Hello to any fire safety experts, a little help please. We have several extinguishers which have been purchased within the last year but never issued from our store. Is carrying out a thorough inspection and a check weigh and recording this sufficient for us to issue them, having an annual service carried out 12 months after issue? Or does the requirement for annual service start from the date they were purchased? Many thanks Barry

It is ok to keep the extinguishers stored until required. When they are required they need to have an initial service by a competent person i.e. BAFE qualified extinguisher engineer prior to being put into service. The initial service is where the extinguisher label is applied, the unit weighed, and inspected etc as per BS5306-3 and then maintenance carried out in accordance to the same British standard. hope this helps. DJ