Fire Extinguishers

[Theb55]

What's your take on fire extinguishers needing a current annual test tag on them? I've been told I need to have them checked annually and recorded. I've also been told all I need is a to have fire extinguishers. I invert mine and shake them regularly as well as banging the bottom.

 

[casper5280]

Just had a boat safety check and was told that mine were out of date. Didn't know they had a date. Got 2 coming from Profisher today. I will let him weigh in on this as that is his job and will get the correct information from him.

 

[hambone]

Transport Canada requires annual inspections for portable extinguishers on commercial vessels, sport boats I'm not sure about. I would assume most sport rigs have multi-purpose dry chem because they cover A, B and C class fires. With them, every month or so you should invert, tap on the bottom and shake up so the powder doesn't settle in the bottom and clump up.
Out of date? That might just mean the tank needs to be pressure tested.
Most of this info should be found somewhere on the label or the tank.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/tp-tp511-equipment-1140.htm#fire_fighting_equipment

 

[hambone]

On the topic of firefighting... I recently took a course and was shown some of the fire gear our downrigger friends at Scotty make. I'm not a salesman and don't know what this gear costs but it would be really handy to have on board for any guys with larger rigs. I'm particularly talking about the foam applicator systems they have, which run at a GPM that most washdown pumps could easily provide.

If you have a fire and fail to get it with your portable extinguisher or even a large fuel spill within your boat that hasn't ignited.... Foam is your best friend.

Just thought I would share.

http://www.scottyfire.com/equipment/applicator-equipment.htm

 

[profisher]

The annual service basically ensures with a high probability that the extinguisher is in operation condition and that the recharges are being done on time. All portables must be recharged at set intervals even if they have not been used. Dry chemical types are done every 6 years starting from date of manufacture, CO2 every 5 years. CO2 are also high pressure cylinders so they must be hydrotested every 5 years as well. The powder can over time develop clumping which can plug the pick up tube rendering them useless. When the extinguisher is recharged the powder is run through a strainer to remove any clumps. Having them services and tagged each year is cheap $5-$6 each. I have many business owners who bring in their boat portables for me to service when I'm in servicing the business portables.

 

[coastalmarinesafety]

Under the Small Vessel Regs, in the first part which lists how the regs apply to all small vessels, pleasure and commercial, section 5 applies to your question.

"5. (1) The safety equipment required by these Regulations shall be

(a) in good working order;
(b) readily accessible and available for immediate use; and
(c) except for a life raft, maintained and replaced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or recommendations.
(2) Portable fire extinguishers and fixed fire extinguishing systems required by these Regulations shall be kept fully charged."

So in regards to 5 (1)(c), on every portable fire extinguisher I've ever seen, the manufacturer’s instructions are to service and maintain the extinguisher according to the NFPA 10 standard for portable fire extinguishers. NFPA 10 states that the extinguishers must be inspected annually by a technician (which in B.C. is usually someone who has taken a course through BCIT and has experience/accreditation with ASTTBC which gives them a rubber stamp, as evidenced on their service tag on the extinguisher after an inspection/service). As Profisher explained, various factors determine whether more than just a visual inspection is required....aka type of pressure vessel material, age of extinguisher, last known internal inspection, hydrostatic test due date, etc. Just like with anything (vehicles, business buildings, vessels, etc.) commercial ventures are held to the letter of the law by those inspecting. Pleasure craft can be as well. And my guess is with a pleasure craft (or any vessel for that matter), in the event of fire where people on board tried (unsuccessfully) to put it out, boat insurance underwriter investigators could ask for proof of a valid NFPA10 inspection/service on the extinguisher(s) as one way for them to try to show the policy rules weren't followed. Fine print somewhere would probably say fire extinguisher and safety equipment meets applicable regs. for policy to be valid. Hope this info helps.

 

[profisher]

There is no uniform requirement in BC for accedidation from ASTTBC to be recognized as a legitimate technician. No municipalities in the Victoria area require it. Many in the industry considered it a money grab as you have to pay (I think it's ) $250 a year to keep that certification. Why? You pay to take the classes, pass...that should be the end of it. Unless there are upgrades in the future at which point you pay for those classes. I got my training from Crest Fire back in 1996 and continue to enjoy a good business relationship with them today.

 

[coastalmarinesafety]

Agree with you on that Profisher....that's a big hit every year. Further to your point about some technicians not needing that ASTTBC stamp, boats that navigate (aka not a "boat house" or float home) don't fall under any sort of B.C. or municipal building code, so as you say people are free to choose their certified technician of choice to service their marine extinguishers, ASTTBC accrediation or not, within their town or not, etc. So even if they are in a municipality that requires ASTTBC "accreditation" under a building code context, by contrast under NFPA 10 (and incorporated by reference via the Small Vessel Regs), "certified technician" means a person passing an NFPA subject matter exam from an acceptable institution, such as BCIT in B.C.

Anyway, a little off track from original question- but this thread a good reminder that all safety equipment takes maintenance and care once out of the box and is a fun one for us fire extinguisher nerds to weigh in on And as Profisher has said in a previous thread, the minimum required size fire extinguishers are just that...minimum. Bigger is better as discharge times are generally very very short. 5-15 seconds total discharge time if in good working order. The reality is boats can be very hard on extiguishers given all the vibration and impact an extinguisher can endure. Dry chem extinguishers can get packing/caking of the powder and that really shortens the discharge time. A technician addresses this during their annual inspection. Some people address this during their own monthly self inspections, which are actually referenced as well under manufactures instructions (aka following NFPA 10)