Jarrad Goulding explains commercial fire extinguisher testing requirements. Australia requires testing every six months, New Zealand every 12 months. Inspectors check pressure, weight, condition, and signage, then issue a certificate of compliance you must keep for seven years.
So today we're going to be talking about fire extinguisher testing. We're going to take you through all the frequently asked questions that we get about fire extinguishers and hopefully you learn a little bit.
How often do I need to test my fire extinguishers?
So in Australia, every six months is a requirement for all fire testing services. And in New Zealand, it's every 12 months for fire extinguishers. We test the weight of the extinguisher, the pressure, the overall condition, then the environment that it's in as well, including signage accessibility, to make sure that it's there and ready to be used in a case of emergency.
Why do we check the pressure and the weight?
We check the pressure because this is a pressurized cylinder. It's got a powder or a liquid in there, and we need that pressure so that when we squeeze it, it's got the ability for that powder or that liquid to go out and shoot on the fire. We check the weight because that lets us know how much of that fluid or how much of that powder is actually in the cylinder and if it's the correct amount.
Jared, how long does testing a fire.
Extinguish only takes a couple of minutes, and it's minimal disruption to the business. Quite often we can be going through and testing an extinguisher and there's really no impact to the workers that are around in that place whatsoever.
What different types of fire extinguisher tests are there?
There's three different types of fire extinguisher tests. The first one is the six monthly test that goes through and checks the pressure. It checks the overall condition of the actual extinguisher itself. Then there's a 12 monthly test. It's very similar to the 6 monthly test, just with a few extra things included in there. And then there's a five yearly test. And the five yearly test is the big one. That's where the entire fire extinguisher is completely pulled apart. All of the liquid or the powder's taken out, it's hydrostatically tested, put all back together again, new powder, new liquid, and then all the O rings are replaced and then put back into circulation again. Now there's that option to do that, or there's the option to just straight up replace the fire extinguisher, which is our recommended version of it. It means our clients get a brand new extinguisher, and cost wise, it's pretty much the same as doing the level 4, 5 yearly test anyway.
What will I receive after the testing.
Is done, we give you a full asset register and compliance report that also includes a certificate of compliance. And then we also keep it on file for a minimum of seven years for you as well.
Will you notify me before they're due?
Yeah, absolutely. So that's part of our service that will put into our schedule so that whenever your testing is due, we'll notify you a couple of weeks out that it's that time of the year again, and then we'll come out and get it done. We don't want you having to worry about it. That's what we do.
Can you replace my failed extinguisher?
All of our technicians have the ability to replace failed extinguishers. Not only will they provide a quote after your testing's completed on the cost of that, they'll also arrange for delivery and install onto where the fire extinguisher is located and then also the first test as well. So that's commissioned, in and ready to go. So your compliance stays tip top.
Why choose the local guys?
Because we make fire testing simple, reliable testing, clear reporting and having the peace of mind knowing that your fire assets are protected.
