The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) standard on Portable Fire Extinguishers [29 CFR 1910.157 ] describes requirements related to the placement, maintenance, and testing of fire extinguishers provided for employee use. OSHA announced earlier this month that they are accepting public comments until August 8, 2024 on one of the recordkeeping requirements of the standard regarding conducting annual fire extinguisher maintenance.
The standard requires that the annual maintenance date be recorded and retained for one year after the last entry or for the life of the extinguisher, whichever is less. In addition, the records must be made available to OSHA upon request. The agency is reviewing this recordkeeping requirement and considering possible alternatives as part of its initiative to reduce paperwork and employer compliance burdens, while at the same time ensuring that portable fire extinguishers are operating properly.
In addition to the need for annual maintenance and the associated recordkeeping, there are other important requirements of the standard that must be met. These include that portable fire extinguishers must be:
- Mounted, located, and identified so that they are readily accessible without subjecting employees to possible injury.
- Placed for use on Class A fires so that the travel distance for employees to any extinguisher is 75 feet or less.
- Located for use on Class B fires so that the travel distance from the Class B hazard area to any extinguisher is 50 feet or less.
- Maintained in a fully charged and operable condition and always kept in their designated location unless they are in use. If an extinguisher has been used or removed for testing or maintenance, another unit must be installed before allowing employees to work in the area.
- Visually inspected monthly to ensure that they are in place and ready for use in the event of a fire; monthly checks should include confirmation that the extinguisher is properly mounted and fully charged, that nothing is blocking access to it, and the tamper seal is not broken.
- Hydrostatically tested at appropriate intervals, either every five or 12 years, depending on the type of extinguisher, or whenever they show new evidence of corrosion or mechanical injury. The frequency for hydrostatic testing is listed in 29 CFR 1910.157(f)(2), Table L-1.
In addition, if available for employee use, initial and annual training must be provided to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use. Personnel designated to use fire extinguishers as part of the Emergency Action Plan must receive additional instruction, including how to properly use the appropriate and available type(s) of equipment. This is often accomplished through hands-on fire extinguisher training.
For more information on portable fire extinguisher requirements visit OSHA’s eTool on portable fire extinguishers or contact us!
This blog was written by Beth Graham, Safety Partners’ Director of Quality, Research, and Training
