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HospitalityExtinguisher Rules for Employers
Twenty flashcards on the federal rule for portable fire extinguishers at work: exemptions, placement, inspection and training.
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20 cards
- What does the federal portable extinguisher rule cover?
- Placement, use, maintenance and testing of portable extinguishers provided for employees.
- Extinguishers are there but not for employee use, with an emergency action plan and fire prevention plan. What applies?
- Only the inspection, maintenance and testing paragraphs and the hydrostatic testing paragraphs.
- When is the employer exempt from the whole rule?
- With a written policy of immediate, total evacuation at the fire alarm, an emergency action plan and fire prevention plan, and no extinguishers in the workplace.
- Only designated employees may use extinguishers and everyone else evacuates. Which part is waived?
- The distribution requirements.
- How must extinguishers be mounted and located?
- Readily accessible to employees, without exposing them to possible injury.
- Which extinguishers may be used to meet the rule?
- Only approved portable fire extinguishers.
- Which extinguishing agents are banned at work?
- Carbon tetrachloride and chlorobromomethane.
- In what condition must extinguishers be kept?
- Fully charged, operable and in their designated places at all times, except during use.
- Maximum travel distance to an extinguisher for Class A fires?
- 75 feet (22.9 m) or less.
- Maximum travel distance from a Class B hazard to an extinguisher?
- 50 feet (15.2 m) or less.
- Maximum travel distance from a combustible metal area to Class D agent?
- 75 feet (22.9 m) or less.
- Who is responsible for inspecting, maintaining and testing extinguishers?
- The employer, for all portable extinguishers in the workplace.
- How often must portable extinguishers be visually inspected?
- Monthly.
- How often is the maintenance check, and how long is it recorded?
- Annually; the date is kept for one year after the last entry or the life of the shell, whichever is less.
- Stored pressure dry chemical extinguishers needing a 12-year hydrostatic test: what else?
- They are emptied and given maintenance every 6 years.
- What must the employer provide while extinguishers are out for maintenance?
- Alternate equivalent protection.
- Hydrostatic test interval for carbon dioxide extinguishers in the federal table?
- 5 years.
- What education is owed when extinguishers are provided for employees?
- A program on the general principles of extinguisher use and the hazards of incipient stage fire fighting, at hire and at least annually.
- What extra training do designated extinguisher users get?
- Training on the right equipment, when first assigned and at least annually.
- What are the four fire options an employer can choose?
- Total evacuation; only designated employees fight; all employees fight; extinguishers provided but not for employee use.
Official sources
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), via GovInfo (GPO)
29 CFR 1910.157: Portable fire extinguishers (CFR 2025 edition)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool: Fight or Flee?
Making Synapses is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by OSHA, FEMA, the U.S. Fire Administration, NFPA or any hotel brand or training provider. Agency, law and standard names are named only to describe the content.