Whether you have a store or an office, it is crucial for you to have several fire extinguishers on your premises. In fact, the law mandates that this fire prevention equipment must be on your commercial property. You need to update equipment and receive regular fire extinguisher maintenance so that they’ll work effectively in case of a fire.
A fire extinguisher can save people’s lives, along with your investments. It can nip small fires in the bud. In the same token, it also prevents a tiny fire from ravaging the rest of your premises. The last thing you want is serious damage where people get hurt, and your inventory gets wasted. As a businessman, you can’t afford any downtime.
But remember, putting a fire extinguisher on your premises and forgetting about it is not responsible behavior. You need to conduct routine maintenance on your fire extinguishers. For best results, they need an inspection to ensure they can indeed fight a fire in case of an emergency. You must take these steps into account to ensure your fire extinguishers are always in good working order and ready to serve you:
Perform Visual Inspection Once a Month
Make it a part of your work routine to inspect your fire extinguisher. Set a specific date every month and commit to doing it. You need to inspect this safety equipment diligently each month to spot check for problematic issues. Watch out for signs that indicate any trouble. Gently your hands over the metal and nozzles to check for damage. Spot check to ascertain that none of the safety seals have been compromised or broken.
Additionally, peruse the fire extinguisher hose. Make sure that it is not blocked so you can use it swiftly in cases of a problem. Above all, make it a priority to place these extinguishers in a place where your staff can find them. Don’t forget to brief each new employee and provide a refresher every month, so your team knows what to do in case a fire breaks out. Remember, failing to plan is planning to fail.
Hire a Pro for Inspection and Maintenance
If you do a monthly inspection, you can mitigate big issues. To assure safety, you also need pros to come and inspect your fire equipment. Your professional fire extinguisher maintenance must be done yearly as a preventive measure. Remember, these pros are worth the investment as they will give your units a more comprehensive examination.
While the inspection is in progress, your trusted professionals will inspect the mechanisms of the fire extinguisher. They will test to make sure everything is in proper working order. After all the tests are conducted, the serviceman will record the details in the tags that come with your extinguisher. This offers your staff, clients, and customers assurance that it is secure within your premises because safety is your priority.
Conduct a 6-year Major Check
Finally, a 6-year tune-up is crucial! It is akin to an annual check-up, but the major difference is your fire extinguishers will be emptied. When it is fully empty, the serviceman can check the interior and take a closer inspection of all the internal mechanisms. If everything is in good condition, your serviceman will refill, re-pressurize, and reseal your fire extinguisher. Once this is done, a 6-year inspection record will be noted on the tag.
With proper maintenance of fire extinguishers, you can avoid potential problems. With due diligence, you will have peace of mind knowing that your fire safety equipment will work when you need them. Keep in mind, fire spreads rapidly, and it will ravage everything you worked so hard to build. Thus, it is always in your best interest to err on the side of caution.
