“Forewarned means armed,” says an old Latin proverb. Guided by it, the law without fail provides for the “arming” of all enterprises, vehicles and any other places where mass crowds are possible with fire fighting equipment. The main ones are fire extinguishers. Each such device should always carry a package of documents. Let's find out what exactly should be part of it. And also in more detail we will dwell on tags, which should be on a fire extinguisher. We find out what data is indicated on them and by what GOST all this is regulated.
What is a fire extinguisher
This device is the most common and affordable means of fire safety. It is a portable (rarely mobile) device designed to extinguish fires. This is done due to the extinguishing agent (OTV) discharged from the device.
A typical design is a cylindrical scarlet balloon with a tube or nozzle on top and a lever attached to it. Pressing it (after tearing off the seal and removing the safety check) activates the device. In this case, a fire extinguishing substance is sprayed from it (under high pressure):
- H 2 O;
- foam;
- powdered chemical compound;
- CO 2 ;
- N 2 ;
- other inert gases.
The very principle of a fire extinguisher in a simplified form resembles a spray can with hairspray or mousse. The only difference is that the intensity and speed of the substance (after pressing the lever) is many times greater.
Varieties
There are several criteria by which fire extinguishers are divided into different types.
- Way of operation: manual, automatic, universal (hybrid).
- Type of starting devices: gate valve, lever-type locking and starting device, additional source.
- Volume: portable small (up to 4000 g), portable industrial (from 4000 g), stationary / mobile (from 8000 g).
- The principle of action on fire: powder, gas (chladonic, CO 2 ), foam (chemical, air-emulsion, air-foam, chemical air-foam).
- Fire extinguisher supply method: H 2 O pressure generated as a result of a chemical reaction of the components of a fire extinguisher charge; the pressure of the gases supplied from a specialized cylinder on or inside the device; pressure of gases previously injected into the device body; own pressure of the extinguishing agent.
All data on belonging to certain types are always marked on each fire extinguisher, are its marking. Depending on the characteristic, it can be indicated:
- letters (type and class);
- figures (mass of extinguishing agent).
Which GOST governs the requirements for fire extinguishers
The desire of mankind to save sometimes even to his own detriment is widely known. Over a century-old practice of organizing fire safety (PB) has shown that without strict control, people tend to neglect it. The result is thousands of annual fires around the world that could have been prevented if the safety requirements were properly observed. That is why in every developed country in the world, mandatory fire safety standards have been introduced at the state level. And separately for each of its key element.
Fire extinguishers as the most common PB tools have their own GOST. Everything is written in it about this device: from the design and rules of acceptance and verification to a detailed description of which tags should be on the fire extinguisher and what information should be indicated there.
Although fire safety regulations are approximately the same in all states, each has its own standard. In the Russian Federation it is GOST R 51057-2001. In 2001, he replaced the previously existing GOST R 51057-97.
This document applies to portable fire extinguishers (no more than 20,000 g) designed to extinguish fires of classes A, B, C, E. Moreover, it is not applicable to similar special-purpose devices (class D fires, backpack fires, aviation, etc.).
Thus, if necessary, it is worth looking for all the answers to questions about the design of tags for fire extinguishers in GOST R 51057-2001.
On the territory of Ukraine, these issues are regulated by GOST 4297: 2004.
What documents should have a fire extinguisher
The richness of the Russian language, especially synonyms in it, often leads to a misunderstanding of various terms. A fire extinguisher tag is a prime example of this. The fact is that when talking about this document, sometimes they may mean a label or device passports. And although the data contained in them often duplicate each other, these are different things.
In order not to get into trouble, we will consider what documents each such fire-fighting device should have:
- Technical certificate.
- Operational passport.
- Logbook.
- Label.
- Fire extinguisher inspection tag.
Although it seems that the presence of such a large number of papers is unnecessary, in fact, their goal is to control the serviceability of the fire extinguisher and its willingness to extinguish the fire at any time.
Technical certificate
Since all of the listed documents are interconnected, we will consider briefly each of them so as not to be confused about what should and should not be indicated there.
The technical data sheet of a fire extinguisher is a factory instruction for this device. Therefore, it must be stored accordingly - from the time of purchase to disposal.
