With a charged extinguisher, how often do extinguishers need to be inspected, tested or serviced?
Extinguishers, fire hoses and other fire safety equipment (alarms, exit signs, emergency lights) need to be checked on a regular basis to ensure they are in working condition. Typically, a quick visual check should be done at least monthly by an employee or the monitor in the area. Under law (an OSHA regulation for NMSU), extinguishers and hoses must be checked and documented at least once a year by a qualified inspector. They also must have a sign-off tag (or other documentation) to verify that they have been inspected.
