Fire Extinguishers Don't Last Forever, Keep
Yours Current With These Expert Tips
Don't get caught with an obsolete
or inferior fire extinguisher when
you need it most! Check out this
guide to learn how to keep your
fire safety gear up to date!
According to the NFPA, any
fire extinguisher that has been
discharged even briefly
should be serviced or
replaced.
While the gauge on an
extinguisher may show that it
still has enough pressure, after
being used it may continue to
lose pressure over time.
There are a number of factors
that can cause damage or wear
to an extinguisher besides use,
including temperature
variability, UV exposure, or
vibration.
The NFPA has a list of regulations
for the proper storage of
extinguishers to help minimize
these problems, but over a long
enough period of time almost no
storage system is entirely foolproof.
Obsolete fire extinguishers
can lead to a range of
problems beyond those
caused by a fire.
Many obsolete
extinguishers are not even
permitted to be inside
NFPA compliant facilities.
Not only can these
extinguishers fail to operate in
an emergency, but in some
cases, they can cause
dangerous situations
themselves.
In many cases, age alone
is enough to make a fire
extinguisher obsolete.
The NFPA requires the
removal of any non-
rechargeable extinguishers
that are more than 12 years
old from the date of their
manufacture.
Go to the link in the
description to learn
more!