Fire Extinguisher Use and Monthly Inspection
Portable fire extinguisher procedure covering the decision to evacuate rather than fight a fire, the PASS discharge technique for incipient stage fires, monthly visual inspections, annual maintenance and hydrostatic testing intervals, mounting and signage requirements, and mandatory reporting after any discharge.
- Audience
- All warehouse employees, the employees designated and trained to use portable fire extinguishers, and the person assigned the monthly extinguisher inspection
- Review cycle
- annual
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- Revision
- 1
What is in the procedure
7 sections. Regulatory language is fixed and passes through verbatim. Sections marked customized get rewritten around your facility, your equipment, and your job titles.
- 01
Purpose
FixedThis procedure governs the use, placement, and condition of portable fire extinguishers under 29 CFR 1910.157. It sets a clear rule for when a trained employee may attempt to control a small fire and when the only...
- 02
Scope
CustomizedThis procedure applies to every portable fire extinguisher on the property, including units mounted on walls and columns, units mounted on powered industrial trucks, and units in the battery charging area, hazardous...
- 03
Responsibilities
CustomizedAll employees recognize a fire, raise the alarm, and evacuate by their assigned route.
- 04
Procedure: Raising the Alarm, Deciding Whether to Fight, and Using the Extinguisher
Fixed1. Raise the alarm first, every time: activate the nearest manual pull station and call the emergency number before any attempt to control the fire.
- 05
Procedure: Monthly Visual Inspection, Mounting, and Signage
CustomizedEvery portable extinguisher is visually inspected at least monthly.
- 06
Procedure: Annual Maintenance, Testing, and Reporting After Any Use
CustomizedAnnual maintenance: every extinguisher receives an annual maintenance check by a qualified servicer.
- 07
References
Fixed29 CFR 1910.157 Portable fire extinguishers.
OSHA references
Fire Extinguisher Use and Monthly Inspection: 29 CFR 1910.157(c)
Every SOP generated from this template cites the paragraphs below, with a plain-language summary of what each one requires. Citations are informational and are not legal advice.
| Standard | Title | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.157(c) | Portable fire extinguishers: general requirements for mounting, location, and identification | Where the employer provides portable fire extinguishers, they must be mounted, located, and identified so that they are readily accessible to employees without subjecting the employees to possible injury. Only approved portable fire extinguishers may be used. |
| 29 CFR 1910.157(d) | Portable fire extinguishers: selection and distribution | Extinguishers must be selected and distributed based on the classes of anticipated workplace fires and on the size and degree of the hazard affecting their use. Paragraph (d)(2) limits the travel distance for employees to reach a Class A extinguisher to 75 feet or less, and paragraph (d)(4) limits the travel distance to a Class B extinguisher to 50 feet or less. |
| 29 CFR 1910.157(e) | Portable fire extinguishers: inspection, maintenance, and testing | The employer is responsible for the inspection, maintenance, and testing of all portable fire extinguishers in the workplace. Extinguishers must be visually inspected monthly and subjected to an annual maintenance check. The date of the annual maintenance check must be recorded and the record retained, and that annual record is the only record this paragraph requires; no record of the monthly visual inspection is required by the standard. Where extinguishers are removed from service for maintenance and recharging, alternate equivalent protection must be provided. Stored pressure dry chemical extinguishers that require a 12 year hydrostatic test must be emptied and subjected to applicable maintenance procedures every 6 years, except that dry chemical extinguishers having non-refillable disposable containers are exempt from that 6 year requirement. |
| 29 CFR 1910.157(g) | Portable fire extinguishers: training and education | Where the employer has provided portable fire extinguishers for employee use, the employer must also provide an educational program that familiarizes employees with the general principles of extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting, on initial employment and at least annually after that. Employees designated to use fire fighting equipment as part of an emergency action plan must be trained in the use of the appropriate equipment when they are assigned and at least annually. |
| 29 CFR 1910.38(c)(1) | Emergency action plans: procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency | The emergency action plan must include procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency, so the alarm is raised and help is summoned independently of any attempt to control the fire. |
Compliance checklist
What an inspector looks for
Extinguishers are approved units, mounted, located, and identified so they are readily accessible without exposing employees to injury
29 CFR 1910.157(c)
Extinguisher type and rating match the anticipated fire classes in each area and travel distances to a suitable unit are within the limits of the standard
29 CFR 1910.157(d)
Every extinguisher is visually inspected at least monthly, with the inspection recorded per facility policy; the standard requires a record only for the annual maintenance check
29 CFR 1910.157(e)
Every extinguisher receives an annual maintenance check, the date is recorded, and the record is retained and available
29 CFR 1910.157(e)
Alternate equivalent protection is provided for the area whenever an extinguisher is removed from service for maintenance and recharging, delivered here by the facility policy of hanging a charged replacement the same day
29 CFR 1910.157(e)
Employees provided extinguishers receive education on extinguisher use and incipient stage fire hazards on hire and at least annually, and designated users receive equipment training
29 CFR 1910.157(g)
The emergency action plan procedure for reporting a fire is followed before any attempt to control a fire
29 CFR 1910.38(c)(1)
Extinguisher stations are kept clear of racking, stacked product, and parked equipment, and station signage is visible from the aisle
Waitlist
Generate this SOP for your facility
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This page is informational and is not legal advice. Have a qualified safety professional review any procedure before it goes into service at your facility.