Extinguishers and fire protection: what is compulsory in your building

Is your building required to have extinguishers? Almost certainly yes — and the annual inspection is not optional.

The compulsory basics

The regulations (building code and the fire protection installations regulation) generally require, in residential buildings:

• Extinguishers in common areas (one every 15 m of travel on floors at risk; always in the car park and plant rooms).
• Emergency lighting along escape routes.
• In car parks: depending on the floor area, also hose reels, detection and ventilation.

Older buildings are governed by the rules of their time, but the car park and boilers must be protected all the same.

Maintenance

• Annual inspection by an authorised maintenance company (they leave the tag and the certificate).
• Retesting of the extinguisher every 5 years; maximum service life, 20.

What it costs

The annual inspection for a small building (4–8 extinguishers plus emergency lighting) runs to 80–200 €. It is one of the cheapest costs to take on and one of the most expensive not to have: after an incident, the insurer asks for the certificates.

The practical detail

Put the inspection date and the retesting deadline alongside the building other key dates — it is the classic obligation that gets forgotten three years running.