FIRE SAFETY FOR VESSELS & OTHER VEHICLES

COMMERCIAL VESSELS

Firefighting equipment on commercial vessels should be installed and maintained in accordance with survey requirements. TasFire Equipment can undertake routine maintenance of fire protection equipment on commercial vessels.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER MAINTENANCE

Maintenance of fire extinguishers on vessels is often overlooked, which can lead to dangerous situations where a fire extinguisher does not work when needed or, even worse, if the cylinder integrity is compromised due to corrosion. Remember, a fire extinguisher is a pressure vessel that contains gas stored at high pressure.



The maintenance regime for fire extinguishers sold in Australia is as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Manufacturers recommend that fire extinguisher maintenance be carried out in accordance with AS 1851-2012. Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment is required.

Under normal operating conditions, a fire extinguisher should be inspected every six months and replaced every five years. To see if your fire extinguisher is still in date, you can check yourself by locating the month and year of manufacture stamped usually on the neck or the base of the fire extinguisher. If it is older than five years from the date of manufacture, the fire extinguisher should be replaced.

The main items to check when inspecting your dry chemical powder fire extinguisher are:

• The cylinder must be free from any damage or corrosion.
• The operating head must be free from damage or corrosion, and the anti-tamper seal holding the pull-pin must be in place.
• The needle on the gauge reads within the green range.
• That the powder inside the fire extinguisher is free-flowing: This can be checked by inverting the cylinder and gently tapping the base of the cylinder with a rubber mallet or similar (do not hit the cylinder with force or with anything hard as it may dent the cylinder and compromise its integrity).
• The cylinder must be restrained appropriately within its support bracket.

Fire extinguishers located on vessels are often subject to adverse operating environments, such as being exposed to the weather and salt spray, along with vibrations and violent movement due to vessel speed and the motions of the sea. In these conditions, more frequent inspection and maintenance are required, and it is recommended that the above checks occur quarterly.



If you are unsure if the fire extinguisher off your recreational vessel is still serviceable or in date, you can take it to one of TasFire Equipment’s shopfronts in Hobart, Launceston or Burnie and they will check it for you.