Monthly Fire Extinguisher Inspection
1. Check that your fire extinguishers are on their proper fire extinguisher floor stands or wall hanging brackets, and access to them is unobstructed. Check that all fire extinguisher stands are undamaged, and that all wall brackets are secure. Check that signage is also unobstructed, so staff can easily see where fire extinguishers are located in the event of an emergency. Replace any worn, peeling or damaged signage
2. Check the pressure gauge where fitted. The gauge needle should be in the green zone. If it is in the red, either have the fire extinguisher repressurised, or replace it with a new fire extinguisher
3. Check that all seals are intact, that the safety pin is in place and secured by a tamper-evident seal or “OK” indicator.
4. Check the fire extinguisher cylinder for any signs of leakage, rust spots or dents, if you find any, contact your fire extinguisher serving company immediately and do not attempt to move it (tell your staff it is out of order and to leave it alone!)
5. Check labelling remains clear and easy to read.
6. Check the environment to see if anything has changed that will affect the operation, provision or location of your fire extinguishers, e.g. is a new freezer cabinet obscuring a sign? Has a new machine been installed in the area requiring access to a CO2 fire extinguisher?
Most important to remember is that a fire extinguisher is usually under pressure and removal of any of the parts can be dangerous without proper training. People have been killed trying to do this in the past.
You have a legal duty of care to properly dispose of waste, so only employ a company that has a license to carry controlled waste or check with your local council amenity site whether they accept them.
Fire Signs
You may have the best quality, shiniest fire extinguishers in your pub, but they will be useless if your staff don’t know where they are. Fire safety equipment signs are a vital part of your fire safety provision for your pub, all signs must conform to the British Standard Code of Practice for safety signs (BS 5499-10:2006)
All fire equipment signs feature a red background with white graphics. These ubiquitous red signs indicate where you and your staff can find fire extinguishers and often combine vital information for users on one easy-to read sign.
Placing your signs in the right places can give you staff vital extra seconds in an emergency. Ensure that every fire extinguisher has an appropriate sign not just at extinguisher level, but at average eye level as well (but consider the needs of any disabled members of staff, whose eye-line may be different as well).
Placement
Always place your fire extinguishers where they can easily be accessed, and their associated fire safety sign can be seen at all times, so don’t site them behind a door or near a coat rack, for example. Your local Fire Officer or a professional fire risk assessor will be happy to help with advice on correct and effective placement.
Despite modern advances in technology, fire extinguishers are still heavy items. Modern partition walls and old brick walls in older premises may not be robust enough to support the weight of an extinguisher mounted on the wall. A better option is a fire extinguisher stand, which also protects your fire extinguishers from accidental knocks. These red, grey or cream rigid plastic floor stands give your extinguishers a safe and sturdy home, and protect your carpets too! For external use, tough steel frame Fire Point stands are also available.
Fire extinguishers are often moved from their proper positions to prop open doors, by tipsy customers etc. Fire extinguisher signs can help you instantly identify any gaps, as some designs feature a “Missing” graphic. Simply place your extinguisher in front of the graphic, and if the extinguisher is subsequently moved, you’ll see “Missing” in large letters.