Never let a fire extinguisher in your company run past its maintenance date

Supreme Decree 594 of 1999 of Chile's Ministry of Health sets the basic sanitary and environmental conditions every workplace must meet (Article 1). The company must keep in its workplaces the conditions needed to protect the lives and health of workers, whether its own employees or those of contractors (Article 3). Every workplace with any fire risk, due to the structure of the building or the nature of the work, must have fire extinguishers of the type suited to the combustible or flammable materials present or handled; their number depends on the area to be protected under Article 46, and they must meet the requirements of Supreme Decree 369 of 1996 of the Ministry of Economy, or the decree that replaces it, and be certified by an accredited laboratory (Article 45).

Extinguishers must undergo inspection, control and preventive maintenance under official Chilean standards, carried out by the manufacturer or a technical service in accordance with Decree 369 of 1996, at least once a year, with this recorded on the corresponding label, in order to verify their working condition. The employer is responsible for taking the measures needed so that workplaces are not left without extinguishers while maintenance is carried out (Article 51).

Extinguishers are placed in easily accessible, clearly identified locations, free of obstacles, in full working condition, at a maximum height of 1.30 metres measured from the floor to the base of the extinguisher, and properly signposted (Article 47). All staff must be instructed and trained in how to use them in an emergency (Article 48), and those kept outdoors go in a niche or cabinet that allows quick removal (Article 49). In addition, every workplace must implement fire-prevention measures, controlling combustible loads and heat sources and inspecting installations under a pre-established programme (Article 44).