Testing a Fire Extinguisher Correctly is Important

1. Testing a Fire Extinguisher Correctly is Important You never want to skip testing fire extinguishers at regular intervals. However, learning how to properly test a fire extinguisher is vital. It doesn’t do any good to complete that process if it isn’t done correctly. A trained professional should be conducting such inspections for you. If you are going to do them on your own, make sure you are shown how to do so by an expert. Sadly, too many locations have them in place, but they don’t keep up on checking them at regular intervals. They have no idea if they would work or not should there be an actual fire situation. As a business owner, you are legally responsible for the safety of those in your building. If you have faulty fire extinguishers, you could be held liable in the event of a fire. Pin and Seal The first part of how to properly test a fire extinguisher is to check the locking pin and the tamper seal. Make sure they are both intact without any signs of damages or concerns. If they have been broken or you have other concerns, they should be replaced. There is a good chance the fire extinguisher won’t work as it should if you identify such problems, don’t ignore them.

2. Examine for Physical Damage The next step with how to properly test a fire extinguisher is to check it for any physical damage. Check the nozzle to make sure it isn’t clogged and there aren’t any signs of dust or debris in the way of it. Check for any signs of leakage or corrosion. Physically pick it up to make sure it feels full. If you have a leak, it is going to be much lighter than the others. Gauge Check the gauge as part of how to properly test a fire extinguisher. It should register that the canister is full. It is a red flag if it is showing less than that. This indicates either the gauge is broken and needs to be replaced or the canister has a leak in it. You don’t want to wait until you need to use the fire extinguisher to figure out you have an underlying issue. Checklist While these are the main elements of how to properly test a fire extinguisher, there should be a checklist in place. This is to ensure nothing gets overlooked with such an inspection. It should be very detailed with room for the person who conducted the inspection to initial it and to make comments about anything they found.This checklist should be in full compliance with regulations and requirements. They can change over time when additional safety features are offered. Make sure you are using a current form and it is filled out completely. The inspections should be conducted on every single fire extinguisher. Take your time to complete them thoroughly. Keep Track of Testing For the best outcome, the process of how to properly test a fire extinguisher should be conducted by a trained professional. They should keep track of when the testing took place and what they found. Any concerns should be addressed at that time. This includes repairing or replacing the fire extinguisher.Such testing should be done annually, but it is even better to do it every six months. Any time a fire extinguisher is used; it should be refilled or replaced after it has been properly inspected. Don’t try to cut corners with this type of important review because it can make a difference in the overall safety of everyone in a given building at any point in time. About Us: SK Fire Protection procedures and policies. Fire prevention is very important to protect your employees, customers and your business materials. Sadly, most businesses fail to realise the steps they can take relating to prevention. It is only after a fire has occurred that they learn what they could have done differently. Our services are designed to help you create the best environment for overall safety from fires. They also ensure you have evacuation plans in place, functional fire extinguishers, and so much more. Contact us today to see what we can do to help your business. offers an array of services to ensure your business is following the best