has my fire extinguisher expired?

Did you know that fire extinguishers eventually expire?
If you have had your office, machine or home fire extinguisher for over 10 years, there’s a good chance that it has expired.

Fire extinguishers need to have an external maintenance examination conducted on a yearly basis.
They also need to have an internal examination conducted at anywhere from 1-6 year intervals. This depends on the type of extinguisher.
For example, a dry chemical, stored pressure fire extinguisher must have an internal examination every 6 years. Some environments may require more frequent testing.

How can I tell if my fire extinguisher has expired?

To find out the age of an extinguisher you need to look for dates stamped on the cylinder body, printed on the extinguisher label or printed on the extinguisher itself. Sometimes the date stamp is hidden under the plastic ring around the neck of an extinguisher or under the plastic boot of the extinguisher – Safelinics

Are Your Fire Extinguisher tags up to Date?

Every fire extinguisher we provide comes with a metal tag to record maintenance. Maintenance should be performed by a fire safety specialist.

We can offer a testing and tagging service to ensure that your last line of defence is in tip-top condition.

When should you refill fire extinguishers?

The extended service of foam, water and powder extinguishers is due either 5 years from initial commissioning or 6 years after manufacture, whatever comes first. The refurbishment of CO2 extinguishers is due after 10 years from the cylinder manufacture. In the case of the CO2 extinguishers it is irrelevant when the extinguisher was commissioned or even when it was assembled by the manufacturer. The only date that is relevant in this specific case is the cylinder manufacturing date. This is because of the high pressure in CO2 extinguishers, which makes the cylinders fall into regulation for high pressure cylinders.

To find out when an extinguisher was commissioned, simply check on the maintenance label of the extinguisher – Safelinics