Testing A Fire Extinguisher Correctly Is Important

1. TESTI NG A FI RE EXTI NGUI SHER CORRECTLY I S I MPORTANT You never want t o s ki p t es t i ng fr e ext i ngui s her s at r egul ar i nt er val s . However , l ear ni ng how t o pr oper l y t es t a fr e ext i ngui s her i s vi t al . I t does n’ t do any good t o compl et e t hat pr oces s i f i t i s n’ t done cor r ect l y. A t r ai ned pr of es s i onal s houl d be conduct i ng s uch i ns pect i ons f or you. I f you ar e goi ng t o do t hem on your own, make s ur e you ar e s hown how t o do s o by an exper t . Sadl y, t oo many l ocat i ons have t hem i n pl ace, but t hey don’ t keep up on checki ng t hem at r egul ar i nt er val s . T ey have no i dea i f t hey woul d wor k or not s houl d t her e be an act ual fr e s i t uat i on. As a bus i nes s owner , you ar e l egal l y r es pons i bl e f or t he s af et y of t hos e i n your bui l di ng. I f you have f aul t y fr e ext i ngui s her s , you coul d be hel d l i abl e i n t he event of a fr e. Pi n and Seal - T e fr s t par t of how t o pr oper l y t es t a fr e ext i ngui s her i s t o check t he l ocki ng pi n and t he t amper s eal . Make s ur e t hey ar e bot h i nt act wi t hout any s i gns of damages or

2. concer ns . I f t hey have been br oken or you have ot her concer ns , t hey s houl d be r epl aced. T er e i s a good chance t he fr e ext i ngui s her won’ t wor k as i t s houl d i f you i dent i f y s uch pr obl ems , don’ t i gnor e t hem. Exami ne f or Phys i cal Damage - T e next s t ep wi t h how t o pr oper l y t es t a fr e ext i ngui s her i s t o check i t f or any phys i cal damage. Check t he nozzl e t o make s ur e i t i s n’ t cl ogged and t her e ar en’ t any s i gns of dus t or debr i s i n t he way of i t . Check f or any s i gns of l eakage or cor r os i on. Phys i cal l y pi ck i t up t o make s ur e i t f eel s f ul l . I f you have a l eak, i t i s goi ng t o be much l i ght er t han t he ot her s . Gauge - Check t he gauge as par t of how t o pr oper l y t es t a fr e ext i ngui s her . I t s houl d r egi s t er t hat t he cani s t er i s f ul l . I t i s a r ed fag i f i t i s s howi ng l es s t han t hat . T i s i ndi cat es ei t her t he gauge i s br oken and needs t o be r epl aced or t he cani s t er has a l eak i n i t . You don’ t want t o wai t unt i l you need t o us e t he fr e ext i ngui s her t o fgur e out you have an under l yi ng i s s ue. Checkl i s t - W hi l e t hes e ar e t he mai n el ement s of how t o pr oper l y t es t a fr e ext i ngui s her , t her e s houl d be a checkl i s t i n pl ace. T i s i s t o ens ur e not hi ng get s over l ooked wi t h s uch an i ns pect i on. I t s houl d be ver y det ai l ed wi t h r oom f or t he per s on who conduct ed t he i ns pect i on t o i ni t i al i t and t o make comment s about anyt hi ng t hey f ound. T i s checkl i s t s houl d be i n f ul l compl i ance wi t h r egul at i ons and r equui r ement s . T ey can change over t i me when addi t i onal s af et y f eat ur es ar e ofer ed. Make s ur e you ar e us i ng a cur r ent f or m and

3. i t i s fl l ed out compl et el y. T e i ns pect i ons s houl d be conduct ed on ever y s i ngl e fr e ext i ngui s her . Take your t i me t o compl et e t hem t hor oughl y. Keep Track of Tes t i ng - For t he bes t out come, t he pr oces s of how t o pr oper l y t es t a fr e ext i ngui s her s houl d be conduct ed by a t r ai ned pr of es s i onal . T ey s houl d keep t r ack of when t he t es t i ng t ook pl ace and what t hey f ound. Any concer ns s houl d be addr es s ed at t hat t i me. T i s i ncl udes r epai r i ng or r epl aci ng t he fr e ext i ngui s her . Such t es t i ng s houl d be done annual l y, but i t i s even bet t er t o do i t ever y s i x mont hs . Any t i me a fr e ext i ngui s her i s us edi i t s houl d be r efl l ed or r epl aced ater i t has been pr oper l y i ns pect ed. Don’ t t r y t o cut cor ner s wi t h t hi s t ype of i mpor t ant r evi ew becaus e i t can make a di fer ence i n t he over al l s af et y of ever yone i n a gi ven bui l di ng at any poi nt i n t i me. SK Fi r e Pr ot ect i on ofer s an ar r ay of s er vi ces t o ens ur e your bus i nes s i s f ol l owi ng t he bes t pr ocedur es and pol i ci es . Fi r e pr event i on i s ver y i mpor t ant t o pr ot ect your empl oyees , cus t omer s and your bus i nes s mat er i al s . Sadl y, mos t bus i nes s es f ai l t o r eal i s e t he s t eps t hey can t ake r el at i ng t o pr event i on. I t i s onl y ater a fr e has occur r ed t hat t hey l ear n what t hey coul d have done di fer ent l y. Our s er vi ces ar e des i gned t o hel p you cr eat e t he bes t envi r onment f or over al l s af et y f r om fr es . T ey al s o ens ur e you have evacuat i on pl ans i n pl ace, f unct i onal fr e ext i ngui s her s , and s o much mor e. Cont act us t oday t o s ee what we can do t o hel p your bus i nes s . Our s er vi ces ar e al s o f ound her e ht t ps : / / www. s kfr epr ot ect i on. co. uk/