Is Your Fire Extinguisher Due Its Annual Service?

A fire extinguisher can sit on the same bracket for years and look perfectly fine, right up until the moment someone needs it and it does not work. That is why every extinguisher needs an annual service by a competent person. After a busy summer, September is a natural time to check yours are up to date. This guide shows you how to tell if a fire extinguisher service is overdue, what the service covers, and what an out of date unit means for your business.

How to check if your fire extinguisher service is due

Every serviced extinguisher carries a service label, usually near the top of the body. The engineer records the date of the last service on it, so the quickest check is to read that label. If the last service was more than a year ago, or there is no label at all, it is overdue.

There are a few other things you can look at yourself between services:

• The pressure gauge needle should sit in the green zone, not in the red.
• The safety pin and tamper seal should be in place and unbroken.
• The body should be free of dents, rust or leaks, and the hose clear.
• The unit should be on its bracket, visible, and not blocked by stock or furniture.

What the annual service actually involves

The annual visit is known as a basic service. A competent engineer inspects each extinguisher, checks the weight and pressure, examines the seals, hose and moving parts, and confirms the right type of extinguisher is in the right place. Anything that fails is repaired or replaced, and you get a signed report for your records.

On top of the yearly basic service, extinguishers need a deeper service at longer intervals. Most water, foam and powder units have an extended service, where the extinguisher is discharged and refilled, after five years. CO2 extinguishers are overhauled at ten years. Following this schedule is the recognised industry standard for keeping extinguishers reliable.

What to do yourself, and what needs an engineer

What happens when the service is overdue

An overdue extinguisher is a gamble. A slow pressure loss, a seized valve or the wrong extinguisher for the risk will not show up until the day of a fire, and by then there is no second chance. There is a business cost too. If your fire risk assessment, your insurer or the fire service find extinguishers that are out of date, that is read as poor maintenance, and it can affect a claim or a visit outcome.

Why September is a sensible time to check

After the summer, many Cumbria businesses come off their busiest run of the year. Kitchens, holiday lets, farms and shops have all been working hard, and equipment often gets overlooked in the rush. A quick review now, before the darker months, means any overdue extinguishers are sorted while things are quieter, and you head into winter with a fresh service record.

Your questions answered

How often do fire extinguishers need servicing?

A basic service by a competent person every year, with a deeper extended service after five years for most types and a ten year overhaul for CO2 units. You or your staff should also do a quick visual check each month.

Is servicing fire extinguishers a legal requirement?

In effect, yes. You must keep firefighting equipment in efficient working order, and the accepted way to do that is an annual service with a record kept.

Can I check my own fire extinguishers?

You can and should carry out a monthly visual check. The full annual service must be done by a competent engineer with the right training and equipment.