Fire extinguisher servicing in the UK: what’s legally required (BS 5306 & the Responsible Person)?

Fire extinguisher servicing in the UK: what’s legally required (BS 5306 & the Responsible Person)?

Property managers and business owners across Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield and the surrounding areas often ask the same question when they take on a new site: ‘Do we actually have to service the fire extinguishers, or is it just good practice?’ The short answer is that you have a legal duty to keep fire safety equipment maintained, and portable extinguishers fall squarely into that duty. What catches people out is the difference between what the law states in principle, and how British Standards translate that duty into a practical routine you can follow without guessing.

This matters most in the places where day-to-day responsibility sits with someone who wears five hats. A facilities manager might deal with contractors, refurbishment works, security, deliveries, and a constant churn of staff. A landlord might live nowhere near the building. A head teacher might run a school first and think about extinguishers only when an auditor appears. In all those cases, problems tend to start small: an extinguisher gets moved during decorating, a safety pin goes missing, a unit gets blocked behind stock, or a kitchen wet chemical unit quietly drops out of date. Then the fire risk assessment gets updated, an insurer asks for evidence, or the fire and rescue service visits after an unrelated incident.

At AKSA Security, we cover fire protection work alongside fire alarms, and we regularly see the same pattern across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire: people want to comply, but they want it explained in plain English. The route map is clear once you separate three ideas: the law assigns responsibility, BS 5306-3 sets the maintenance expectation for portable extinguishers, and the ‘competent person’ requirement decides who can do what and when.

Where the legal duty comes from: the Responsible Person and maintenance

In England and Wales, the core piece of fire safety law for most non-domestic premises is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It uses the term ‘Responsible Person’ for the individual or organisation that controls the premises or has control over part of it, and it places duties on them to manage fire risk. The law does not list every item you must own in every building. Instead, it expects you to assess the risk and put in place suitable precautions, including fire-fighting equipment where appropriate.

Once you provide fire safety measures, the duty does not end at purchase and installation. Article 17 of the same Order is direct: where necessary to safeguard people, the Responsible Person must make sure the premises and fire safety equipment are maintained through a suitable system, kept in efficient working order, and in good repair. Portable fire extinguishers count as equipment provided ‘in respect of the premises’ for fire safety, so you cannot treat them as a one-off purchase.

Article 13 also matters because it covers fire-fighting and fire detection. It says the Responsible Person must ensure the premises are equipped, as appropriate, with fire-fighting equipment, and that non-automatic fire-fighting equipment is easily accessible and indicated where necessary. That wording connects directly to common compliance issues: extinguishers hidden behind furniture, missing signage, and units placed so low or so high that staff ignore them.

If you run a workplace with specific hazards, you may also have duties under health and safety law that sit alongside the Fire Safety Order. For example, where dangerous substances create a fire or explosion risk, DSEAR requires controls and maintenance based on risk assessment. The practical outcome, again, is that ‘buying equipment’ is never the end of the job.
HSE

So, is fire extinguisher service mandatory? The law mandates maintenance and suitable precautions. Once your risk assessment identifies extinguishers as part of your precautions, the maintenance requirement becomes part of your legal duty. British Standards then give you a recognised way to demonstrate that you maintain them properly.

BS 5306-3 in plain English: what it is and why people reference it

BS 5306 is a family of British Standards that deals with portable fire extinguishers and related equipment. The part that comes up most often when people search ‘how often service extinguishers UK’ is BS 5306-3, which covers commissioning and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers. It is a code of practice: it sets out what a good, defensible maintenance routine looks like, including checks, servicing stages, and the idea of using competent people.

BS 5306-3 does not replace the law. It gives you a framework that aligns with it. If you ever have to show due diligence after an incident, the question tends to be, ‘Did you follow recognised guidance?’ That is why auditors, insurers, and enforcement officers so often ask about BS 5306-3, even though they are enforcing the Fire Safety Order, not the British Standard itself.

A second part, BS 5306-8, gets mentioned when people discuss selection and positioning. It matters when layouts change or when someone replaces units without thinking about what hazards have moved. You can maintain an extinguisher perfectly and still fail the practical test if it’s the wrong type, too far from the hazard, or placed where nobody can reach it quickly.

What ‘servicing’ actually means: three layers of attention

When people say ‘servicing’, they sometimes mean ‘a contractor came once a year and stuck a label on.’ That mindset causes gaps. Portable extinguishers need attention on three different time scales, and each one catches a different type of failure.

First, you need routine visual checks on site. These catch the everyday problems: a missing pin, a broken tamper seal, obvious damage, blocked access, or a pressure gauge sitting outside the green zone. BS 5306-3 states that visual inspections should happen at least monthly, and more often when circumstances require it. If your building has a lot of footfall, a high risk of vandalism, or frequent room moves, monthly might be the bare minimum rather than the target.

