Fire Extinguisher Servicing Is An Essential Fire Safety Measure - By: K Garrow

There is no doubt that fire extinguisher servicing is an important part of your business operation. There are several simple measures that need to be in place so that you can be sure that you are complying with current workplace safety legislation. None of this is rocket science but it does take a little planning and organisation.

Here we are just discussing fire extinguishers, and fire extinguisher servicing. A fire extinguisher is an active fire protection device and can be used to extinguish or control small fires. Portable appliances are not meant to battle huge fires, as that should be left to the professionals. Staff should be trained in whether to use appliances or not and if so, in what circumstances. In general, staff should put safety first and not tackle fires if they are at all well established or spreading fast.

All businesses owners or managers have an obligation to ensure that their premises are a safe environment for their staff and any visitors. This includes providing the right number and type of fire extinguishers and putting them in the appropriate places. In addition to that, there are certain steps that you must take to ensure that whenever these appliances are required, they are going to be in good working order.

Fire extinguisher servicing should be carried out by a trained engineer. They will check things like whether the appliance has been discharged and whether it functions properly. This will tell them if it needs to be filled, or replaced. If it needs to be filled, they will add the proper amount of whatever chemical is in your extinguisher to re-fill it.

This type of specialist fire extinguisher servicing should be carried out at least once a year in your business premises. You can be found to be in breach of current legislation if you do not service your extinguisher once a year. In addition to this you should also put a system in place to check on your appliances on a more regular basis. You are obviously not expected to carry out proper servicing, but it is a good idea to have a system in place for someone to go around all your safety equipment once a month just carrying out a visual inspection. This should just include checking for basic things such as the extinguisher being where it is supposed to be, checking that it has not been damaged and that the pin is in place and that it has not been discharged. It is sensible to keep a written record of such inspections.

Let us also consider whether there are any other steps we can take to make sure that our premises are safe from fire. Consider the following suggestions:

You can add fire blankets to your arsenal of fire protection equipment for certain areas, such as catering kitchens.
You must ensure you have a viable emergency plan for your premises, explaining what everyone should do in an emergency evacuation.
Implement staff training to ensure that your people know where the fire alarm call points are, and how to use them.
Put a contract in place for your yearly fire extinguisher servicing and set up your own monthly checks.
Ask the fire extinguisher service technician for advise on any issues that arise.
Make sure you have carried out a fire risk assessment and implemented any recommendations.

There should be nothing more important then keeping your building and your employees safe from a fire. A safe employee is a happy employee, and a happy employee is a productive employee. When they see you making sure that your fire safety equipment is working right, they will feel that you really care about them.

In conclusion, annual fire extinguisher servicing is an essential safety measure and can save a lot of time, and money in the long run. It is a god thing to keep your staff and your business well protected. Most people will think a lot of a person who has genuine concern for them, and a fire extinguisher servicing will show your employees just that.

About the Author

Read more about fire extinguisher servicing on the author's website, as well as a guide to fire risk assessment and information about each fire extinguisher class.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/K-Garrow/116746

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