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.