Does a New Fire Extinguisher Need to Be Inspected?

If you’re a business owner, you probably already know that fire extinguishers need to be inspected according to national, state and local regulations. Generally, you should expect to inspect them visually once per month, with a maintenance inspection every year and an internal inspection every five, six or 12 years. (This depends on the type of extinguisher you’re using.)

Many of our customers ask us if they need a fire extinguisher inspection for new fire extinguishers in Longview, TX. After all, they’re brand new pieces of equipment—they should work, right?

Unfortunately, things can go wrong during the manufacturing and shipping processes that could cause your fire extinguisher to malfunction during an emergency, which is why even your new fire extinguisher should be certified before you mount it. This is often done before you purchase the extinguisher, but ask your seller to make sure. In fact, regulations sprang up when it was discovered that a batch of extinguishers had no hole in the nozzle to spray the fire retardants.

Here’s what your technician will look for, under guidance from the National Fire Protection Association:

• Whether the extinguisher is the type you ordered: This sounds obvious—we always want the product we ordered—but it’s important because different types of fire extinguishers put out different kinds of fires. Some types of fire suppression tools can make the wrong type of fire even worse.
• Proper pressure and gauge: Sometimes extinguishers are shipped with the wrong type of gauge—and of course, it’s important the unit is charged properly. Undercharged extinguishers won’t put out fires, and overcharged units can explode. If the entire batch is undercharged, there may have been a problem with the pressurizing line during manufacturing.
• Whether there’s testing or approval information on the information band: If the unit doesn’t include this information, experts recommend sending the entire batch back. There should also be a date of manufacture stamped on the unit itself.
• The age of the extinguisher: “New” fire extinguishers that are more than a year old are undesirable and should be sent back to the manufacturer.
• If the parts are all present and properly attached: This can include things like the hoses, nozzles and safety pin. Naturally, you want your fire extinguisher to be operational as soon as you purchase it—no assembly required.

Inspecting fire extinguishers before making a sale should be common practice for most sellers, but it never hurts to double check. After all, it’s an important piece of safety equipment that can save lives and property—you’re better off safe than sorry.

Fire extinguisher inspections in Longview, TX

Need quality fire extinguisher inspections? The crew at Anchor Safety Inc. not only offers a comprehensive array of fire safety products and consultation services, but are happy to perform new extinguisher inspections as well as annual and internal maintenance inspections. We’ll help ensure that your units are ready to go when you need them, and that they stay that way. Reach out to us today to learn more.

Categorised in: Fire Extinguishers

This post was written by Writer