Assisted living survey tip—Are your fire extinguishers tested?
By Doug Beardsley | March 24, 2023 | Assisted living providers
You’ve done a great job installing portable fire extinguishers having a minimum 2-A:10-B:C rating every 75 feet in your facility—but are you compliant with the testing requirements?
Fire extinguishers need to be maintained in accordance with MN State Fire Code as required by MN Statute 144G.45 Subd.2 (a)(2). So, what does the fire code require? Minnesota State Fire Code 906.2 requires that portable fire extinguishers be inspected and maintained in accordance with NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers. One reference leads to another reference, which leads to another reference!
There are two required testing elements:
1. Monthly—NFPA 10 requires extinguishers be visually inspected when they are initially installed and
once a month after that. You should inspect extinguishers more frequently if they are installed in locations where they are more prone to rust, impact or tampering.
You are not required to be certified in order to perform monthly inspections; any knowledgeable, competent person should be able to do it. What should be tested?
- Extinguishers are in their designated places
- There are no obstructions to access or visibility
- Safety seals are not broken or missing
- There is no evidence of physical damage, corrosion, leakage or clogged nozzle
- Pressure gauge readings are in the proper range or position
- Operating instructions are legible and facing outward
- Fullness – confirmed by weighing or lifting
Records of the monthly inspections need to be maintained by either putting a tag or label on the extinguisher or by having it recorded on paper or electronic files. The following items need to be recorded:
- The month and year of the inspection
- The person conducting the inspection
These records need to be maintained for at least 12 months.
2. Annually—NFPA 10 requires
annual inspections/maintenance that must be completed by a certified person. Certification requires that a person take a test acceptable to the AHJ. A certified person needs to, at the very least, be familiar with the requirements in NFPA 10. This usually involves hiring an approved extinguisher servicing company.
The annual inspection should include the procedures detailed in the manufacturer's service manual and a thorough examination of the basic elements of the fire extinguisher, including the following:
- Mechanical parts of all fire extinguishers
- Extinguishing agent
- Expelling means
- Physical condition
This is completed by doing an external examination. An internal examination can also be required as part of your maintenance. Details on how to do an internal examination are located in your fire extinguisher service manual.
Each fire extinguisher shall have a tag or label securely attached that indicates that an annual test was performed. The tag or label needs to identify the following:
- Month and year maintenance was performed
- Person performing the work
- Name of the agency performing the work
Extinguishers also need a verification-of-service collar located around the neck of the container
if an internal examination was conducted. That collar needs to have:
- Month and year the work was performed
- Name of the agency performing the work
Check those fire extinguisher tags! Do they indicate both monthly and annual inspections? Any questions related to this issue should be directed to the code specialist with the State Fire Marshals Department at 651-201-7221 or you can email questions to:
fire.code@state.mn.us.
Doug Beardsley | Vice President of Member Services |
dbeardsl@careproviders.org | 952-851-2489