Having a working fire extinguisher in your business space is crucial to keep your team safe. But this isn’t where your responsibilities end, as you need to make sure they’re inspected too.
Fire extinguisher servicing isn’t just a safety tip; it’s actually a legal requirement in the UK. How often you need to get them inspected may change depending on what type you have, meaning you need to be in the know to ensure both fire safety and legal compliance.
In this blog, we’ll outline how often you need to service your fire extinguisher, how that might change depending on which one you have, and whether you’re the one responsible for it.
How Often You Need to Service Your Fire Extinguisher
Fire extinguishers require a basic service by a professional at least once a year, according to the British Standards code.
In addition to an annual check, fire extinguishers also need a more in-depth service, known as a discharge test, to check operation. Depending on the type of fire extinguisher you have, this may be required every 5 or 10 years.
It’s a good idea to perform small visual checks on your fire extinguisher every month to be sure it’s not rusted, damaged, or faulty.
Do Different Types of Fire Extinguishers Have Different Schedules?
Yes, each fire extinguisher has a different schedule for how often you need to arrange for them to be serviced.
You should still do a visual inspection on your fire extinguisher at least once a month, and this goes for all agent types. However, for the more thorough servicing carried out by professionals, you can check out our table to see how often each type needs to be checked.
| How Often to Service Your Fire Extinguisher | |
| Agent Type | Servicing Schedule |
| Foam | 5 years |
| Carbon Dioxide | 10 years |
| Powder | 5 years |
| Water | 5 years |
| Wet chemical | 5 years |
Unsure which fire extinguisher you have? You can tell by the colour it is! Red indicates water, blue for powder, black signifies a CO2 extinguisher, cream is for foam, and yellow is wet chemical.
What Is Checked During a Fire Extinguisher Service?
Fire extinguisher services by professionals include a comprehensive inspection, designed to ensure safety and functionality. As such, a few things will be checked during the inspection.
✓ Pressure gauge
✓ Weight
✓ Safety pin
✓ Tamper seal
✓ Hose
✓ Nozzle
✓ Handle
✓ Valve
All of these checks look at the fire extinguisher itself to make sure it’s all in working order, should you need it. However, the person inspecting will likely check that the signage is still visible, as well as have a look to see if your maintenance and certification are up to date.
How Much Does a Fire Extinguisher Servicing Cost?
Fire extinguisher servicing costs typically range between £10 and £30, depending on a few factors.
For example, if you have a few fire extinguishers around the building, then you may need to pay towards the pricier end to ensure all of them are properly inspected. Should your fire extinguisher need maintenance, this can incur additional costs as well.
The best way to get an accurate estimate for how much your fire extinguisher servicing will cost is to give us a call.
What Happens if I Don’t Service a Fire Extinguisher?
Making sure you stay on top of your fire extinguisher servicing is important, not only because it’s a legal requirement, but also because it ensures the equipment is in good working order.
But what happens if you forget to have your extinguisher serviced at the necessary time? Well, naturally, it puts people in the building at risk of harm should a fire break out. However, there are also legal repercussions.
For example, insurance companies may invalidate your claim, and you could find yourself with fines to pay off as well. In more severe cases, your business may be shut down by fire services, and legal action may be filed against you.
Am I Responsible for Fire Extinguisher Servicing?
Fire safety legislation states that the designated responsible person in a business or building is in charge of compliance and fire safety, including arranging fire extinguisher servicing.
This means if you’re a landlord, employer, building owner, or facility manager, then you may very well be the person responsible for booking a fire extinguisher servicing.
It’s important to note that you don’t need to carry this out yourself, unless you’re fully qualified to do so. Instead, it’s your job to source and arrange for an external professional to come to your premises to service the extinguisher for you.
For larger businesses, you may designate others to help you with keeping track of fire safety. However, you need to make sure these people are knowledgeable in fire safety, as well as arrange any necessary training to keep them up to date with new practices and regulations.
FP Fire Carry Out Professional Fire Extinguisher Servicing
Here at FP Fire, we’re professionals in all things fire safety. Of course, this includes conducting fire extinguisher services and maintenance.
In fact, with over 40 years of industry experience, you can expect our team to deliver honest, reliable guidance on keeping your business or property safe from the risk of fire. Get in touch today to arrange your fire extinguisher service with us.
Call us on 020 3633 7572 or send an email to info@fpfire.co.uk. We’re open 9 am to 5 pm during the week. We look forward to hearing from you.
Want to know more about fire safety? Discover who is responsible for using a fire extinguisher or how often a fire risk assessment needs to be done on our blog.