Do I Have a Defective Fire Extinguisher?

Fire extinguishers are an important part of all offices and buildings—they allow for rapid response at the site of the fire emergency before it grows out of control. But if they are so important, why are so many businesses’ fire extinguishers hidden behind large cabinets, covered in cobwebs, or tucked in a closet and forgotten?

If you have defective, un-charged, and rarely inspected fire extinguishers as your office’s main fire protection precaution in place, you might as well not have those small red canisters scattered throughout the space. Properly maintaining your fire extinguisher is extremely important to ensure that you’re always prepared when it comes to a fire emergency.

If you’re not sure if your fire extinguishers are up to code and working order, answer these two questions below—after you’ve located your fire extinguishers and dusted off the cobwebs! At State Systems, we want to make sure that business owners are properly equipped and prepared to protect their employees, assets, and building from a the chance of a fire throughout metropolitan Memphis and surrounding Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas areas.

Have You Recharged Your Fire Extinguisher Since its Last Use?

Once you have used your fire extinguisher, you need to schedule fire extinguisher recharge as soon as possible. Even if you only used a small portion of the canister, that small amount of lost extinguishant or pressure could make the difference between quickly diffusing your next fire and a fire that burns, out of control, throughout your office space.

Aside from calling a professional fire protection company to recharge your units after use, another way to check on the status of your fire extinguisher is to look at the pressure gauge and where the needle falls. It should always be in the green zone (signifying a properly, fully charged fire extinguisher). If your first extinguisher gauges are showing needles in the red zone, call your local fire protection company immediately. You cannot plan for a fire, but you can plan on being prepared!

Have You Inspected Your Fire Extinguisher Monthly?

On top of checking the pressure gauge after each use of the fire extinguisher, you should check each canister’s level every month. You can create a system of a monthly walk-around to all of your fire extinguisher locations to check that they are still in the green zone. You’ll become familiar with your fire extinguishers’ locations as well as keep a regular eye out for maintenance issues. A quick monthly walk-around to check that your fire extinguishers are in working order is better than a frantic run from a fire after your fire extinguisher failed to hold enough pressure to properly diffuse a fire.

Not sure you’ll remember to check your fire extinguishers monthly? You can set an alarm on your company’s email calendar event systems to remind you every month. Or, alternatively, you can call your local fire protection company for professional inspection. State Systems serves many businesses and organizations throughout Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas to complete regular inspections of fire extinguishers and other fire protection systems.

Fire Extinguisher Inspection in Tennessee, Arkansas & Mississippi

Most states require buildings other than homes have annual professional inspections of their fire extinguishers and other fire protection systems. It is important to check your state and local fire codes to make sure that you are as prepared as possible for a fire emergency. Professional fire protection technicians are able to recharge (or refill) your fire extinguishers as well as check for damage or maintenance issues.

At State Systems, our fire protection experts have the experience and certification to inspect your fire extinguishers annually and prevent them from being defective when you need them most. We can also provide fire extinguisher training for your staff to ensure that no matter when or where a fire starts, your fire extinguishers will be of use in trained hands.

Fire extinguishers are only one part of full commercial fire protection systems. Contact us online today to learn more about other fire sprinkler and suppression systems that can be installed in your Mid-South business or organization!