It is important to have certain equipment in your home to prevent the risk of fire. The law stipulates that every homeowner must equip the common areas with security lighting, fire plan, fire alarm, fire extinguisher, etc. The question is, who should maintain these safety equipments in the rented areas between the owner and the tenant?
What does the law say about this?
It is almost impossible not to rely on the texts concerning safety in general. Indeed, the texts stipulate that the purchase and maintenance of fire extinguishers are the responsibility of the owners. This charge is not in the clause of the tenant’s contract because it is not included in the list of charges that the landlord can recover.
On the other hand, the landlord has to equip the common areas with fire safety materials such as fire extinguishers and everything that goes with it. According to its function, the maintenance of these materials is the tenant’s responsibility.
Therefore, it is possible to resort to a service provider company while keeping in mind that the provided material can vary according to its use and the certificates of conformity required by the insurance companies.
It is then clear that the operator must take care of the maintenance of the security equipment because he is responsible for it and not the owner, except in the case of common parts. The maintenance of fire safety equipment must be done once a year. It is unfortunate that a fire extinguisher is not functional when a fire breaks out and that you do not know how to use it.
Thus, knowing the legal requirements and the functioning of the law protects both owners and tenants from reprisals as long as they are in compliance with them. To make it simple, the fire extinguishers must be protected and must not suffer from shock or corrosion.
What do I need to know about fire extinguishers, and how do I maintain them?
A fire extinguisher is part of the fire safety equipment that one must have at home. It is equipment for protection against an incipient fire. It projects a substance called an extinguishing agent, which is able to fight and control the beginning of a fire. Fire extinguishers are classified into three main categories. There are portable extinguishers, mobile extinguishers, and fixed extinguishers.
These are the first intervention materials to be used to control the spread of a fire before the firefighters come with more adequate means. However, it is necessary to learn how to use them even if they are easy to control. With this in mind, they are recommended to be checked at least once a year. It is also important that they be maintained in good condition so that they serve their intended purpose at the appropriate time.
To use a fire extinguisher, simply remove the safety pin and pull the trigger, aiming at the base of the flames. It’s that simple. The maintenance of fire extinguishers is based on the NFS 61-919 standards that distinguish two inspection types. There are inspections that can be done by the user himself or maintenance that a specialist in the field must do. It is recommended to do it every three months.
For the maintenance, it is necessary to ensure that the extinguisher is in the place provided for this purpose. It must also be accessible and visible to all. The instructions for the use of the fire extinguisher should be on the side, visible, and facing outwards. The specialist in the field must ensure that the device is functional and that its labels are legible. The needles of the pressure indicator are located in the green part, and finally, the safety seals are all in good condition.
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