Seven Key Details You Don't Want To Overlook Regarding Fire Extinguisher Maintenance
Fire extinguishers need to be well maintained so that they'll work properly in an emergency situation. One of the most important things you need to do to keep your extinguishers maintained is to have fire extinguisher recharging done periodically.
The following are seven key details you don't want to overlook regarding fire extinguisher maintenance in order to keep your fire extinguishers properly recharged.
A fire extinguisher should always be recharged after the extinguisher is used
If your fire extinguishers are ever used in a fire or emergency, you should be aware of the fact that they need to be recharged immediately afterward. Fire extinguishers need to be recharged after use, even if they were only used very briefly and are not yet empty.
Fire extinguishers also need to be recharged periodically, even if they haven't been used
Your extinguishers still need to be recharged periodically, even if they have never been put to use. You should check the manufacturer's recommendations to see how frequently your extinguishers need to be recharged.
Certain environmental factors might make it so that fire extinguishers need to be recharged sooner
Depending on the environment within your facilities, you may need to have your fire extinguishers recharged even more frequently than the manufacturer recommends. More frequent recharges are important if your extinguishers are exposed to temperature or humidity extremes. They may also be more important if extinguishers are exposed to a lot of vibration.
Fire extinguisher inspections should be done when a fire extinguisher is recharged
Every time your fire extinguisher is recharged, it should also be inspected. Inspections can ensure that a fire extinguisher is still working properly. During inspections, it's important to make sure that usage instructions are still clearly visible on your fire extinguishers. This makes it so that fire extinguishers can be easily used in an emergency situation.
Single use extinguishers are typically the only type that doesn't need to be recharged
Most types of fire extinguishers out there will need to be recharged periodically. The only type that doesn't need to be recharged is a single-use or disposable extinguisher.
You should have your fire extinguishers inspected and recharged by a professional
A fire extinguisher recharge is a task best left to the professionals. It's not a good idea to try to handle fire extinguisher recharging and maintenance yourself.
There are NFPA codes and standards that detail fire extinguisher recharge requirements
Recharging fire extinguishers isn't only important when it comes to keeping them properly maintained. It's also important to meet NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) codes. These codes are put in place to help keep your facilities safer. Familiarize yourself with the relevant codes applicable to your building and fire extinguisher models to meet your responsibilities as a property owner and to keep your facilities safe.
Talk to a local fire extinguisher recharging service to learn more.