Gwangju Dongbu Fire Station "Check the Expiry Date of Powder Fire Extinguishers"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] The Dongbu Fire Station of Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 11th that powder fire extinguishers that have been in use for more than 10 years must be replaced or disposed of to ensure safety management and safe use.

According to current laws, powder fire extinguishers must be replaced and disposed of for safety if 10 years have passed since the manufacturing year and month. The same applies to extinguishers that cannot be used due to external container corrosion or pressure drop.

However, if a performance verification inspection is conducted by the Korea Fire Industry Technology Institute, it is possible to extend the use for 3 years only once.

Methods to check for aged fire extinguishers include ▲checking the service life (safety period) indicated on the extinguisher ▲checking for corrosion on the extinguisher's exterior ▲checking whether the needle on the pressure gauge is within the green range. The manufacturing date is indicated on the side of the extinguisher body, making it easy for anyone to check.

For disposal of aged fire extinguishers, a fee of 3,000 KRW per 3.3kg extinguisher must be paid at the local administrative welfare center to receive a waste sticker, which should be attached to the extinguisher before placing it at the garbage collection site.

A representative of the Dongbu Fire Station stated, “One fire extinguisher at the early stage of a fire is equivalent in effect to one fire truck,” and added, “It must always be maintained in a usable state through continuous management and inspection.”