# Monthly, annual, six-year and hydrostatic extinguisher checks

Know which service interval applies to which extinguisher before setting reminders.

Updated 2026-11-10. Also on the [web page](https://extinguishers.fyi/guides/monthly-annual-six-year-hydrostatic).

Use separate reminders for separate tasks. Do not put every extinguisher on the same internal service or pressure test schedule.

| Task | Cited interval and scope |
| --- | --- |
| Visual inspection | Monthly under OSHA 1910.157(e)(2). |
| Maintenance check | Annual under OSHA 1910.157(e)(3). |
| Internal maintenance | Every six years for the stored pressure dry chemical units covered by (e)(4). Non-refillable disposable containers are exempt from this requirement. |
| Hydrostatic test | Table L-1 sets twelve years for listed stored pressure dry chemical units with mild steel, brazed brass or aluminum shells. It sets five years for carbon dioxide units and other listed types. |

All intervals in the table come from Cornell LII's text of OSHA 1910.157, fetched 2026-11-10.

## Read the equipment record

Record the serial number, agent, shell material, refillable status, manufacture date and last documented services. Ask a service company to identify the correct Table L-1 row. A missing record is not proof that a test is still current.

OSHA (e)(4) says that recharging or hydrostatic testing restarts the six-year requirement for the units it covers [Cornell LII]. Record that event separately from a routine annual visit. Do not reset all dates just because a new tag was fitted.

## A date is not a condition check

OSHA (f)(2) lists conditions that affect suitability for testing, such as damaged threads and pitting corrosion. Paragraph (f)(4) also addresses new corrosion or mechanical injury [Cornell LII]. Tell the service company about damage promptly. A future test date does not establish that a damaged unit can remain in use.

## Plan coverage during service

OSHA (e)(5) requires alternate equivalent protection when units are removed for maintenance or recharging [Cornell LII]. Ask who supplies that protection and how it appears in the quote. Use the schedule tool only after the contractor confirms the equipment type and service history.

## Sources

- [Cornell LII, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/1910.157), fetched 2026-11-10.
- [CCOHS, Fire Extinguishers: Portable](https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/safety_haz/fire_extinguishers.html), fetched 2026-11-10.

Checked 2026-11-10. Planning information only. Confirm the adopted code, equipment instructions and local requirements with your fire authority.

## Questions

### Does every extinguisher need a twelve-year test?

No. The cited OSHA table assigns different intervals to different equipment types.