This document indicates the following information:
- manufacturer information;
- date of manufacture;
- serial number of the product (must match the stamped one on the fire extinguisher itself);
- technical specifications (weight, mass, pressure, drawing, equipment and more);
- the principle of operation of the device;
- operating conditions and maintenance tips;
- data on compliance with the current GOST with a wet seal;
- warranty obligations.
As a rule, the technical passport of a fire extinguisher is needed only at the time of purchase in order to enter data into other documents. He also has to deal with in the event of a factory defect or fire safety check.
In other cases, like any instruction, it should be stored in a place from where it can always be taken out if necessary. The best option is to immediately scan the technical passport in case of urgent need or loss. Such a copy, of course, will not have legal rights, but will facilitate access to information about the fire extinguisher.
Please note: if a fire extinguisher is of foreign manufacture, its technical passport should contain pages in Russian. This requirement applies to all accompanying papers.
Operational passport
If the previous document is almost never correlated with the inspection tag of a fire extinguisher, then this happens with the operating certificate due to general data.
As the name implies, this paper contains information about the use of the device. That is, about its operation.
Unlike its technical counterpart, this one should be at hand. From the moment a fire extinguisher hits a customer’s shelf, everything that happens to him should be recorded here first.
It consists of two parts:
- device data (inventory number, date of appearance at the enterprise, location, labeling, manufacturer);
- table for monitoring the state of a fire extinguisher and its maintenance.
The first part is filled in upon receipt of the device (a sort of analogue of a birth certificate), the second - throughout the "life" of the fire extinguisher. All data entered in the table must be certified by the signature of the responsible person and wet stamp.
Each fire extinguisher has a separate operating certificate. In addition, each number (inventory) assigned to a single device is also applied to its body with indelible paint. A sticker is acceptable, but it must be indelible.
If the operating passport is lost, the issuance of a new one occurs only after the device is checked by specialists. The same goes for technical.
Logbook
All data specified in the previous document, without fail, are duplicated in the accounting journal. However, unlike the operating passport, it contains information about all fire extinguishers on the balance sheet of the enterprise.
For each of them two separate journal sheets are allocated. The first records the maintenance of fire extinguishers. The second is about testing and reloading. Thus, in practice, the magazine becomes a general duplicate of the operating passport of the device and the data from the tag on the fire extinguisher (see photo in the article).
As for the model of maintaining such a document, the legislation allows this to be done in any form, requiring only meticulous recording of all data on the state and its changes for all fire extinguishers in the enterprise.
The best option is to coordinate with the local fire department the particulars of filling out such a journal, as well as the frequency. It is worth remembering that when checking this document must be presented first. If all the data is entered in a timely manner and in accordance with the requirements of GOST, the next step will be followed by comparing them with the actual situation.
Only the person responsible for fire safety should fill out the register. These duties are capable of fulfilling by any member of the team, in parallel with their main work. However, he must first be instructed.
Fire extinguisher label
This is exactly the type of document that is most often confused with a fire extinguisher inspection tag. Unlike technical and operational passports, the label is applied directly to the fire extinguisher body itself and inextricably exists next to the device throughout its "life".
It can be made both in the form of an indelible sticker (it is forbidden to use just paper, without protection), and printed permanent ink on the balloon itself. In this case, all data must be indicated in Russian. This is a prerequisite. In case of purchase of foreign fire extinguishers after passing certification on top of the factory one, a Russian label should be glued on them.
GOST requires that its size should not be less than 50% of the height of the cylindrical part of the cylinder.
Please note, unlike previous documents, in this all data is pre-printed in a typographical manner. This should be the following information:
- Trademark, manufacturer details.
- The name of the device and its purpose.
- A reference to a regulatory document, the requirements of which correspond to a fire extinguisher.
- Typology data for fires that the device can extinguish.
- Type, brand and nominal amount of the substance charged into the fire extinguisher.
- A brief but understandable step-by-step instruction diagram of how to work with this device.
- Warning labels.
- Data on temperatures at which it is possible to store / use this device.
- Pictograms of fire classes in which the use of this device is permissible.
- Data on the working and test pressure of the contents.