Second, you need an annual service by a competent person. This is the part most people recognise, and it is the part that tends to show up in contractor certificates. The point of the annual service is not just to ‘tick a box’. It is to confirm the extinguisher remains safe to use and likely to work as intended, and to pick up faults that a quick visual check might miss.

Third, you need periodic ‘deeper’ servicing at longer intervals for certain types, which can include test discharge and cylinder testing depending on the extinguisher. Many failures only appear when you go beyond surface checks. Hoses age. Internal corrosion can start without any obvious external sign. Valves can stick. Stored pressure can drift.

If you organise your maintenance around these three layers, you reduce the chance of nasty surprises during audits or, more importantly, during an actual fire.

Monthly checks: what the Responsible Person should do (and record)

Monthly checks usually sit with the Responsible Person or someone they appoint internally. You do not need a specialist qualification to look at an extinguisher and spot obvious issues, but you do need consistency. One person doing ‘a quick glance when they remember’ does not count as a system.

A sensible check starts with access and visibility. Can someone reach the extinguisher immediately without moving boxes, bins, furniture, or stock? Does the location signage still make sense after layout changes? In offices, the common problem is storage creep: a spare chair becomes a stack of archive boxes, which becomes a mini storeroom, and the extinguisher disappears behind it.

Next, look at the extinguisher’s condition. Damage to the body, corrosion on the base, a split hose, or a missing nozzle cap are all reasons to act, not to ‘wait until the annual service’. Check that the pin sits correctly and the tamper seal is intact. If the seal is broken, ask why. Sometimes it’s innocent, but sometimes staff have pulled pins ‘as a joke’ or during DIY work.

For extinguishers with a pressure gauge, read it. If the needle sits outside the operating range, do not ignore it. For CO₂ extinguishers, you usually cannot rely on a pressure gauge in the same way, so weight becomes part of the check. A missing chunk of weight suggests leakage and needs attention.

Finally, check that the extinguisher still matches the area. Kitchens, plant rooms, workshops, and server rooms each bring different risks. If you have changed your processes, changed materials, introduced lithium-ion charging, or converted a room, your extinguisher provision may need review under the fire risk assessment. That is where BS 5306-8 and a competent assessor can help.

Recording matters because records prove your system exists. Keep it simple: date, name, area checked, and any actions raised. If you manage multiple sites around Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, or South Yorkshire, a basic asset register with locations makes life easier. It also reduces the ‘we definitely had one there last year’ problem when someone cannot find an extinguisher on the day of an inspection.

Annual servicing: what a competent person does and why it can’t be improvised

Annual servicing sits at the point where responsibility meets competence. The Responsible Person stays legally accountable, but they typically appoint a competent person or company to carry out the technical work. BS 5306-3 and industry bodies consistently frame annual servicing as work for someone with the right training, experience, and tools, not a general handyman with a screwdriver and a stack of service labels.

A proper annual service checks more than the external appearance. The technician will confirm the extinguisher type and rating remains suitable, check the operating instructions and markings, inspect the body and components, confirm the safety device and discharge mechanism operate correctly, assess the hose and nozzle, and check weight or pressure as appropriate. They also look for signs that the extinguisher has discharged, been used, or been tampered with, even if the outside looks tidy.

The competent person also makes judgment calls that are hard to make without experience. Is that surface rust cosmetic, or does it suggest deeper corrosion? Does that gauge reading reflect temperature effects, or is the unit losing pressure? Does the cylinder show damage that makes it unsafe to keep in service? Those calls matter because extinguishers are pressure vessels. A poorly maintained extinguisher is not just unreliable; it can become dangerous.

People sometimes ask if they can ‘self-service’ to save money. In practice, when you factor in competence, traceability of parts, correct refill media, safe handling of pressure, and the ability to test properly, it rarely makes sense. It also raises a risk: if something goes wrong, you may struggle to show you chose a competent provider and maintained equipment to a recognised standard.

Competent person: what it means in real life and how to choose one

‘Competent person’ sounds like a vague phrase until you see how the industry treats it. In fire safety, competence usually means training, practical experience, and independent assessment. BS 5306-3 describes competence in those terms, and industry schemes exist to help duty holders buy services with confidence.

One widely recognised route is third-party certification through BAFE schemes. For portable extinguishers, BAFE SP101 sets competency criteria for organisations and their technicians involved in extinguisher servicing and maintenance. BAFE’s own guidance points duty holders towards using appropriately registered providers, because it provides evidence that you took reasonable steps when selecting contractors.

