We have acquired the right number, type and size of fire extinguishers. Great. But what exactly do we have to do with them after their installation? In this article we will try to summarize the most important details for you.
Why is it important to control and maintain fire extinguishers?
Because likely the device was not used, just standing there for years so maybe some inner part are corroded or the pressure changed. If we do not check, we will never find these issues and maybe the extinguisher will be unusable in a situation when it would be really needed. However, it is also worth to know that control and maintenance is mandatory by Hungarian law. Missing to do so may result in a penalty up to 30,000 HUF per fire extinguisher.
What types of controls and maintenance are required?
There are two types of controls for fire extinguishers, regardless of type and size. One is the inspection of the operator. For this, it is important to clarify who is the operator of the equipment. At an own space – be it an office, a workshop, a lab or anything – this is not a question. The owner of the place is also the operator of the device. However, in those cases where a particular place or building is a rental property, this may be an interesting question. Here the contract between the tenant and the lessor must decide on this responsibility and the extra costs.
So the operator of the fire extinguishers must check the devices in every 3 months. A report must be prepared about the inspection as well. During the quarterly inspection you need to check if there is any damage on the device that could deny the usage of it. You also have to check if there is something what can influence the internal pressure of the extinguisher. If your device shows the pressure inside on a small manometer, you might also want to have a look on it whether the indicator is in the right zone. The 3-month maintenance check is mandatory. The good news, however, is that you don’t have to be a fire safety specialist. Anyone can do the investigation. Sometimes it is also worthwhile to make sure that the location of the fire extinguishers within the building is the same as marked on the graphic escape plan on the walls. You should keep the prepared report about the experiences among the other fire safety documents. The authorities can ask for it in case of a possible official control. If you have experienced any deviation or anomaly during the 3-month fire extinguishing test, then it is not enough to record it, but the problem should be fixed as soon as possible.
The other type of review is called maintenance.
This can be done only by a fire safety supplier with appropriate qualifications and equipment. This maintenance has a one-year version (for certain special devices, the required duration is half a year), which is called basic maintenance. In addition, there is a so-called mid-maintenance that is done every 5 years and a full maintenance every 10 years.
During the annual maintenance, the fire safety specialist usually goes to the company’s premises and performs the necessary work there. If he/she finds everything right, your device will receive a small sticker or tag indicating that the next maintenance date is in the following year. If you have a problem with your device, you should be informed via the official report on one hand, but in addition, you will get a sticker that indicates your extinguisher does not work. During mid-maintenance and full maintenance, professionals need to deliver equipment to a workshop that has the necessary permissions from the Directorate-General for Disaster Management; on the other hand, there are all means for pressure tests or internal inspection of tanks. It is also important to keep the maintenance report among the other fire safety documents.
What about fire extinguishers at home?
We recommend to anyone who can to buy a fire extinguisher for home as well. Of course, it will be not checked by the authority and we will not be penalized if we do not check it. Nonetheless, the Safety Centrum team suggests to check the device at home regularly and carry out the maintenance on a home-based fire extinguisher as well. A few thousand forints per year worth of our own safety.