Fire Extinguisher testing and maintenance.

[Tom Sutton]

If FFE monthly testing is carried out in house and the annual maintenance by a competent company engineer what degree of training would the in house person require?

[nearlythere]

If FFE monthly testing is carried out in house and the annual maintenance by a competent company engineer what degree of training would the in house person require?

There is no user testing Tom. It is simply a user inspection as follows:-
a) each extinguisher is located in the designated place;
b) each extinguisher is unobstructed and visible;
c) the operating instructions of each extinguisher are clean and legible and face outwards;
d) each extinguisher has not been operated and is not obviously damaged;
e) the reading of any pressure gauge or indicator fitted to an extinguisher is within operational and safety limits;
f) the seals and tamper indicators of each extinguisher are not broken or missing.
All of these are a simple process well within the capability of the average person but certainly the inspector should know what it is they are checking.

[Tom Sutton]

Sorry NT I did mean monthly inspection and annual testing I tried to change it but you beat me to it. Thanks with your help.

[AnthonyB]

Beat me to it!      

Missing horns and elbows are an important hazard to spot, common in the retail environment when CO2's get battered by cages - not only is the extinguisher ineffective but downright dangerous as without the pressure reduction from the horn and elbow the extinguisher can literally fly if discharged and is not good for you if you are the one holding it!

[Tom Sutton]

I must get a copy of BS 5306-3:2009.

Supplementary questions.

Do FRS still provide logbooks, I know Manchester and Warwickshire provide pdf on-line versions or is it up to the RP?

Selecting a competent FFE engineer I know fire risk assessors have been discussed at some length but what about FFE engineers is the minimum qualification a BAFE approved course ( SP 103)?  I am assuming a BAFE registered company is not necessary?

[nearlythere]

Does anyone recommend that DPs be turned upside down monthly to prevent the powder caking?

[AnthonyB]

Wow, that's an old one - shaking DP upside down to stop caking!

That originates from early bicarbonate powder extinguishes that were (almost) exclusively cartridge type and only had rudimentary anti-caking agents added.

In theory they could settle and cake and fail to operate correctly - most examples related to those carried on vehicles (the 25lb Powders on fire engines being an example) or similar environments. At one point in the late 70's a question was asked in Parliament about banning cartridge powder extinguishers after a notable incident involving a powder extinguisher failing that had been installed on a vehicle.

Some settling can affect cartridge powders, but the presence of the gassing tube on powder cartridge (not fitted to water/foam) should overcome this.  Water and Foam is propelled by CO2 behind it, whereas Powder is propelled in a stream of gas, being 'fluidised' via the gassing tube - this is why a 2 gallon water used a 55g cartridge, but an equivalent sized 25lb Powder has a 150g cartridge.

The most common cause of caking is water (moisture) ingress at point of filling or mixing of ABC/BC powder.

The majority of Powder extinguishers are now (& have been for a long time) stored pressure where the powder is 'fluidised' at the point of initial pressurisation on charging and remains so, so the caking issue doesn't really exit these days.

[nearlythere]

Wow, that's an old one - shaking DP upside down to stop caking!

That originates from early bicarbonate powder extinguishes that were (almost) exclusively cartridge type and only had rudimentary anti-caking agents added.

In theory they could settle and cake and fail to operate correctly - most examples related to those carried on vehicles (the 25lb Powders on fire engines being an example) or similar environments. At one point in the late 70's a question was asked in Parliament about banning cartridge powder extinguishers after a notable incident involving a powder extinguisher failing that had been installed on a vehicle.

Some settling can affect cartridge powders, but the presence of the gassing tube on powder cartridge (not fitted to water/foam) should overcome this.  Water and Foam is propelled by CO2 behind it, whereas Powder is propelled in a stream of gas, being 'fluidised' via the gassing tube - this is why a 2 gallon water used a 55g cartridge, but an equivalent sized 25lb Powder has a 150g cartridge.

The most common cause of caking is water (moisture) ingress at point of filling or mixing of ABC/BC powder.

The majority of Powder extinguishers are now (& have been for a long time) stored pressure where the powder is 'fluidised' at the point of initial pressurisation on charging and remains so, so the caking issue doesn't really exit these days.

Thanks AB.
I can remember in the virginal days of my FS career that this was done with the DPs on the lorries. Whether this was a routine that nobody thought wasn't necessary any more or a zombic habit that was done because it was always done and we'll always do it, I can't recall.
When I look back I can't even remember when it was stopped.
Long time memory loss is a good indicator of a young mind.