That does not mean only one badge matters. Some competent companies follow robust internal systems and other recognised third-party routes. The practical point is to look for signs of a real maintenance system: clear documentation, trained technicians, traceable parts and refills, and a willingness to explain what they did rather than just leaving a label. If a provider cannot tell you what standard they work to, or they try to rush through a site without checking locations and risks, you should treat that as a warning.

For many premises managers, the best approach is to treat servicing as part of a wider fire compliance plan. If your contractor can coordinate extinguisher servicing with fire alarm maintenance and documentation, you reduce admin, reduce gaps, and make audits easier. It also helps when you operate across multiple sites in Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield, or the wider region.

 

Service intervals and ‘extended service’: what changes by extinguisher type

Annual service is the baseline expectation. After that, different extinguisher types have different deeper service needs over time. This is where people get confused, because they remember ‘annual service’ and forget about longer interval requirements that sit in the background until they suddenly become due.

A helpful way to think about it is that annual service checks the extinguisher’s condition and readiness, while extended service and overhaul-type actions deal with long-term integrity and performance. Depending on the extinguisher type, this can involve test discharge, internal inspection, replacement of certain parts, or hydraulic testing of the cylinder.

Published guidance based on BS practice shows a common pattern: water, foam, and powder extinguishers often have a basic service every year, an extended service involving test discharge at five-year intervals, and an overhaul or hydraulic test at ten-year intervals. CO₂ extinguishers still get annual checks, but cylinder testing sits on a longer cycle, commonly ten years, because the cylinder design and testing regime differ. Composite cylinders can have different intervals again.

You should treat intervals as a starting point, not a loophole. Manufacturer instructions, extinguisher condition, site environment, and usage history can all change what is sensible. A unit exposed to salt air, chemical fumes, or rough industrial handling may need replacement earlier than a unit in a clean office corridor. If a unit has discharged, even partially, it needs recharging and inspection. If a unit shows corrosion or damage, it may need to come out of service, regardless of calendar age.

For kitchens and catering spaces, wet chemical extinguishers deserve special attention. They are often positioned near fryers and hot surfaces, so heat and grease can affect them over time. Staff also interact with them more often. A monthly check that includes cleanliness and access makes a real difference in these areas, because small issues build quickly.

CO₂ extinguishers also deserve a specific note because people mishandle them. They are heavier than they look, and they often end up shifted around by IT staff or maintenance teams to cover temporary work. Weight checks, correct mounting, and clear labelling matter because leakage can be slow and easy to miss until the unit ends up underweight.

Documentation and evidence: what you should keep and why it saves time

In day-to-day operations, records feel like paperwork. During an inspection, they become your best friend. A simple set of documents can turn a stressful audit into a routine conversation.

Start with an extinguisher asset list: location, type, size/rating, and any special notes such as kitchen units or CO₂ for electrical areas. Then keep monthly check records and annual service reports. Service labels on extinguishers help, but they are not enough on their own because they don’t show the system behind them. A central record also helps when extinguishers get moved, removed during refurb works, or replaced.

If you operate in rented premises, documentation also helps you manage split responsibilities. Landlords and tenants often assume the other party ‘covers fire safety kit’. The Fire Safety Order expects cooperation where more than one Responsible Person exists. Clear records reduce conflict because everyone can see what has been done and what is due.

Good documentation also supports your fire risk assessment. Risk assessments are meant to reflect reality, not a snapshot from three years ago. If you document servicing, defects, replacements, and layout changes, your assessor can produce a better, more accurate review. That helps you avoid buying the wrong equipment or leaving gaps in coverage.

Common compliance failures we see in Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield sites

Most extinguisher issues are not dramatic. They come from ordinary building life: people moving things, storing things, changing rooms, and forgetting that fire safety equipment needs space and visibility.

Blocked access is top of the list. An extinguisher behind a stack of boxes might as well not exist. During a fire, people revert to what they can see and reach. If you want staff to use an extinguisher on a small, early-stage fire, the unit must be obvious and within reach.

The next common problem is ‘wrong extinguisher for the risk’ after a change. A small office becomes a kitchenette. A storeroom becomes an e-bike charging point. A maintenance cupboard stores aerosols and solvents. The extinguishers might still be in date and serviced, but the risk profile has shifted. That is why servicing and risk assessment should talk to each other.

Missing signage comes up often. Article 13 expects equipment to be indicated where necessary, and practical guidance aligns with that. If an extinguisher sits around a corner or in a corridor where people don’t expect it, a clear sign saves seconds when seconds matter.

We also see sites relying on ‘a quick internal check’ while skipping competent annual servicing, especially in small businesses. They may do monthly checks faithfully, but they never bring in a competent person to service units. BS 5306-3 frames monthly checks as a visual inspection, not a substitute for annual maintenance.

