Rank: Forum user 
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I have a question I am sure will easily be answered by someone out there.
I recently visited a company who claim to inspect their own fire extinguisher and record the findings. They follow a simple check list as advised in the regulations. Some one who is a trained fire marshall has trained the staff to check the extinguishers
The question I have is when does an inspection become a service, and who can service fire extinguishers ? I know they need to be dis-charged and re-gassed etc at given intervals but in between times is a simple inspection enough?
I did contact a serving Fire Officer who advised me the person should be competent to inspect and service extinguishers. What is deemed as competent?
Basically the company do not want to employ a fire extinguisher contractor company to save money.
Any feedback is most welcome.
Thank you
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Well here's how I see it.
When an inspection becomes a service is when some component part is adjusted or cleaned or replaced. When that doesn't need doing it is an inspection and requires only the competence to inspect. When it does need doing (either because an inspection has found something wrong or because a specified time interval has passed) it's a service and requires competence in servicing.
There's no reason it would have to be the same person inspecting and servicing.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I would tend to agree with Kate; inspection - look, service - do.
I have always found it rather curious that generally, examination, inspection, service etc do not appear to be defined in the various regs (happy to be corrected though).
From my time in the (please feel free to pull up a sandbag at this point!) RAF, such terms were very clearly defined, so that there was little or no ambiguity about what you were doing.
The usual rules regarding competency apply, something along the lines of the necessary skills, training, experience, personal qualities etc to be able to perform the given task. It is something of a moveable feats depending on the complexity of the task, and it is generally for the employer to prove if needed.
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Rank: Super forum user
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All defined in the Safety & Servicing Notes, if I recall.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Hi Adam,
There area a number of companies which offer training in fire extinguisher servicing and maintenance. Pre qualification is a basic knowledge of fire safety e.g. types, use of extinguishers etc. Its generally a 4 day course and in the long run could save your company quite a bit of money depending on size.
Kevin
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Rank: Forum user
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I have just completed and passed the fire extinghisher servicing course and will be carrying out the servicing in the future for my organisation...which will save them a lot of money and I'm happy to do it as it will be a welcome change from the desk job, and I am a practical sort of person. I was amazed at the price we were paying in terms of what the servicing involved!
I may well replace the fire extinghishers in the long term with the new maintenance free type extinghishers which have a life span of 10 years and only require a yearly INSPECTION by a competent person trained ..which would take approx 10 mins to do.
Job done
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Rank: Forum user
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Thanks to all of you for your time and suggestions really appreciated.
Andy
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