NFPA 10 Update


NFPA 10 Update: Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers 2007

A new 2007 Edition of NFPA 10: Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers has been adopted.  Following are some changes that have gone into effect January 1, 2007:

  1. The standard has been reorganized and a new Chapter 4, General Requirements, has been added.
  2. The following fire extinguishers have been added to the obsolete list and should be removed from service:  pressurized water extinguishers manufactured prior to 1971; any inverting extinguisher; any stored pressure extinguisher manufactured prior to 1955; any extinguisher with 4B, 6B, 8B, 12B and 16B ratings and any extinguisher that can no longer be serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's manual.
  3. Dry chemical extinguishers manufactured prior to October 1984 shall be removed from service at the next 6-Year maintenance interval or next hydrotest interval, whichever comes first.
  4. New minimum requirements for extinguisher capacity and flow rates have been added for the protection of pressurized fuel fire, three dimensional fires, and obstacle fires.
  5. Only water type extinguishers shall be used in areas containing oxidizers, such as pool chemicals.
  6. Extinguisher hangers must be the hangers must be the hanger intended for the specific extinguisher.
  7. Within two years all extinguisher maintenance, servicing and recharging must be performed by trained and certified persons.
  8. Monthly inspection procedures were drastically changed in that inspections are no longer required to check tamper seals, operating instructions, physical damage, corrosion, leakage, clogged nozzles, HMIS, or fullness for stored pressure extinguishers.
  9. If the extinguisher is located in an area where any following conditions exist, a more thorough inspection must be performed: severe hazards, high frequency of fires, locations susceptible to damage, abnormal temperatures, or corrosive environments.
  10. Electronic monitoring may be used as a method to perform inspections.

The above list incorporates only some of the revisions to NFPA 10.  There are many other revisions to the standard which are available in the full published version. Contact us for more information.