FIRE EXTINGUISHER - MAINTENANCE & SERVICING , what you need to know
We all know why we need fire extinguishers in our business. What is forgetten though is that the fire extinguishers need to be serviced or maintained. The servicing and maintenance should be down at least once a year. It is estimated that throughout the UK there are several million portable fire extinguishers; each needs to be serviced regularly if it is to remain effective in case of a fire. It is often a fire extinguisher which is blamed for failing to control a fire whereas the problem lies with an incorrect maintenance regime.
The type of fire extinguishers that we supply are manufactured to the highest standard in the UK. They are approved to BS EN3 and carry the British Standard Kitemark - your guarantee of quality.
All types fire extinguishers are designed to be user friendly as well as effective, including squeeze grip operation, controllable discharge, colour coded block to help operators identify the fire extinguisher type, clear screen printed instructions.
Colour coding of Extinguisher - Water extinguishers are coloured signal red
The type of extinguisher is identified by a colour coding as indicated below. The old standard the whole of the body of the extinguisher was painted the appropriate colour code. You will find these in many premises and are legal , you do not need to change them unless the the extinguisher is defective and need to be replaced. New extinguisher use the new standard.
Other extinguishers will be predominantly signal red with the manufacturers label, a band or circle covering at least 5% of the surface area of the extinguisher of a second colour to indicate the contents of the extinguisher. I prefer the band around the extinguisher to be used because it can be seen from any angle.
Fire extinguishers colour coded green, are vapourising liquids (Halons), and have been illegal, with some exceptions like aircraft and the military, since the end of 2003 as the result of the Montreal protocol.
Consequently you may see any of the above methods of colour coding but the indicating colour always indicates the same type of extinguisher medium.
Fire Extinguisher Maintenance & Servicing
Regular maintenance is essential with safety products such as fire extinguishers. British Standard Code of Practice BS 5306 Part 3 recommends that your fire extinguishers are serviced at least annually to ensure that they will always function in an emergency. The range of fire extinguishers we supply will provide many years of reliable fire protection only if properly maintained and regularly serviced by a competent engineer. Our engineers will visit on a regular basis to ensure your equipment is kept ready for the moment you really need it and are happy to advice on any of your fire safety queries.
Dedicated to Quality
The type fire extinguishers we supply are manufactured in the UK to the highest standards. Where applicable they are approved to BS EN3 - the standard for portable fire extinguishers that replaced BS 5423 in 1997. All products carry a 5 year warranty provided they are serviced in accordance with the requirements of BS 5306.
Halons: On the Way Out
The sale and supply of halon gases within the EU will (with the exception of certain ‘critical uses’) be banned from the end of 2002 - and in general halon fire extinguishers must be decommissioned by the end of 2003.
‘Halons’ is a generic term for inert gases consisting of carbon-halogen compounds. Until the early 1990s halons were widely used in portable fire extinguishers and built-in extinguishing systems. They are now recognised as powerful ozone-depleting substances - that is, when released into the atmosphere they have the effect of depleting the layer of ozone that protects the earth from harmful radiation.
The halons in existing fire fighting systems must be disposed of safely, and replaced by safer alternative substances.
The selection and location of fire extinguisher types is a complex process and one that you should ask us for advice and guidance on.
Fire Extinguisher Maintenance, Fire Alarm Maintenance, Fire Risk Assessment are just a few of the services offered by Absolute Property Services Group. We can help you with all your fire safety needs and all under one roof.
We offer our services in Peterborough, Stamford, Cambridge, St Neots, Huntingdon, Whittlesey, St Ives, Newmarket, Ely, Bedford, Leicester and surrounding areas