Nevada State Fire Extinguisher Regulations
- Fire extinguishers are vital components of a fire prevention plan.Feuerl??scher image by Corrie from Fotolia.com
The Great Chicago Fire changed the face of firefighting in America. Fire prevention, including the use of fire extinguishers, now plays an important role in averting disaster. According to Israel Schwartz, owner of Las Vegas based company Best Fire Protection, Nevada has some of the strictest fire regulations in the country. Due to the great housing boom in the 1990s, less than desirable companies were infiltrating the area. In order to protect homeowners and businesses, Nevada opted for strict fire codes on extinguishers. - Every business in Nevada is required to provide at least one fire extinguisher. Doug Sartain, president of Certified Fire Protection, Inc. says that the minimum size extinguisher permitted in Nevada is 2A:10-BC, commonly called a 5 pound A-B-C. Homeowners generally follow suit. Businesses housing hazardous materials require larger models. According to Nevada Fire Code 477, a fire extinguisher is a device containing powder, liquid or gases that can be expelled under pressure to suppress a fire. The device is tested, listed or approved by the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. or another nationally recognized laboratory approved by the State Fire Marshal and is capable of achieving a minimum of one unit of classification of rating during testing and listing by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Class A fire extinguishers are used on paper, wood, many plastics and other combustible materials. Class B extinguishers fight flammable liquids such as grease and gasoline. Class C extinguishers combat electrically charged fires such as those resulting from small appliances. Class D extinguishers are generally used in factories on certain combustible metals. Class K extinguishers are reserved for restaurant kitchens that use animal and vegetable oils. Numbers on the A and B types indicate the amount of extinguishing power the device has.
- Nevada used to conduct inspections every three years. Inspections are now done annually to ensure the safety of employees in businesses. Schwartz says that this is in contrast to California's regulations which require less frequent inspections. Maintenance must be performed annually to ensure that all parts are in working order. Extinguishers are opened and the powder checked. Recharging is done once per year. The company performing the service tags the fire extinguisher with the date of service, license number and signature. These tags must be approved by the State Fire Marshall prior to being used. A collar punched with the current year is affixed to the fire extinguisher. The manufacturer's label on the fire extinguisher must remain in clear sight. Business owners are required to do visual checks of all fire extinguishers monthly. If a new extinguisher has been purchased, the receipt must be kept to prove the purchase date.
- The placement of fire extinguishers depends greatly on the layout of the area. Sartain suggests selecting a location that is in the path of an exit corridor or near a combustible material storage area. Fire extinguishers must be hung no more than 5 feet from the floor. If the fire extinguisher is not readily visible, a sign must be posted next to it. One fire extinguisher is mandatory per each 3,000 square feet of space or within 75 feet of travel distance. In large warehouses, Schwartz says a 15-pound extinguisher covers every 1,500 square feet of space.
