Do you have a working fire extinguisher in your home or office right now? A structure fire can start at a residence or commercial building at any given moment. Across the United States, a local Fire Department is notified of their need to respond to a fire approximately every 24 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association. While this seems like an overwhelming amount of flames going up throughout the nation, this number could be significantly reduced with the presence of a fire extinguisher. A 2002 study conducted in the United Kingdom surveyed the use of portable fire extinguishers and reported that nearly 80% of fire incidents can be handled with the swift and responsible use of a simple fire extinguisher.
With overwhelming statistics like that, it is easy to understand why portable fire extinguishers are required in all businesses, regardless of the business type, or the size of the company. Regular fire extinguisher service is a vital component to have not just on the property of your business, but throughout it. Stashing one extinguisher in an unrealistic corner is going to do more harm than good.
Your regular fire extinguisher needs to be readily available to everyone in the event of an emergency. Make sure your entire staff knows where the fire extinguishers are located. It is not enough for one or two people to know. What happens if they are out of the office? Make a habit of regularly going over your fire safety plan with your entire staff, including pointing out the locations of all available fire extinguishers to avoid panic in a time of vulnerability.
Filled with fire retardant foam, water, CO2, dry chemical powder, and more, in most cases, fire extinguishers can do the job. In fact, research suggests that sixty percent of fires go unreported, meaning the situation was handled with a fire extinguisher.
It is important to note that handheld protection like this is meant to act as the first line of defense, not always the only line of defense. If the situation is developing and authorities are on their way, the fire extinguisher will be able to assist in controlling the accident, and hopefully, reduce the imminent threat. Easily accessible and on-site Regular Fire Extinguisher Services can save lives and prevent irreversible damage while saving you time and money.
How Often Do Fire Extinguishers Need to be Serviced
So your business has fire extinguishers placed throughout the facility, your staff knows where they are all located, and you are having regular meetings to discuss fire safety. You are all set, right? Not quite. Knowing where the fire extinguishers are and knowing they will work when you find them are two different things.
Ensuring your fire extinguishers are in peak working condition is essential to an effective fire suppression plan. Knowing where the fire extinguisher is, is great, but if you grab a broken device, you have a real problem. To guarantee your fire extinguishers will be there when you need them, you should periodically service their parts like you would a car. Your entire extensive fire suppression plan should be revisited and revised as often as possible in order to make sure the systems in place are understood by your staff, fully functional, and within their service dates. Checking that each part of your fire extinguisher is in-tact and completely damage-free should be routine; someone familiar with fire safety protocol needs to inspect your equipment around once a month and document the date. Ideally, a professional in the fire safety equipment inspection field, like an A Total Solution technician, should be taking a look at each different component of your equipment annually. A Total Solution (ATS) goes above and beyond to ensure that each person we work with is always covered. From installation to repairs, maintenance, and even inspections, ATS covers every aspect of your fire extinguisher needs, so that businesses are not stressing over finding professionals that are following the most recent codes set by the National Fire Protection Association.
If your equipment has a defect, needs to be serviced, or anything in between, an A Total Solution professional will be there as soon as possible to correct the issue.
Servicing your fire extinguishers in a timely manner, rather than replacing your equipment will save your company time and money. If the repair is too grand to handle on the premises, or you are in the process of updating your comprehensive fire safety plan, our team will leave a provisional replacement so that you are still protected while your device(s) is being worked on!
What to Expect When Getting Your Fire Extinguisher Recharged
A majority of inspections, repairs, and recharges for fire extinguishers can be done on-site. But what exactly does that encompass? Each month, a qualified person needs to be checking for accessible, clearly labeled, fully sealed, undented, and unexpired fire extinguishers throughout your business.
However, as you approach the one-year mark of your devices needing service, how do you know what to expect? For one, it is vital that the professional conducting your inspection is NICET certified, like an A Total Solution expert. The National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies sets the national fire alarm codes and training to regulate the best knowledge available on these fire safety technologies and topics.
A seasoned technician will verify everything that the monthly check includes (scratch and dent-free, legible labels, etc.) and certify there are no defects. While getting your fire extinguisher recharged, anticipate the specialist to double-check the canister pressure as well. After an extensive exam of each part of your fire suppression system, you, your team, and everyone here at ATS will be confident in your safety!
A Total Solution offers comprehensive fire suppression plans, including basic fire extinguisher services, and more that will protect your employees, guests, and property in the event of a serious emergency. Call today to schedule a consultation.