Fire extinguisher maintenance is an essential part of facilities management in commercial premises. And there are a number of reasons why.
Under the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is a legal requirement that fire extinguishers “are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair”. When it comes to maintenance and servicing, the recommendation from BAFE, the independent registration body for third-party certification, is to carry out “regular checks to ensure fire extinguishers are in efficient working order, ready to use in the event of fire, and that they are still in the correct location”.
Your staff will all know that fire safety is part and parcel of health and safety regulations. But if they can see that you are organising regular fire extinguisher servicing, they will have the peace of mind that, if push came to shove, the extinguishers will work and provide the protection they were designed for.
The chances are you’ll never need to use your fire extinguishers. But if you do find yourself in a situation where you really need them, it will be a matter of life or death. If the only way out of a room is through a burning doorway, a fire extinguisher will buy you those extra few seconds you’ll need to get everyone out. With the stakes so high, you really do need to schedule regular fire extinguisher maintenance.
All fires start somewhere, and if you discover it early enough, someone who’s had fire extinguisher training could put out a small fire before it has the opportunity to take hold. But if the nearest fire extinguisher doesn’t work, that window of opportunity could disappear. It’s only a matter of seconds before a small fire becomes something you can’t contain and something that threatens lives.
That same window of opportunity to save lives could also save your business. If a fire takes hold and your premises suffer extensive damage, your business will suffer too. Staff won’t be able to work, property will be destroyed and you could lose valuable data if your IT system isn’t backed up on a frequent basis. Following a disaster, such as a fire, a quarter of businesses never reopen, and 80% of those who don’t recover in a month are likely to go out of business. Having the ability to contain a small fire could save livelihoods as well as lives.
All our fire extinguisher servicing is carried out by fully qualified service technicians. We are a BAFE registered organisation, which means you will have peace of mind that your extinguishers will be fully compliant with BAFE and British Standards. In addition, regular maintenance and servicing will lengthen the lifespan of your extinguishers, saving you money on replacements in the longer term.
If you have any questions about fire extinguishers or any aspect of fire safety, please feel free to contact us.
