|  | Public Health Safety | Emergency Preparedness

NFPA Fire Extinguisher Requirements

Buses, hospitals and most businesses are required to have at least one fire extinguisher on site. Home fire extinguishers should be marked with an ABC for indoor and outdoor use, including trash, wood, paper, liquids, grease and electrical equipment. Manufacturers label extinguishers according to the classes and sizes of fires on which they can be safely used. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, smoke inhalation and fire resulted in 2,740 injuries and 90 fatalities in 2004. Fire extinguishers are not to replace a 911 call, which should be made immediately when there is a fire.

  1. Inspections

    • The National Fire Protection Association regulation 10, Section 6.2.1 contains requirements for fire extinguisher inspections and maintenance. Fire extinguishers need to be inspected every month to make sure they contain the right level of pressure, that the extinguisher is in its designated place and that the extinguisher does not contain defects, such as dents, corrosion or broken and missing parts. Have the extinguishers tagged with the inspection date.

    Maintenance

    • With the exception of home fire extinguishers, NFPA requires that all fire extinguishers must be maintenanced annually by a currently licensed fire protection company. Maintenance includes filling the fire extinguisher and fixing or replacing pressure gauges, hoses and other parts.

    Placement

    • The NFPA requires that fire extinguishers be placed within easy reach of flammable, combustible and chemical materials. Offices, classrooms and assembly halls should have a 2-A class fire extinguisher for every 3,000 square feet. OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.157(d)(2) requires that all employees have access to an extinguisher within 75 feet.

    Prohibited Fire Extinguishers

    • Halon fire extinguishers are prohibited under NFPA 10, Section 6.2.3.3 because they are filled with chlorobromomethane, which depletes the ozone and turns into hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen bromide and bromine when decomposing. Fire extinguishers filled with carbon tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane are prohibited under OSHA regulation 1910.157(c)(3). Carbon tetrachloride can produce phosgene gas, which was used as a chemical weapon during World War I.

    OSHA Employee Training Regulations

    • Employees designated to use a fire extinguisher must be properly trained under OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.157 (g). OSHA regulations 29CFR 1910.157 (g)(1) and 20 CFR 1910.157 (g)(2) address required employee training on general fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting. Training must be provided soon after employees are hired and must be repeated annually.

Emergency Preparedness - Related Articles