"Can I Refill Fire Extinguishers?"
Refill Fire Extinguishers – Wirral and across the North West
It’s all too common that a fire extinguisher provider will sell you a new appliance when your existing unit could be tested and refilled instead.
As a BAFE accredited firm, Wirral Fire Protection won’t coerce you into buying a new extinguisher every five years if you don’t need it. Our engineers’ vehicles are equipped with discharge testing and refilling equipment meaning we can carry out a five yearly test during the annual service.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Mike Pearson, MD with Wirral Fire Protection, says:
“Fire extinguisher service providers will often replace a fire extinguisher, as opposed to refilling what could be a perfectly good device. Many fire extinguishers can be serviced and refilled rendering them as effective as the day they were originally bought. This means as well as increasing your annual bills, there is an additional environmental cost to consider.”
Business owners need to be aware that it is their legal duty under article 17 of the Fire Safety Order to ensure that the fire extinguishers in their workplace are service by competent, preferably third party accredited contractors, annually as a minimum.
INSURANCE CRITICAL
Unfortunately fire extinguishers are not as highly regarded a safety provision as they should be. But it remains a certainty that if a minor fire occurs at work an extinguisher is usually the first thing staff will look for. It’s not just a legal requirement, extinguisher maintenance is also an insurance critical matter. A vast amount of business never recover from major fires due to claims for losses being refuted due to minor technicalities such as lack of fire fighting equipment, or an outdated maintenance certificate. Mike adds:
“It’s better to spend a little on each year maintaining extinguishers rather than ignoring them for years and then having to meet the expense of new kit. Worse still, to discover they aren’t working when you need them most. Existing water, foam and powder extinguishers can potentially be refilled,not replaced every five years, by our individually accredited BAFE engineers.”
BENEFITS OF REFILLS
Mike lists the benefits of refills over replacement:
- Lower annual bills
- Saving the planet. Reduced environmental impact
- By building an ongoing relationship with a BAFE accredited supplier you are protecting your customer, staff and assets
With nearly 16,000 non-domestic fires a year, it is in every business owner’s interest to ensure fire safety and meet their legal obligations.Wirral Fire Protection is a leading supplier of Fire Extinguishers, Wirral and across the North West. Always look for a supplier that is on the register of BAFE Competency of Portable Fire Extinguisher Organisations and Technicians (SP101). This confirms, that like us, they are competent in this area of fire safety.
BAFE ENDORSED
Our expertise extends to:
- The sourcing of fire extinguishers: This means you can be 100% confident that you have the correct fire extinguishers for your building.
- The commissioning of your fire extinguishers: By working with us you will have peace of mind that the correct on-site checks have been conducted ensuring any fire extinguisher is entirely fit for the role it may be required to fulfill.
- The siting of your portable appliances: We use our experience and qualifications to strategically place your extinguishers within your building. Working with us you may discover that you need fewer appliances than you think or have been told previously.
- Maintenance and Servicing: We work with many places of work to ensure that fire extinguishers are working properly, ready to be used in the event of a fire.
This article is intended for guidance, get in touch for detailed advice for your business. Drop Mike a line today using the form below.