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Fire Extinguisher Inspection Checklist: Monthly Check Form

Frequency
Monthly
Completed by
Person assigned to check fire equipment
Approved by
Facility manager
The checklist
21 checks · 4 sections

A fire extinguisher inspection checklist is the monthly visual check that confirms each extinguisher is in its place, can be reached, is charged and undamaged, and has a valid service label. Facility staff can do it; any extinguisher that fails a critical check is taken out of service and replaced at once.

In the United States, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157(e) requires a monthly visual inspection and an annual maintenance check, with the maintenance date recorded. In Türkiye, Article 99 of the Regulation on the Fire Protection of Buildings requires periodic inspection and maintenance under TS ISO 11602-2: an on-site general check once a year and, at the end of the fourth year, a refill with a hydrostatic test. Turkish law sets no monthly interval, but workplaces must keep extinguishers ready for use, visible and unobstructed at all times, and a monthly check is the usual way to show that.

This form is for the user check. It does not replace annual maintenance by a qualified service company or the hydrostatic test. To decide how many extinguishers you need and where, start with our fire risk assessment guide.

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How to use this checklist

  1. Check every extinguisher when it is first put in place and then once a month, following a fixed route on a floor plan so none is missed.
  2. Fill one form per extinguisher: its number and location, type, capacity and the date on its service label.
  3. Mark each check Pass, Fail or N/A. Lift the extinguisher to judge its weight and photograph every defect.
  4. If a critical check fails, take the extinguisher out of service, put an equivalent unit in its place and send it for maintenance.
  5. Write the date and your initials on the extinguisher's tag, sign the form and keep it with the fire equipment records.

The checklist: Fire Extinguisher Inspection Checklist: Monthly Check Form

Inspection details

Site / building: 
Extinguisher number and location: 
Extinguisher type: 
Portable or wheeled: 
Capacity (kg): 
Date on the service label: 
Date and time: 

Location and access

  1. 1.

    The extinguisher is in its designated placeCritical

    Ref.: [4] [3]

    PassFailN/A
  2. 2.

    Nothing blocks access to the extinguisher or the view of it

    Ref.: [2] [1] [4] [3]

    PassFailN/A
  3. 3.

    The extinguisher's location is marked with a permanent, visible sign

    Where the extinguisher itself cannot be seen, Turkish rules require a photoluminescent sign showing where it is.

    Ref.: [2] [1]

    PassFailN/A
  4. 4.

    It is not behind a door, in a closed cabinet other than a fire cabinet, in a deep wall recess, or on or next to a heater

    Ref.: [1]

    PassFailN/A
  5. 5.

    The hanger holds the extinguisher firmly and it lifts off the wall easily

    Türkiye: units over 4 kg and under 12 kg hang no higher than about 90 cm from the floor. Mark N/A for wheeled units.

    Ref.: [1] [3]

    PassFailN/A
  6. 6.

    No point in the area is farther from an extinguisher than the permitted distance

    Türkiye: at most 25 m. OSHA: 75 ft (22.9 m) for Class A hazards, 50 ft (15.2 m) for Class B.

    Ref.: [1] [3]

    PassFailN/A
  7. 7.

    The extinguisher type suits the fire classes in the area it protects

    Türkiye: Class A multipurpose dry powder or water; Class B dry powder, CO₂ or foam; Class C dry powder or CO₂; Class D dry metal powder.

    Ref.: [1] [3]

    PassFailN/A

Condition of the extinguisher

  1. 8.

    The safety pin is in place and the tamper seal is intactCritical

    A broken seal can mean part of the contents was discharged without moving the gauge.

    Ref.: [4]

    PassFailN/A
  2. 9.

    The pressure gauge needle is in the green (operable) rangeCritical

    Mark N/A for CO₂ and other extinguishers without a gauge; check those by weight.

    Ref.: [4] [3]

    PassFailN/A
  3. 10.

    The extinguisher feels full when lifted, or its weight matches the labelCritical

    Ref.: [4] [3]

    PassFailN/A
  4. 11.

    The cylinder shows no dents, corrosion, leaks or other physical damageCritical

    Ref.: [4]

    PassFailN/A
  5. 12.

    The hose and nozzle are undamaged, firmly attached and not blockedCritical

    Ref.: [4]

    PassFailN/A
  6. 13.

    The operating instructions on the label are legible and face outward

    Ref.: [4]

    PassFailN/A

Service and markings

  1. 14.

    The service label shows maintenance within the last 12 months, with the month, year and the company that did it

    In Türkiye the service company must hold a filling and service competence certificate (dolum ve servis yeterlilik belgesi).

    Ref.: [1] [5] [3] [4]

    PassFailN/A
  2. 15.

    The refill and hydrostatic test are not overdue

    Türkiye: agent renewed and hydrostatic test at the end of the fourth year. OSHA: stored-pressure dry chemical units emptied and maintained every 6 years; hydrostatic test every 5 or 12 years depending on type.

