5 ms·

> Fire extinguishers should be inspected by a licensed professional every two years Really? Do you know _anyone_ who does that? What will the professional do

> Fire extinguishers should be inspected by a licensed professional every two years Really? Do you know _anyone_ who does that? What will the professional do that we don't -- take a look at the charge level, take a look at manufacturer date?

ethanbond 4y ago
You should call a professional and ask them what else they’d do.
- ryandrake 4y ago
  Here's an out there suggestion: See if you have a paintball store near you, call them up, and ask them where they send their air tanks for testing/inspection. Last place I sent my paintball gun air tank to get inspected, they also did fire extinguishers.
  - pvaldes 4y ago
    Same recommended if you do scuba diving. Check your bottles for corrosion, valves, etc.
wongarsu 4y ago
Any commercial building I'm in (in Germany) does that. The fire extuingishers have little stickers when the next inspection is due, and seeing that out of date by more than two months or so is a major red flag. Same with fire extinguishers in the hallways of bigger apartment buildings. For private people it's less common to do that.
mschuster91 4y ago
> What will the professional do that we don't -- take a look at the charge level, take a look at manufacturer date? Here in Germany, the checklist is as follows - and government as well as insurances can and do audit companies if that is being followed: - check for accessibility: is the location of the extinguisher properly marked on maps and does the wall have visible indicators that show where the extinguisher is? Can the extinguisher be reached and grabbed in an emergency or has random clutter accumulated next to it? Are the maps and indicator designs outdated? Are the indicator signs autoflourescent to make them visible even in the case of a fire-caused electrical blackout? Are there enough maps publicly visible that everyone can access one in case of emergency? - for wall mounts: check if the holder is structurally sound or if someone ripped out half the screws by bumping into it? - check if the tank itself hasn't expired. A tank usually is certified for ten years. - inspect the extinguisher visually, look for dents etc. that may have led to corrosion of the tank or damage to the hose/nozzle (and subsequently a rupture risk should it be used). That is a very common occurrence in portable extinguishers that have been used as door stops. - check if the extinguisher has been used / the seal been broken. If yes, that demands a full replacement of consumable parts (pressurizer agent, extinguisher agent, seals). - check if the interior of the tank has been damaged by corrosion - check if the pressurizer agent is not expired (most extinguishers here aren't permanently pressurized, instead they contain a CO2 cartridge) and weigh the cartridge to make sure it hasn't leaked - check all O-rings and replace if necessary
- shadowpho 4y ago
  Thank you! That looks like a great list, but for commercial buildings. For private accessibility\wall mount isn't going to move.
the_mitsuhiko 4y ago
In Austria the local fire departments announce a day where you can check them and in some places they come buy once a year. In our multi unit building the building management does it.

ethanbond 4y ago

You should call a professional and ask them what else they’d do.

ryandrake 4y ago
Here's an out there suggestion: See if you have a paintball store near you, call them up, and ask them where they send their air tanks for testing/inspection. Last place I sent my paintball gun air tank to get inspected, they also did fire extinguishers.
- pvaldes 4y ago
  Same recommended if you do scuba diving. Check your bottles for corrosion, valves, etc.

wongarsu 4y ago

Any commercial building I'm in (in Germany) does that. The fire extuingishers have little stickers when the next inspection is due, and seeing that out of date by more than two months or so is a major red flag. Same with fire extinguishers in the hallways of bigger apartment buildings. For private people it's less common to do that.

mschuster91 4y ago

> What will the professional do that we don't -- take a look at the charge level, take a look at manufacturer date? Here in Germany, the checklist is as follows - and government as well as insurances can and do audit companies if that is being followed: - check for accessibility: is the location of the extinguisher properly marked on maps and does the wall have visible indicators that show where the extinguisher is? Can the extinguisher be reached and grabbed in an emergency or has random clutter accumulated next to it? Are the maps and indicator designs outdated? Are the indicator signs autoflourescent to make them visible even in the case of a fire-caused electrical blackout? Are there enough maps publicly visible that everyone can access one in case of emergency? - for wall mounts: check if the holder is structurally sound or if someone ripped out half the screws by bumping into it? - check if the tank itself hasn't expired. A tank usually is certified for ten years. - inspect the extinguisher visually, look for dents etc. that may have led to corrosion of the tank or damage to the hose/nozzle (and subsequently a rupture risk should it be used). That is a very common occurrence in portable extinguishers that have been used as door stops. - check if the extinguisher has been used / the seal been broken. If yes, that demands a full replacement of consumable parts (pressurizer agent, extinguisher agent, seals). - check if the interior of the tank has been damaged by corrosion - check if the pressurizer agent is not expired (most extinguishers here aren't permanently pressurized, instead they contain a CO2 cartridge) and weigh the cartridge to make sure it hasn't leaked - check all O-rings and replace if necessary

shadowpho 4y ago
Thank you! That looks like a great list, but for commercial buildings. For private accessibility\wall mount isn't going to move.

the_mitsuhiko 4y ago

In Austria the local fire departments announce a day where you can check them and in some places they come buy once a year. In our multi unit building the building management does it.