Fires are not uncommon in commercial kitchens, hence why it’s the law to have fire extinguishers placed every so many feet in the kitchen of California restaurants. Although it might seem like a pain to decide which extinguishers you require by law and to have them installed, knowing that your kitchen is safer with their installation should give you peace of mind.
But selecting extinguisher supply and installing them in the right locations is only half the battle. The other half? To make sure you have your extinguishers inspected on a regular basis. This ensures they’re still in working order and won’t fail on you if and when you go to use one.
If you’re trying to figure out how often you’ll need to have your extinguishers inspected in your California commercia kitchen, read on for the details.
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157(e)(2) states that employers should perform visual inspections of their fire extinguishers on a monthly basis. Take note of any damage present on your extinguishers, verify that they’re still installed in the correct locations, ensure that all extinguishers are easily accessible and aren’t blocked or hidden in any way, and make sure that each extinguisher is fully charged.
During monthly visual inspections, employers should also check that the pressure gauge indicator is within the correct range, that there are no leaks present, and that the pull-pin is still intact. After each visual inspection, make sure to date and initial the back of the tag of each extinguisher.
As for maintenance inspections in compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157(e)(3), these must be done once a year by a fire protection company.
Like maintenance inspections, internal maintenance inspections must be performed by a fire protection company. However, how often you’ll need internal maintenance inspections will vary. It may be every 5, 6, or 12 years.
For information on how often your extinguishers will need an internal maintenance inspection, refer to this OSHA webpage.
As many restaurant owners know, extinguishers that fail inspection must either be repaired or replaced. If you’re looking for new fire extinguisher supply for your commercial kitchen in West Covina, CA or its surrounding cities, Flue Steam, Inc. has got you covered.
Call our team at 800-700-FLUE, so we can get you connected with new, high-quality, portable fire extinguishers suitable for your commercial kitchen.