    Ref.: [1] [3]

    PassFailN/A
  3. 16.

    The extinguisher is an approved type and its nameplate shows the conformity marking

    Türkiye: TS EN 3 for portable and TS EN 1866 for wheeled extinguishers. US: approved extinguishers only.

    Ref.: [1] [3]

    PassFailN/A

Result

  1. 17.

    Every defect found has been reported to the person responsible for fire equipment

    Ref.: [1] [3]

    YesNoN/A
  2. 18.

    If a critical check failed, the extinguisher is out of service and an equivalent unit is in its placeCritical

    Ref.: [4] [1] [3]

    YesNoN/A
  3. 19.

    The inspection date and the inspector's initials are recorded on the tag or in the log

    Ref.: [4]

    YesNo
  4. 20.

    The extinguisher is ready for useCritical

    Ref.: [2] [3]

    YesNo
  5. 21.

    Notes and defects found

    Note: ________

Critical check: if it fails, stop and correct it before work continues.

Sign-off

Inspector

Name: 
Signature: 
Date: 

Facility manager

Name: 
Signature: 
Date: 

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Legal basis and references

  1. [1] Türkiye: Binaların Yangından Korunması Hakkında Yönetmelik (Resmî Gazete, 19.12.2007, 26735) — Article 99 (portable extinguishers: type, number, placement, 25 m reach, about 90 cm height, TS EN 3, inspection and maintenance under TS ISO 11602-2, yearly on-site check, refill and hydrostatic test at the end of the fourth year, replacement units) and Article 100 (owner's or manager's responsibility).
  2. [2] Türkiye: İşyeri Bina ve Eklentilerinde Alınacak Sağlık ve Güvenlik Önlemlerine İlişkin Yönetmelik (Resmî Gazete, 17.07.2013, 28710) — Annex 1, item 12 (extinguishing equipment always ready for use, maintained, visible, easy to reach and unobstructed) and item 13 (marking with permanent, visible signs).
  3. [3] United States: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157, Portable fire extinguishers — (c)(1) mounting and access; (c)(2) approved extinguishers; (c)(4) fully charged and in their designated places; (d) selection and travel distance; (e)(1)–(e)(4) monthly visual inspection, annual maintenance and records, 6-year maintenance; (f) hydrostatic testing.
  4. [4] United States: Minnesota Department of Health, Maintenance and Testing of Portable Fire Extinguishers (rev. June 2024; based on NFPA 10, 2010 edition) — Summary of NFPA 10: 7.2.2 monthly inspection items, 7.2.3 corrective action, 7.2.4 inspection records, 7.3.3 maintenance tags, 7.1.3 replacement units.
  5. [5] International: ISO/TS 11602-2, Fire protection — Portable and wheeled fire extinguishers — Part 2: Inspection and maintenance (TS ISO 11602-2) — The standard named by Article 99(7) of the Turkish fire regulation for periodic inspection and maintenance (title only).

Version 1 · Updated October 24, 2026 · findrisk.net/checklists/fire-extinguisher-inspection-checklist/

Frequently asked questions

How often should fire extinguishers be inspected?

OSHA 1910.157(e) requires a visual inspection every month and a maintenance check every year. In Türkiye, Article 99 of the Regulation on the Fire Protection of Buildings requires an on-site general check once a year and a refill with a hydrostatic test at the end of the fourth year. It sets no monthly interval, so a monthly check there is good practice to keep extinguishers ready for use.

Who can do the monthly fire extinguisher inspection?

The monthly visual check can be done by facility staff, as the Minnesota Department of Health notes in its guide to NFPA 10. Annual maintenance needs a trained technician. In Türkiye it must be done by the manufacturer or a service company holding a filling and service competence certificate (dolum ve servis yeterlilik belgesi).

Do monthly fire extinguisher checks have to be recorded?

OSHA requires the annual maintenance date to be recorded and kept for one year after the last entry or for the life of the shell, whichever is less. NFPA 10, as summarised by the Minnesota Department of Health, also asks for the date and the inspector's initials for each monthly inspection, on a tag, on a checklist or electronically.

What if the gauge is in the red or the seal is broken?

Take the extinguisher out of service and send it for maintenance. Under NFPA 10, a gauge outside the operable range or a unit whose fullness cannot be confirmed needs full maintenance, and a broken seal can mean part of the contents was discharged without moving the gauge. Put an equivalent extinguisher in its place; Turkish rules require the service company to leave one when it takes units away.

How many fire extinguishers does a building need?

In Türkiye, Article 99 requires one suitable 6 kg dry powder extinguisher (or gas equivalent) for every 500 m² of construction area in low-hazard buildings and every 250 m² in medium- and high-hazard buildings, with no more than 25 m to reach one. OSHA sets travel distance instead: no more than 75 ft (22.9 m) to an extinguisher for Class A hazards and 50 ft (15.2 m) for Class B.

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