Posted By Peter Younger I have just signed a contract with a new company to check our fire extinguishers, and they have given me a number of material data sheets for the contents of the extinguisher. I have never heard of anyone carrying out a COSHH assessment on extinguisher contents, do you think this is required. P.S you might be please to hear that the contents are non-flammable!

Posted By Jim Walker When you finally come to disposing of the extingishers, you might be glad of the MSDS info. File em away in a safe place.

Posted By Andy Furness Hi Peter, I would suggest that it is unlikely that you will be required to complete a COSHH assessment. Obviously the company that you have engaged are legally required to have completed them, as their servicing engineers are likely to come into contact with the chemicals within the extinguishers. I trust that when you engaged the company you requested sample copies of all their documentation, which will have included their COSHH assessments as well as the MSDS, so that you can prove that you have engaged competent contractors.(the safety of your staff may rely upon it) Quite a notable company had it's service contract(provision of PFFE) to a client of ours, terminated on recommendation by myself, as it was clear that the servicing engineer did not worry too much about others when he released large quantities of dry powder in to our clients workshop. When our trainers conduct fire extinguisher training, clients are requested to make their staff members aware of issues relating to the release of powder and smoke during the training and we act upon the information, providing as part of our ssow appropriate PPE as necesary (as part of our assessment process for the training) and I am sure that other training providers also take such precautions. Asthmetics and those who may have respiratory disorders would not thank a fire extinguisher engineer or training provider for any release!! best regards Andy Furness