How Often Should Fire Extinguishers Be Checked?

With many businesses operating with reduced staff due to working from home, furlough, self-isolation and quarantine, fire equipment maintenance is probably the last thing on the minds of business owners and managers.

With fewer people in the workplace due to government-enforced social distancing guidelines, the responsibility of checking your fire safety equipment may get overlooked, and yet – even if your premises are empty – your legal obligation to ensure serviceable fire safety equipment remains.  Under normal circumstances, this may well be a task which can be managed inhouse without too much inconvenience but given the current situation and impact of COVID-19 restrictions, help may be needed.  This is where FireCare can step in – we appreciate that fire safety checks are a burden that many companies can currently do without, and will service and maintain your fire extinguishers and fire equipment on your behalf, freeing up your time to concentrate on your business.

By law, any business occupying areas up to 400 square metres must have at least 2 water extinguishers per floor (unless an upper level is less than 100sqm then only one is required), and 1 CO2 extinguishers to cover all fire risks. Larger premises require more, and all units must be tested onsite every month and checked at least once per year by a trained competent engineer to comply with UK regulations.

Routinely checking your fire safety equipment gives you the opportunity to ensure that they function correctly, and to report any faults to your provider. To the uninitiated, checking the operation of your extinguishers may seem like just a box-ticking exercise, but equipment which has remained static for several months could cease to be effective, endangering the lives of your employees and the livelihood of your business. Our expert engineers can visit your workplace at a time and date to suit you and conduct an audit to ensure that your fire safety and prevention measures are compliant and effective.

Although fire extinguishers can be ordered online, they must be commissioned onsite by a trained engineer. With so many varieties of extinguisher to choose from, how do you know whether your needs require a water, CO2, foam, dry powder, or wet chemical unit? Buying fire extinguishers online can lead to the purchase of incorrect units, often resulting in these units being removed and replaced upon inspection. As well as mitigating unnecessary costs to your company, using a professional fire safety service such as FireCare ensures that in the event of a fire, your premises is equipped with the correct tools.

With over 10 years of fire safety compliance experience, you can trust FireCare to order and install the right kind of extinguisher to give you the means to fight fire where it is safe to do so, and to protect your business and people. You can find out more about our fire extinguisher services here.

At FireCare, we provide pragmatic, comprehensive fire safety services to businesses throughout Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey and London.  We will keep you compliant, without causing you inconvenience. To book your complementary compliance audit, call our friendly team today on 023 8026 9833, or email info@firecareandsecurity.co.uk.