🔍 Key Concepts

• Portable fire extinguisher maintenance requirements after any use • How CO2 extinguishers are inspected, recharged, or tested according to manufacturer’s instructions and safety rules • Difference between recharging, hydrostatic testing, and simple inspection/retagging

💭 Think About

• Think about what happens inside a CO2 extinguisher once it has been discharged, even partially. Is it still considered fully reliable for emergency use? • Which of the listed actions is normally done on a fixed time schedule (every few years), and which is required immediately after use? • Ask yourself: would you want to rely on an extinguisher that has been partially used in a real emergency without any servicing?

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm which procedures are scheduled/periodic (e.g., hydrostatic testing) versus those required after each use • Consider whether you are allowed to place an extinguisher back into service if its contents are not at 100% charge • Think about typical maritime and NFPA practices: any time an extinguisher is used, even briefly, what must be done before it can be relied on again?