A key component of workplace safety is the ability to reduce or eliminate the threat of fire, and a key to preventing tragedy is a working fire extinguisher. Well, you might want to take a look at the fire extinguishers in your workplaces because earlier this month, the Canadian government expanded a recall of Kidde and Garrison brand fire extinguishers. The recall now covers nearly 2.7 million devices throughout Canada. Most unusual, this recall includes some extinguishers that are more than 40 years old.
According to Health Canada, the recall was initiated because the fire extinguisher can become clogged or require excessive force to operate, which means they could very well fail during a fire. In addition, they note that the nozzle may detach from the fire extinguisher with sufficient force to pose a serious safety hazard.
The initial recall covers 1.2 million Kidde and Garrison fire extinguishers with plastic handles and push-button indicators that were sold between Jan. 1, 1973 and Aug 15, 2017, as well as push-button types that were sold between Aug. 11, 1995 and Sept. 22, 2017. The expansion of the recall includes fire extinguishers that had not been included in previous recalls, which occurred in March 2009 and February 2015.
Kidde ordered the recall along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In all, more than 37 million extinguishers are being recalled in the U.S. According to Health Canada, Kidde has received reports of two cases where their fire extinguishers didn’t work properly in Canada. That is in addition to the report of one death in the United States involving a car fire among nearly 400 reports of extinguisher malfunctions in the U.S., leading to at least 16 reported injuries.
To find out which model numbers for the affected products can be seen on the Health Canada website.
