. As the owner or manager of a business, you should assess safety plans and testing practices to ensure that your plans comply with NZS 4503-2005.

Regular testing of fire extinguishers means that the fire safety equipment can be used without a problem during an emergency or fire incident. We offer checks and inspections to ensure you – and your equipment – are compliant with the relevant fire safety regulations.

Testing Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers can be found in public buildings (schools, universities, theatres, hospitals, etc., commercial buildings (stores, offices, factories, warehouses, etc.), and multi-occupancy residential buildings. These extinguishers must be tested and inspected on a regular basis to ensure they are working properly.

The guidelines for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire extinguishers is listed in New Zealand Standard 4503 Hand Operated Fire Fighting Equipment.

Fire Extinguisher Testing and Maintenance

New Zealand Standards say that fire extinguishers should be tested at regular intervals to ensure proper function. Here are some guidelines on proper fire extinguisher testing and maintenance.

You should test the fire extinguishers at least once per year as stipulated in NZS 4503-2005. Fire extinguishers should be checked and tested by a licensed fire protection company for accurate results.

Staff should carry out routine quick inspections to ensure that the extinguisher is still in good working order.

You want to ensure extinguishers are always in good working condition and ready for use. You can do this by hiring a professional fire company to perform the maintenance and testing for fire extinguishers.

Many fire extinguishers have chemicals in the canister. Heavy chemicals may settle down in the canister and disrupt the mixture of chemicals in the extinguisher. This, in turn, prevents the extinguisher from being able to put out fires properly. You should give your extinguishers a little shake once a month to keep the chemical mix healthy. Check to see if your extinguishers have a distorted chemical mixture.

Proper fire extinguisher placement should also be considered. Everyone in the building should have access to a fire extinguisher. This is important because, without that access, there’s no point in even having an extinguisher.

Also be sure to check the body of the extinguisher for any dents, leaks, wear and tear, rust, and other issues. Check the pins and seals of the extinguisher to ensure they aren’t broken.

Can the Workplace Environment Impact Fire Extinguisher Performance?

If a fire extinguisher is kept in a harsh environment, then it will likely need more regular inspections and maintenance. For example, if it is kept somewhere, that receives extreme temperatures, high sunlight exposure, vibrations from machines, and a lot of dust. These are all conditions that increase fire extinguisher failure rate. You should be sure to test and maintain extinguishers more often in these cases.

Have the Fire Risks Changed?

The old fire extinguishers in your building may no longer be a good fit if the fire risks for your building have changed. If you’ve got a new switchboard installed or you have more electrical controls than you did before, then you should have a Class E extinguisher installed and maintained as needed.

If your workplace now handles flammable materials when it didn’t before, then you now need a Class B fire extinguisher to handle the problem.

It is vital that properly assess and review workplace risks on a regular basis and update fire extinguishers according to the fire hazards.

Are all Extinguishers Properly Installed and Mounted?

Regular inspections of brackets, cabinets, and enclosures that fire extinguishers are kept in will help ensure that they are functional. Extinguishers should be mounted to a wall or support and properly secured in place in a way that allows for the tags to be read easily.

Be careful when placing extinguishers. They should not be stored somewhere that is difficult to reach or would otherwise put the person reaching it at risk. They should be placed along regular walking paths and by fire exits when possible.

Fire Extinguisher Testing Requirements

Fire extinguishers must be tested every 12 months. If the extinguisher doesn’t have a pressure gauge, then it should also be weighed to verify it is still full. Certain kinds of fire extinguisher could require extra tasks to be done. Extinguishers should be emptied out, pressure tested and refilled every five years. Some extinguishers may require period servicing every 3, 5, or 6 years as well.

The date and results of tests – as well as the interval between tests – should be marked on the PVC tagged attached to the fire extinguisher.

Outside of that, there is no need for any other work so long as visual inspections of the extinguisher show that the unit is in good work order. The only other time to take action would be if the unit is too light or the gauge indicates that it is under pressure. This extra work is approved by clients before being undertaken by our inspectors. Fire extinguishers should always be refilled as necessary between service, though, even if they are only slightly discharged.

Our Fire Extinguisher Service and Inspection Includes;