How often do fire extinguishers need servicing?

Every fire extinguisher needs a basic service annually, carried out by a competent person in accordance with BS 5306-3. In addition, water, foam and powder extinguishers require an extended service every five years, and CO2 extinguishers require an overhaul every ten years.

What types of fire extinguisher are there, and what are they for?

Water extinguishers are for ordinary combustibles such as paper and wood. Foam covers those plus flammable liquids. CO2 is for electrical equipment and flammable liquids. Dry powder covers a wide range of risks including gases, but is rarely suitable indoors. Wet chemical is for cooking oils and fats in commercial kitchens. The right mix for your premises is determined by your fire risk assessment.

How many fire extinguishers does my premises need?

BS 5306-8 gives guidance on provision. As a general principle, there should be enough extinguishers that nobody has to travel more than 30 metres to reach one, with a minimum of two Class A extinguishers on each floor of most premises, plus additional units for specific risks such as kitchens, server rooms and plant areas.

Do fire extinguishers expire?

Extinguishers do not have a fixed expiry date, but most have a working life of around twenty years, after which replacement is normally more economical than continued servicing. An extinguisher that fails its annual service, shows corrosion or damage, or has been discharged must be taken out of service.

Do fire extinguishers need signage?

Yes. Each extinguisher should have identification signage indicating its type and the fires it is suitable for, and location signage where the extinguisher itself is not immediately visible. This falls under the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.

Fire extinguishers · BS 5306-3 & BS 5306-8

The right extinguisher, in the right place, in date

Fire extinguishers are a legal must for any commercial premises — and the wrong type in the wrong place is worse than none at all. We assess your environment, supply the right units, install them and keep them serviced so you stay compliant.

Call us now — 01628 566531 Book a survey

Annual serviceRequired by law, to BS 5306-3:2017

5-year extendedWater, foam and powder units

10-year overhaulCO2 units

BS 5306-8Governs type, siting and signage

How we protect your business

We have over 20 years' experience working in partnership with businesses like yours to risk assess, plan and maintain fire extinguishers. By understanding your premises, we take the guesswork out of which extinguishers to use and where they should go.

As the responsible person it is your job to ensure adequate provision — but what counts as adequate? Given the penalties for getting it wrong, and given that it is almost certainly not your main expertise, this is worth handing to someone who does it every day.

Every extinguisher we supply conforms to British and European standard, carries the BS Kitemark and has BAFE approval.

What we do for you

Fire safety plan — supporting your fire risk assessment so you stay compliant
Supply and fit — the right unit for the risk, explained in plain terms
Maintenance — scheduled on our systems so you never miss a deadline
Fire warden training — so staff know which extinguisher to use, when and why

Which extinguisher for which fire?

A quick guide. Selection on your site must follow BS 5306-8, based on the risks actually identified.

Type	Use on	Never use on
Water	Paper, wood, textiles, most ordinary combustibles	Live electrical equipment, cooking oils
Foam	Ordinary combustibles and flammable liquids	Cooking oils, live electrical equipment
CO2	Live electrical equipment, flammable liquids	Confined spaces without ventilation, cooking oils
Dry powder	Mixed risks, flammable gases, outdoor use	Enclosed occupied spaces — the residue obscures escape routes
Wet chemical	Cooking oils and fats in commercial kitchens	Live electrical equipment

Fire extinguisher questions we get asked

It depends on your premises and the fire risks you have. We advise on and supply water, foam, CO2, powder and wet chemical extinguishers. Selection must be based on BS 5306-8:2023, which dictates extinguisher type, location and signage against the identified risks.

UK law requires annual servicing by a competent person. Annual servicing is required under BS 5306-3:2017 — every extinguisher gets a basic service yearly, an extended service at five-year intervals for water, foam and powder, and a full overhaul at ten years for CO2.

That comes from BS 5306-8 and your fire risk assessment — floor area, travel distance to the nearest unit, and the specific risks present. We survey the site and tell you exactly what is required, and where.

Yes. Extinguishers are pressure vessels and must be discharged and disposed of correctly — we handle removal and disposal when we replace units.

Not sure what you are supposed to have?

Tell us the size and use of your premises and when they were last serviced. We will tell you what BS 5306-8 requires and what it costs.

Call us now — 01628 566531 Send an enquiry

Fire Extinguishers for businesses

Safeguard your business against potential fire hazards with our complete fire extinguisher services

Fire extinguishers are an absolute must for any commercial premises and choosing the right one is critical to prevent fire-related damage and ensure the safety of your staff and premises.

At Pro-Active Fire Safety we can help by assessing your environment, supply the right fire extinguishers, install your equipment and provide the maintenance you need to ensure compliance.

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How do we protect your business?

We have over 20 years’ experience working in partnership with businesses like yours to risk assess, plan, and maintain your fire extinguishers. By understanding your needs, we will be able to take all the guess work out of which extinguishers to use and where they should be placed.

Here’s how we can help:

Fire safety plan

We can come up with a plan for you, which will support your fire risk assessment making sure you are compliant and safe from the heavy fines associated with non-compliance.

Choosing the right fire extinguishers

We can also supply and fit the right fire extinguishers, explaining which extinguisher is used for what type of fire situation. Of course, all fire extinguishers supplied confirm to British and European standard, carrying the BS kite mark and have BAFE approval.

Fire extinguisher maintenance

We also provide fire extinguisher maintenance to help ensure your continued compliance with fire extinguisher regulations. We take care of scheduling the maintenance using our own systems designed to make sure you never miss a deadline to keep your fire safety compliance where it needs to be.

Fire warden training

Because we also carry out fire warden training, we can also help your staff to know which fire extinguisher to use, when and why. Its important staff understand the different types of fire extinguishers and have the knowledge to use them should the need arise.

Which fire extinguisher should be used in your environment?

As the responsible person, it is your role to ensure adequate fire extinguishers are provided, but what is adequate? Given the heavy penalties that are applied for non-compliance, it is something you can’t afford to get wrong, and yet, it’s probably not your main expertise.

Whilst it seems like a simple thing to do, there are so many fire extinguishers on the market to choose from and suddenly the whole area can become a minefield. Fortunately, we have the expertise to help.

Fire protection across Buckinghamshire and Berkshire

We are based at Unit 3 Globe Estate, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, right on the county border, and cover the Thames Valley and the M4 and M40 corridors. Fire alarms, emergency lighting, extinguishers, suppression, signage, risk assessments and training — installed, serviced and certified to the British Standards.

Also covering Amersham, Beaconsfield, Chesham, Gerrards Cross, Bourne End, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, Slough, Windsor, Reading, Bracknell and Wokingham. Not sure if we cover you? Ask us.