Ring in the new year with fire safety as your priority. Not having sufficient fire protection puts your company on an uneven footing when it comes to compliance and safety standards. In fact, it is the responsibility of every employer to make sure that every fire protection equipment is available for use when deemed necessary.
Fire protection equipment includes fire extinguishers, fire blankets, and fire suppression systems that require constant maintenance, inspection, and testing.
There are many kinds of extinguishers, and each of them specialises in extinguishing a specific kind of fire. They are chosen based on its potential hazard, and the construction and the occupants of the building. It is necessary for you to have the right kind of extinguisher for the kind of fire that’s possible within your building.
Every business needs to have an operational fire extinguishers onsite. Above all not having one puts your business and employees at risk.
How do you know if you need to refill your fire extinguisher? There are some small clues that can give you a heads up when your fire suppressant unit needs to recharge.
Checks and Intervals
Fire extinguishers will require recharging or refilling after sometime. Though they may last for years, NZ compliance laws require checks every 12 months, regardless of whether you have even used them or not. For high-risk work environments, checks are made at 6 month intervals.
For one, fire extinguishers must be refilled immediately after any incidents involving its use. Recharging must be done by qualified specialists only.
If you are found with a faulty or non-functioning fire extinguisher on your premises, it means hefty fines are on your horizon. Having no working fire extinguisher means an unsafe environment for you and your employees.
Always take the time to check the pressure gauge
You can do a quick check. The pressure gauge can tell you a lot about your fire protection unit. This is usually found at the top of your fire extinguisher marked with a green and red section.
Whenever the yellow gauge points at the green area, then your fire extinguisher should be good to use. Otherwise, you need to have it refilled. It’s advisable to at least check the gauge once a month, see if the unit has enough pressure inside to eject its contents. However, if you have a fire extinguisher that doesn’t come with a gauge, it would be best to invest your budget in a unit that has one. A fire extinguisher in Whangarei is not an item you should be frugal about. If the worst happens and your employees seek to engage to tackle the fire, you need it to work, 100% of the time.
Best Whangarei Fire Extinguishers
Get in touch with the team at Fireco now for a consultation on your fire extinguishers needs. We can come over and do a sweep and check the gauges for you. We’ll take note of fire extinguishers that require your attention, and we’ll send you a recommendation on how to proceed with a fire safety plan for your business.
Feel free to call us at Fireco Limited 0800 101 232 or email us at info@fireco.co.nz
