Your yearly tag, and who it answers to in Van Nuys
Every portable extinguisher in a California business needs a new service tag each year. A licensed technician puts it there. Under NFPA 10 and California's Title 19 rules, the annual visit is hands-on maintenance of each unit, and the tag records who did the work and when.
Van Nuys isn't its own city. It's a neighborhood of Los Angeles, so the Los Angeles Fire Department covers your building, and fire response comes from LAFD's Valley Bureau, headquartered at Fire Station 115 on Sylvan Street. Questions about Fire & Life Safety Inspection Clearances go to the LAFD Fire Prevention Bureau Valley Public Safety Unit at 818-374-1110.
Section 906 of the California Fire Code covers portable extinguishers. Los Angeles adopts the state code with its own local changes, and a new city edition is in the works. Ask the Valley Public Safety Unit which edition applies to you.
Fire extinguisher inspection: the monthly check and the annual one
Most people searching for "fire extinguisher inspection" mean one of two jobs. They aren't the same.
The monthly one is yours. Someone on staff walks the building once a month and looks at each unit: is it on its hanger, is the gauge in the green, are the pin and tamper seal in place, and can a person reach it without moving boxes? Note the date each time.
The annual one is ours. A technician works through each extinguisher and checks:
- the cylinder for dents, rust and damage
- pressure, gauge, hose and nozzle
- pin, tamper seal and a readable label
- mounting, signage and clear access
- whether the class fits the hazard (Class K belongs in kitchens with a suppression system)
- the dates for the 6-year teardown and the hydrostatic test
A unit that passes gets its new annual tag. One that fails comes out of service until it's recharged, repaired or replaced.
When the tag isn't the only date that counts
Annual service is the routine visit. Longer cycles come due on top of it. Stored-pressure dry chemical units get an internal teardown every 6 years. Hydrostatic testing is due every 12 years for dry chemical, and every 5 years for CO2, water and wet chemical (Class K) units.
If one of those dates has passed, the unit can't just be tagged and hung back on the wall. It needs the teardown or the hydrostatic test for Van Nuys extinguishers first. A discharged unit goes for a fire extinguisher refill. Repairs and new units fall under our Van Nuys fire extinguisher service.
Have staff who are expected to use the extinguishers? Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157(g), they need training when hired and at least once a year after that, which we cover in fire extinguisher training in Van Nuys.
Who does the work and how to reach us
Most of the calls we get from Van Nuys are about fire extinguishers. California requires that extinguisher service come from a firm and technician licensed by the State Fire Marshal. Our California work is done by Hedrick Fire Protection, which holds C-16 and C-10 contractor licenses and is licensed by the State Fire Marshal under Title 19 for portable extinguisher service.
Before you call, count your extinguishers. Note their types and the dates on the current tags. That helps us plan the visit. Our Van Nuys service page lists everything else we handle here. We also do this work across Los Angeles County and in Orange County.
To schedule fire extinguisher annual certification in Van Nuys, call us at (213) 568-0188 or email us at socal@1profire.com
Van Nuys extinguisher certification questions
Do my extinguishers just need recharging, or full certification?
It depends what happened. A unit that was used or has lost pressure needs a recharge. Every extinguisher in service still needs its annual maintenance and tag, even one that has never been touched.
Is it cheaper to recharge or buy new?
Check the dates first. If a cylinder is close to its 6-year teardown or its hydrostatic test, a new unit can cost less than servicing the old one. A newer cylinder in good shape is usually worth recharging.
Will you take my old extinguisher?
Yes, for disposal and recycling. Our most recent disposal quote in Van Nuys was $3.
Do monthly checks replace the annual service?
No. NFPA 10 requires both: the monthly visual check by your staff and the yearly hands-on service by a licensed technician.