What is NEN 2559 about?
A fire extinguisher has to work the moment it is needed. NEN 2559 sets out how the maintenance for that is done. Clients, insurers and regulations often refer to this standard, and usually ask for a maintenance company that is certified for it.
How often?
An extinguisher is maintained at least once every twelve months. On top of that it gets an overhaul at set moments: the extinguisher is emptied, checked on the inside and refilled. When an overhaul is due depends on the type of extinguisher.
That is why the default protocol for extinguishers in Servaro has two intervals. If you work with other intervals per type, you adjust the maintenance plan.
| Check | Default interval |
|---|---|
| Annual check | Every 12 months |
| Overhaul | Every 60 months |
And hose reels?
Fire hose reels fall under a standard of their own, NEN-EN 671-3. They are maintained periodically too, in practice usually during the same visit as the extinguishers: the reel turns freely, the hose is sound along its full length and the valve and nozzle work.
What does the technician check?
For each extinguisher the technician goes through a fixed set of checks. In the Servaro protocol these include:
- is the extinguisher in its place, accessible and visible, and are the sign and the bracket in order;
- are the seal and the safety pin intact, is the body undamaged, are the hose and nozzle in order and are the instructions legible;
- the pressure gauge, and for a CO2 extinguisher the weight loss;
- what was done with the extinguisher: checked, refilled, overhauled, replaced or rejected;
- the maintenance label on the extinguisher, updated with the date.
What goes in the report?
For exactly what the standard requires, read NEN 2559 itself. In practice a good maintenance report shows for each extinguisher:
- which extinguisher it is: type, capacity and location in the building;
- what was checked and what was done;
- which deviations were found and what happens with them;
- the date, the technician and the signature for approval;
- when the next maintenance or overhaul is due.
This article is a practical summary, not a substitute for the standard. Servaro records your own checks and maintenance; it is not an inspection body and certifies nothing.