Finally, there is the slow-burn issue of ageing stock. Portable extinguishers do not last forever. Even when servicing keeps them safe, you reach a point where replacement is the sensible option, especially if parts become obsolete or the cylinder condition deteriorates. A competent service provider will tell you when a unit has reached that point rather than trying to keep it alive indefinitely.

Residential buildings and mixed-use sites: where the rules can feel messy

Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield all have a mix of traditional commercial buildings, converted properties, and residential blocks with commercial ground floors. These sites often cause uncertainty because people read about ‘new regulations’ and assume it all applies to extinguishers in the same way.

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced specific duties for certain multi-occupied residential buildings, and government guidance explains who the duties apply to and what information and checks are required. Those regulations focus heavily on building structure, fire doors, wayfinding signage, and information for residents and fire and rescue services. They do not replace the general maintenance duty under the Fire Safety Order, and they don’t remove the need to maintain any fire safety equipment you provide in common parts.

In practice, mixed-use sites work best when someone takes ownership of the whole picture. You can meet a specific door-check requirement and still fall short if portable extinguishers sit unmaintained, missing, or blocked. If you’re a managing agent, you also need clarity on whether extinguishers sit within the landlord’s control, the tenant’s demised area, or shared corridors. Each area may have a different Responsible Person, and cooperation becomes part of compliance.

For landlords, a routine across all properties reduces risk. For tenants, evidence of maintenance protects the business. For both, a competent service provider can help standardise asset registers and servicing dates so that one building doesn’t become the weak link.

Fire extinguisher service Derby: making compliance simple across multiple sites

When people search ‘fire extinguisher service Derby’ or ‘fire extinguisher servicing Sheffield’, they usually want two things: confidence the work meets BS 5306-3, and a plan that doesn’t create admin chaos. The easiest way to do that is to treat extinguishers as managed assets rather than scattered items.

A well-run servicing plan starts with a site walk to confirm locations, types, and coverage. The technician builds an accurate register and flags immediate issues: missing signage, poor placement, unsuitable types, or units that should be replaced. Then the annual service fits into a planned cycle, with reminders, certificates, and clear defect reports.

Monthly checks then become easier because staff know what is where, and they have a straightforward checklist. When defects appear, the site can act quickly and keep evidence of action. Over time, the longer-interval work becomes predictable too. Instead of being caught out by a cluster of five-year extended services due at once, you can spread replacements and deeper servicing sensibly, keeping budgets stable.

Across Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield and nearby towns, we see the same advantage when businesses align extinguisher servicing with other fire safety maintenance. One coordinated schedule reduces disruption, keeps records tidy, and makes it easier to prove compliance under Article 17’s ‘suitable system of maintenance’ requirement.

A final point that people appreciate once they have lived through a couple of audits: a good service provider does not just maintain equipment; they explain what they found. If an extinguisher is repeatedly blocked, the fix is not another service label. The fix is changing where it sits, changing storage habits, or changing who checks it. That’s where practical advice saves more time than any certificate ever will.

How to tell if you’re meeting your duties without overcomplicating it

You don’t need an elaborate system to meet the UK expectation for extinguisher servicing, but you do need a routine that matches the way the building works. If your premises are stable, staffed, and organised, monthly checks and annual servicing may run smoothly with minimal fuss. If your premises see constant change-projects, contractors, stock movement, public access, then the checks need to reflect that reality.

The Responsible Person’s job is to make sure the routine exists, that competent people carry out the technical work, and that evidence sits somewhere sensible. That is the heart of compliance: risk assessment, suitable precautions, and a system of maintenance that keeps those precautions reliable.

If you manage sites across the region and want extinguisher servicing handled in a way that fits BS 5306-3 and doesn’t create paperwork headaches, AKSA Security can support planned maintenance across Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield and surrounding areas, with servicing records that stand up to scrutiny and a straightforward approach that keeps equipment ready to use.

 Author: Adrian Sienkiewicz, Fire And Security Project Manager at AKSA Security

Adrian started his career as an IT Support Engineer but after a while, he moved into the security industry using his experience with IT systems. He started his first security job as a Fire and Security Engineer at ALX Security and then continued as a Fire and Security Project Manager at Bull Security.

During his career, he has worked for SECURIFIX, LASER BEAM and ZICAM GROUP as a Security Engineer, Technical Support and Operations Manager. Adrian has worked on security projects for companies such as DHL, Selco Building Warehouse and Eddie Stobart, installing anti-burglary systems, industrial surveillance and access control systems. He is working on a partnership basis with companies such as Avigilon, Motorola, Honeywell, Texecom, Hikvision, Hanwha, Dahua, Commtel, Paxton and BFT.

Adrian is a certified National Security Industry auditor.