A sample page of the actual document
A discharged or depressurised extinguisher found during a real fire is no better than having no extinguisher at all. The monthly visual check catches the common pre-failure states (lost pressure, broken tamper seal, blocked access, overdue service) before they matter, and it gives the responsible person the maintenance records the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires.
BS 5306-3:2017 (Commissioning and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers), which sets the three-tier regime: monthly user inspection, annual basic service by a competent person, and extended service (water, foam and powder at 5 years) or overhaul (CO2 at 10 years). Mounting heights from BS 5306-8:2023 (Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers): handle about 1.5 m for units up to 4 kg, about 1 m for heavier units. Legal duty to keep fire-fighting equipment in efficient working order and in good repair sits in Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England and Wales), with equivalent duties under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.
Replaces a DIY doc, and you get every future update free when the guidance changes.
30-day money-back guarantee.
3 for 2 on documents and packs. Add 3 and your cheapest is free.
What’s on it
Everything that matters, nothing that does not. Here is the full list, exactly as it appears on the template.
Good to know
CO2 extinguishers have no pressure gauge, so a check that only reads gauges will pass a fully discharged CO2 unit every month. The only reliable test is to lift it and compare against the full weight marked on the cylinder. This is the single most common type-specific inspection miss in premises with mixed extinguisher stock.
Source: BS 5306-3:2017 (Commissioning and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers), which sets the three-tier regime: monthly user inspection, annual basic service by a competent person, and extended service (water, foam and powder at 5 years) or overhaul (CO2 at 10 years). Mounting heights from BS 5306-8:2023 (Selection and positioning of portable fire extinguishers): handle about 1.5 m for units up to 4 kg, about 1 m for heavier units. Legal duty to keep fire-fighting equipment in efficient working order and in good repair sits in Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England and Wales), with equivalent duties under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.
Good to know
A discharged or depressurised extinguisher found during a real fire is no better than having no extinguisher at all. The monthly visual check catches the common pre-failure states (lost pressure, broken tamper seal, blocked access, overdue service) before they matter, and it gives the responsible person the maintenance records the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires.
CO2 extinguishers have no pressure gauge, so a check that only reads gauges will pass a fully discharged CO2 unit every month. The only reliable test is to lift it and compare against the full weight marked on the cylinder. This is the single most common type-specific inspection miss in premises with mixed extinguisher stock.
The PDF downloads the moment you check out, prints sharp in black and white, and opens on any phone. It is reviewed for August 2026 and you get any future update free when the official guidance changes.
A fire door only works if it closes fully, latches, and seals the gaps; one door that fails to do that lets smoke and fire spread through a building in minutes and removes people's time to escape. These checks catch the specific, common failures (props, blown gaps, missing closers, painted-up seals) that turn a survivable fire into a fatal one.
An under-stocked or expired first aid kit means the person treating an injury reaches for a dressing and finds an empty slot, a perished wrapper, or latex gloves that trigger an allergic reaction. A regular documented check fixes that in advance and gives an HSE or Ofsted inspector evidence that your first aid provision is genuinely maintained, not just present.
Faulty or untested emergency lighting is one of the most common fire safety enforcement failures in the UK. These checks prove that if the mains fails during an evacuation, every escape route stays lit long enough to get people out, and that you have the dated, signed log a fire authority inspector will ask to see first.