It is important that before installation a fire risk assessment be carried out by a competent person in order to determine the building’s fire hazard level and to identify the optimal location for each unit to be placed.

Fire Extinguishers must be placed in a permanent location that is clearly visible and available for immediate use at all times. To ensure units are not moved or relocated, they should be mounted to a wall, within a floor bracket or placed within a cabinet. If mounted to a wall or extinguisher stand, smaller units (up to 4kg) must have their handles at least 1.5 meters from the floor and larger units must be mounted at least 1 metres from the floor. This is to prevent people tripping over them in the event of a fire and to ensure they are immediately accessible.

All units should be placed along escape routes to prevent people moving towards a fire in search of an extinguisher. The maximum distance between each fire extinguisher will depend on the hazard level identified during the fire risk assessment.

As well as annual servicing, extinguishers must be fully discharged after long periods of inactivity. This is to check that everything still functions properly and there is no internal damage to the unit. We recommend that water, powder, wet chemical and foam extinguishers should undergo this extended service every 5 years and CO₂ 10 years.