According to State Law, all portable fire
extinguishers and fire suppression systems must be
maintained. This maintenance includes annual inspections
for portable fire extinguishers and semiannual inspections for
fire suppression systems. All stored pressure
extinguishers must also be internally inspected and maintenance
at 6 year intervals, and proof pressure tested at appropriate
intervals. These requirements are under the direction of
NFPA 10 which is incorporated by reference into chapter 4A-21.
The Division of State Fire marshal Office Uniform
fire Safety Rules and Standards Chapter 4A-21 maintains that for
a business to engage in portable fire extinguisher and
pre-engineered system maintenance, they must do so in
conformance with Florida Statutes Chapter 633. "Each
organization engaging in
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such activities must be possessed of a valid and
subsisting license issued by the State Fire Marshal." 4A-21
further states that "Licensed fire equipment dealers are
required to install, inspect, maintain, or recharge portable
Fire Extinguishers in accordance with NFPA 10..."
"Fire extinguishers shall be subjected to
maintenance not more than 1 year apart..." Each fire
extinguisher shall have a tag or level securely attached that
indicates the month and year the maintenance was performed and
that identifies the person performing the service."
"Every 6 years, stored pressure fire
extinguishers...shall be emptied and subjected to ..."
"...a thorough examination of the three basic elements of a
fire extinguisher:
a) Mechanical Parts,
b) Extinguishing Agent and
c) Expelling Means." |
"At intervals not exceeding...Carbon Dioxide
- 5 years, Dry Chemical - 12 years...fire extinguishers shall be
hydrostatically tested." In addition, cylinders
bearing a DOT marking must be tested to the requirements of the
DOT only by a qualified DOT retesting facility.
"Fire equipment dealers shall be
licensed" and "every permitte must have a valid and
subsisting permit upon his person at all times while engaging in
the servicing... of fire extinguishers..." "The
violation of any provision of this lww, or any order or rule of
the State Fire Marshal...shall constitute a misdemeanor of the
second degree.."
In order to satisfy State Fire Marshal
requirements and ensure the highest levels of life safety, it is
important to keep all fire equipment in compliance with the
regulations of the State of Florida.
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