MAINTENANCE

Maintenance of fire extinguishers is regulated by the decree D.P.R. n.547 of 27.04.55 - Norme e prevenzione degli infortuni sul lavoro. In particular the decree states that "adequate suppression systems must be installed"…… "These systems must be kept in good condition and checked at least every six months by qualified engineers".

For 35 years this norm has been the sole "technical" reference in this field, with the only support of a few articles of the penal code (n° 436-437-451) that indirectly referred to the necessity to keep in good conditions the fire extinguishers.

On March 1992 the U.N.I. promulgated the norm UNI 9994/92 CPAI (Commissione Protezione Attiva contro gli Incendi) C.N.V.V.F. (Corpo Nazionale dei Vigili del Fuoco) and subsequently on Novembre 2003 with the UNI 9994/03 CPAI the technical and legal gap on maintenance of fire extinguishers was filled.

With the decree D.Lgs. 626 of 19.09.1999 the whole area of maintenance has been reviewed and based on a more modern idea of fire prevention.
On the first comma of article 3) of the same decree under letter r) "the regular maintenance of premises, appliances, machines and equipments with particular reference to security systems…." is taken into account.
Furthermore, under article 13) the criteria for control and maintenance of fire suppression systems are regulated (comma 1, letter a, number 3).

With reference to the above article 13) the Ministry issued the circular n.P1564/4146 of 29.08.199 dealing in general with fire suppression problems. For the first time a regulation regarding a technical procedure of intervention was treated: maintenance controls and interventions must be done in accordance with the norm and, in case of absence of it, in accordance with the instructions of constructors and installers.

On 10.03.1998 another decree regarding "emergency general rules on security in working premises" has been issued following article 13) of decree n.626.

In the attachment VI of decree of 10.03.1998 rules regarding the procedure for control and maintenance are indicated.

Moreover in article 4) the criteria for correct technical application of controls and maintenance have become compulsory.

At comma 6.2 of the attachment VI of decree of 10.03.1998 the main activities about this matter are indicated as follows:

Surveillance
Control
Periodical control
Ordinary and extraordinary maintenance.

At comma 6.4 of decree of 10.03.1998 it is clearly indicated that "the employer is responsible for the efficiency conditions of all the fire fighting installations" and that "he has to perform surveillance, control and maintenance of all fire fighting installations according to existing norms and regulations" and that "the activity of periodical control must be performed by qualified personnel".

The technical norm UNI 9994/92 CPAI C.N.V.V.F. and the more recent UNI 9994/03 CPAI C.N.V.V.F. giving in Italy the maintenance procedures for fire extinguishers and recognised to be the best , has been elaborated by the working group "Terminologia e mezzi manuali di lotta contro gli incendi" inside the Commissione Protezione Attiva contro l'incendio.

Collaboration has been given by public administrations, experts of the Interior Ministry, the former Italian Admiralty, the ISPESL together with the associations of constructors, insurances, laboratories etc.


Since 10 March 1998 the norm has become compulsory.

The decree D.M. 4.02.2005 published by the Gazzetta Ufficiale of the Italian Republic n.28 definitely states under article 4) that portable fire extinguishers must be kept in good state through the application of the technical conditions as defined by the norm UNI 9994/03 CPAI C.N.V.V.F.

The maintenance procedure according to the above norm indicates four different phases:

1 - Surveillance
2 - Control
3 - Revision
4 - Testing.

The phases can foresee actions apparently similar but different in terms of skill needed. For instance "the test indicating pressure gauge" during the surveillance phase requires a simple control ,even remote, to simply check the existence of the manometer, whereas in the control phase it is necessary to verify if the pressure corresponds to the one existing inside the extinguisher.

In the first case, personnel not qualified but simply informed is sufficient to verify the existence of the pressure gauge, hose, safety valve.

In the second case, qualified personnel is required, able to check not only the existence of the pressure gauge but also to measure the actual pressure with a specially calibrated pressure meter.

For each phase, therefore, performance, qualification of personnel, time duration are indicated.

The surveillance phase can be performed by all the staff that therefore must be duly instructed.


Table B- Expiry maintenance dates.



Another fundamental aspect covered by the norm is the amount of information contained in the maintenance label.

Other aspects are also covered: spare parts, replacement of the extinguisher, replacement of extinguishers for overhaul, refill or test. The main principle is that each part of the extinguisher is a part of the whole: its replacement with a component other than the one approved by the Interior Ministry can compromise the reliability of the extinguisher and its homologation.

This stresses the fact that, according to the compulsory norms, maintenance can only be performed by companies duly registered at the Chamber of Commerce and using qualified personnel. It is also stated that any fire extinguisher taken away for maintenance must be always replaced by another with same and no lower specifications.

Finally, in case a second contractor takes the maintenance responsibility, the new contractor has the faculty to carry on a first overhaul even before the expiry date indicated by the norm.
It is therefore important that the company responsible for the maintenance be specialised in the specific field.

The authorisations and certifications for these companies are the following:

Member of the Chamber of Commerce for the specific activity of maintenance of fire fighting equipment;
Certification according to Law 5.03.1990 n.46 letter G);
Member of the Albo Nazionale (National Book) of companies authorised to treat waste by the Region according
to decree D.Lgs. 5.02.1997 n.22-.

Article 12) "Norme finali" of decree D.M. 7.01.2005 expressly reminds the obligation to correctly dispose of waste deriving from fire extinguishers and their inside extinguisher components.

In fact, in the specialised workshops performing maintenance activities, quite an amount of waste extinguishing powder is produced (chemical powder) that must be handled with special care and procedures and conferred to an authorized waste dump area for subsequent disposal. The European code identifying the extinguishing powder is the C.E.R. n.16.05.09. Also the metal waste parts (containers, cylinders, valves) listed under C.E.R. n.16.02.14 are subject to special disposal procedures.