Fire extinguisher inspection checklist
This free fire extinguisher inspection checklist walks you through the monthly visual check OSHA requires for every portable fire extinguisher (29 CFR 1910.157), one unit at a time. Mark each check, see what needs action, and print this month's record or a 12-month inspection log. OSHA also requires a maintenance check each year, which the log tracks.
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Monthly fire extinguisher inspection checklist
Company: __________
Site: __________
Inspected by: __________
Date: __________
| Extinguisher | In its designated place | Easy to see and reach | Instructions readable and facing out | Seal and tamper indicator intact | Full | No damage, corrosion, leaks or clogged nozzle | Gauge in the operable range | Annual maintenance tag is less than 12 months old | Action taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extinguisher 1 | |||||||||
✓ OK · ✗ needs action · N/A. Monthly visual inspection: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157(e)(2). Date and initial each extinguisher's tag too.
tailgatedocs.com · Free printable form. Not legal advice; adapt to your workplace.
This calculator applies the monthly inspection, annual maintenance and record rules in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157(e), with the monthly check items fire officials list from NFPA 10. It is a planning aid, not legal advice, and it does not replace a competent person’s judgment on site.
State-plan states may set stricter requirements than the federal rule. Confirm against the standard that applies to your work before relying on a number here.
OSHA fire extinguisher inspection and maintenance schedule
| Task | How often | Who | 29 CFR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual inspection | Every month | Your own staff | 1910.157(e)(2) |
| Maintenance check | Every year; record the date | Trained technician | 1910.157(e)(3) |
| Empty and maintain (stored-pressure dry chemical with a 12-year test) | Every 6 years | Trained technician | 1910.157(e)(4) |
| Hydrostatic test | Every 5 or 12 years by type (see below) | Trained person with test equipment | 1910.157(f) |
| Replacement while away for service | Every time one is removed | Employer | 1910.157(e)(5) |
| Training on extinguisher use | At hire and at least yearly | Employer | 1910.157(g)(1)-(2) |
Hydrostatic test every 5 years
- Stored pressure water and/or antifreeze
- Wetting agent
- Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)
- Loaded stream
- Dry chemical with stainless steel shell
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Hydrostatic test every 12 years
- Dry chemical, stored pressure, with mild steel, brazed brass or aluminum shell
- Dry chemical, cartridge or cylinder operated, with mild steel shell
- Dry powder, cartridge or cylinder operated, with mild steel shell
- Halon 1211
- Halon 1301
From OSHA Table L-1 in 1910.157(f). Older soda acid and cartridge-operated water types are left out.
How to use the monthly fire extinguisher inspection log
Add each extinguisher by its number or location. Walk to it and mark each check OK, Fix, or N/A (for example, a CO2 unit has no gauge). The checks are the ones fire officials list from NFPA 10: in its place, easy to see and reach, instructions facing out, seal intact, full, no damage, and gauge in range. We added one more from OSHA: the annual maintenance tag is less than a year old.
The tool marks an extinguisher as passed only when every check is answered and none needs fixing. Any Fix answer shows what to do next. Print the monthly checklist for your file, or print the 12-month log to keep by the extinguishers and fill in by hand each month.
The monthly look is not a substitute for the yearly maintenance by a trained technician. A gauge in the green does not prove an extinguisher works; a broken seal can mean someone used part of it.
Common questions
▸How often do fire extinguishers need to be inspected?
OSHA's general industry rule requires a visual inspection every month and a maintenance check every year (29 CFR 1910.157(e)(2) and (e)(3)); on construction sites, 1926.150 requires periodic inspection under NFPA 10A. NFPA 10 says to inspect when the extinguisher is first put in service and then about every 30 days. Some stored-pressure dry chemical units also need emptying and maintenance every 6 years, and every extinguisher needs a hydrostatic test every 5 or 12 years depending on its type.
▸Do I have to keep a record of monthly inspections?
OSHA's rule names one record: the annual maintenance date, kept for one year after the last entry or the life of the shell, whichever is less. NFPA 10, the standard your local fire code may point to, also asks for the date and the initials of the person who did each monthly inspection, on a tag or label, a checklist on file, or an electronic record. A filled-in fire extinguisher inspection checklist and log covers both.
▸Who can do the monthly inspection?
Your own staff can do the monthly visual check. The annual maintenance is different: it is a thorough examination of the mechanical parts, the extinguishing agent and what pushes it out, done by a trained technician with the right tools, parts and service manual. Hydrostatic testing must be done by trained people with proper test equipment (1910.157(f)(1)).
▸What do I do if an extinguisher fails the check?
Fix simple things on the spot, such as moving it back to its place or clearing what blocks it. If it is damaged, not full, out of the gauge range, or the seal is broken, take it out of service for servicing. OSHA requires equal replacement protection while an extinguisher is away for maintenance or recharging (1910.157(e)(5)).
▸What are the fire extinguisher rules on a construction site?
OSHA 1926.150 requires at least one 2A extinguisher for each 3,000 square feet, no more than 100 feet of travel to the nearest one, at least one on each floor (next to a stairway in multistory buildings), and a 10B or larger unit within 50 feet of where more than 5 gallons of flammable or combustible liquid or 5 pounds of flammable gas is used. Extinguishers must be inspected periodically and maintained under NFPA 10A.
▸What is the difference between an inspection and maintenance?
An inspection is a quick look. OSHA defines it as a visual check that fire equipment is in place, charged, and ready for use. Maintenance is a full examination and repair of the extinguisher, done once a year or when an inspection shows a problem.
Sources
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157, Portable fire extinguishers (inspection, maintenance, hydrostatic testing, training): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.157
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.150, Fire protection (construction): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.150
- OSHA letter of interpretation, 29 November 2006 (monthly frequency, the 1910.155 definition of inspection, NFPA 10 30-day interval): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2006-11-29
- Portland Fire & Rescue rule FIR-8.03, monthly self-inspection items (NFPA 10): https://www.portland.gov/policies/portland-fire-and-rescue/fixed-portable-fire-extinguishing-systems-equipment/fir-803-fire
- Minnesota Department of Health, Maintenance and Testing of Portable Fire Extinguishers (NFPA 10 inspection, maintenance and record items): https://www.health.mn.gov/facilities/regulation/engineering/lscfireext24.pdf
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