How to Inspect a fire extinguisher | Step by Step Guide |

How to inspect a fire extinguisher?

When it comes to fire safety in a company, availability of functional fire extinguisher in the workplace is crucial. But just simply having them in the workplace is not enough, regular inspection of fire extinguishers is also essential to ensure that they are ready to use in fire emergency. On the hand, OSHA (a regulatory authority) requires to inspect fire extinguisher regularly.
 In this blog post, I will give you a brief guide about how to inspect fire extinguishers and when it becomes essential to conduct the inspection of fire extinguishers.

So let’s get into it and learn how to inspect fire extinguishers like a professional.

The safety period of the fire extinguisher is 12 months (In simple words 1 Year). Therefore, the user's purchase of fire extinguishers is just the beginning, and a large amount of fire extinguishers are used during the annual inspection, maintenance and maintenance. The health and safety team should must conduct a functional inspection of all fire extinguishers at least every twelve months.

Step 1: Verify the pressure rate of fire extinguisher to ensure its functioning properly

The fire extinguisher gauge has three zones:

Recharge (Red) zone: On the fire extinguisher indicates that the pressure of the dry powder in the extinguisher is small and there is no possibility of expulsion or it has expired.
Optimal (Green)zone: On fire extinguisher gauge indicates that the pressure is normal and the fire extinguisher is OK to use normally. You should must ensure that the pressure gauge of fire extinguisher is at Green area.
Over Charged (Yellow) zone: On the fire extinguisher gauge indicates that the pressure inside the fire extinguisher is too high but can be used normally. But there is a danger of fire extinguisher explosion. However, I recommend you to NEVER USE the fire extinguisher if its gauge is on YELLOW AREA.

Step 2: Check the fire extinguisher bottle body: Check whether the fire extinguisher body is rusty, cracked, and the red paint is too weak. 

Step 3: Check whether the fire extinguisher is blocked with powder tube, inlet tube, nozzle and spray gun; The powder tube is used to prevent the nozzle from moisture. It turns out that the blockage needs to be cleaned in time, and the moisture-proof membrane and moisture-proof plug need to be replaced in time.

Step 4: Check the fire extinguisher safety bolt: Check whether the fire extinguisher safety lock is in good condition. Whether it is easy to pull the pin out or it is stuck.

Step 5: Fire extinguisher after each use, maintenance license must be taken to have the unit (hereinafter referred to as repair unit) inspection, replacement has been damaged, filling with extinguishing gas extinguishing agent and driving.

Step 6: Check whether the control mechanism is flexible, the simplified seal is tight, and the fire extinguisher cover is fixed.

This blog is written by HSEWALA.
Hope this blog finds you well and informative.
Thanks for visiting HSEWALA.
Regards: Rehan Waseem.