Question:
We just had our annual visit from the local fire department and got three writeups (after nine years of Okey-Dokey no problems): 1. The inspector said our fire extinguisher had to be replaced or recharged EVERY YEAR. We have a quality unit, 3 years old, with pressure valve in the green, no leaking, corrosion, original weight, etc., and I could find nothing on this requirement in the California fire code (Section 1002 of the 2001 California Fire Code or CCRs). Then a couple days later some bozo pops in and says we called for an extinguisher job. We hadn't, but he even mentioned my name. I wasn't around so our office manager said go ahead and he billed us $39 for a recharge. 2. The inspector also said we needed an arrow sign pointing to the extinguisher--where's that in the code? The same bozo who recharged our extinguisher charged $8 to put up a decal--and he did a crappy job to boot! 3. Finally, we were also slammed on the use of "non-approved extension cords" for powering the electric pencil sharpener and clock-radio on a work-table. Non-approved? They are all UL-listed, so what kind of approval are they talking about? The inspector said "no extension cords allowed" --but outlet strips with surge protectors are. Is there a difference? The CFC defines "power taps" as multiple outlets with current limiting, but surge protectors typically don't have current limiting (usually just a thyrister to absorb voltage spikes). All this for 12 watts of electric appliance! Again, where in the code is this stuff? I think we're being double-teamed by our local FD and the fire-extinguisher recharge guys. I spent hours in the library looking at the CFC and Title 19 of the California Code of Regulations trying to get the real nitty gritty and found nothing to support those three dings. My boss tells me to just go with the flow, and that if we get on the local FD's -list we'll be hosed every year. What do you think? Should I shut up and take it or insist on explanations?

Answer: NFPA requires the annual inpsection and ext. must be marked with arrow or similar sign light etc depending on type of occupancy location of ext. etc. a hydro test every 3-5 years depending on ext. $39.00 is high for one ext. about $15-25 around here for 1 unit . I would contact the state attorney generals office about the ext. company and let them know about how they showed up un annouced after the inspector was there we had a similar deal pulled on my old fire company several years ago by a fire ext company i wanted them prosecuted but old farts were afraid to cause problems. But i put the company on notice never to shed lite at the fire company again and made sure they lost sevral contracts at my customers they were servicing after they tried screwing them.. As far as the fire inspector sounds like he may be in cahoots with the ext. company we had a similar deal going on up east of pittsburgh with safety suppplies and a fire inspector was forbiden from the practice and almost lost his job over the deal. the ext company may have just showed up out of no were but i would not put up with either of them. I recently had an inspector on a job replaced because he was screwing around. Amazing what a few pictures can do.