- For OTV with a high-pressure gas cylinder, the mass and type of displacing gas are indicated.
- Gross weight.
- Certification Information.
- Information on what should be done with the cylinder after its use.
- Production date.
For devices whose performance is checked by weighing, indicate their structural mass without the necessary contents.
Fire extinguisher tag
Having dealt with all the documents, which, due to inexperience, can confuse with the tag, it is worth finally considering it itself.
It’s worth mentioning right away that the name “tag” is not quite right. It is not indicated in GOST, because there this type of document for a fire extinguisher is called an additional label. The term "tag" can be considered a sort of "folk" name, used by analogy with information cards on other types of goods.
It is worth considering that the additional label is not always framed in the form of a card or paper, which is tied to a fire extinguisher. GOST provides for both attachment to the body and gluing it. Below is a sample of a tag for a fire extinguisher, in which data about the device's test for operability are entered.
Why is it needed? According to the state standard, a fire extinguisher is marked with this type of document in the case when this device was checked or recharged.
By the way, this practice is common in most countries. Below is a photo of a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher tag used in the USA. If you compare with the Russian, you can see that it contains less information.
Recharge, as a rule, occurs less frequently than a check (if at all). Therefore, it is allowed to indicate only data on the current state of the device and checks in the tag on the fire extinguisher. What should she be like? Let's find out.
Tag Appearance
As in the case of the accounting journal, the Russian GOST does not have clear rules on how to draw up an additional label. Only a list of required data is provided:
- Information about the organization that recharged the fire extinguisher (if any).
- Fire extinguisher brand and its mass in a charged state.
- If after recharging the fire-extinguishing properties of the active substance have changed, the typology of fires that can be extinguished should be indicated.
- Recharge Date
- Date of strength test (if any).
From this list it is clear that the data relate to recharging or testing. If there is just a check, the additional label should contain the following data:
- fire extinguisher inventory number;
- his brand;
- date of inspection;
- weight of the charge and the entire device;
- data on the date of the next check;
- signature of the person in charge.
Some slight differences are allowed in the design of such a document. The previous section already had a sample fire extinguisher tag. Below is another one.
Despite the differences in design, we have identical contents in each sample extinguisher tag. GOST gives the right to "play" with the appearance of the document, but at the same time leaves the opportunity for the fire inspector to find fault with the inspected. Especially if they are not very versed in the standard. In order not to become a victim of this “hole” in the law, as in the case of the magazine, you can coordinate the design of the tag with the local fire department or a company that recharges the device.
Please note that the above example of a tag for a fire extinguisher - this is only one side of it, which is filled after each check and recharge. This is a variable part of the additional label, so the inventory number of the device may not be available here.
Filling requirements
As in the case with the design style, in the same way there is no single sample for filling the tags on the fire extinguisher. Everything adapts to its specific design. But even so, there are a number of rules that must be followed. What are these requirements?
- The main data of the additional label must be printed. While variable ones are filled in manually (date of inspection / reloading, weight, signature).
- The tag must be made of durable waterproof material. Most often, polymer-based stickers or laminated paper are used in this role.
- All data from this card must be entered into the operating passport and journal without fail.
Do I always need a tag on a fire extinguisher?
In conclusion, let's find the answer to this question. The state standard clearly states that such a tag on a fire extinguisher, the sample of which was presented above, is put only after recharging.
Theoretically, a new device does not have to have an additional label, because it has not yet been recharged outside the manufacturing plant, where the corresponding calibration was carried out. Based on this logic, initially it is not necessary to have a tag about checking on fire extinguishers (you already know the sample).
On the other hand, putting on balance a new fire fighting device, someone takes responsibility for its serviceability. An intelligent person without fail will first want to check what he will be responsible for. And if such a procedure takes place, an appropriate entry in the passport and the magazine and, as a result, a tag on the fire extinguisher (a photo of the sample will allow you to get acquainted with its appearance) should appear.
Often when recharging a fire extinguisher, a seal with a date is placed on it. Remember, and if it is, you still need an additional label. So do not be lazy and issue it. And let there never be fires at your enterprise and all fire extinguishers will remain professionally unclaimed!