Why are there so many labels and tags on my fire extinguishers?

The labels and tags on your fire extinguishers serve a number of purposes (and are required by federal, state, and local laws). You should have the following labels on your extinguisher:

Manufacturer’s label – this will tell you the class, rating, chemical type and weight, operating pressure, and date of fire extinguisher manufacture. It will also have a diagram of operating instructions.

Monthly inspection tag – usually the reverse side of the annual inspection tag, the monthly inspection tag contains the identity of the owner and space to record the date and status of the 11 required monthly inspections performed by the owner.

Annual inspection tag – this tag contains information about the company and technician providing the annual inspection, the date a new fire extinguisher was placed in service, as well as the date the last annual maintenance was performed.

Verification of service collar – this tag includes information about the company and service technician providing the annual inspection, as well as the date the fire extinguisher was serviced or recharged.

Hydrostatic test label – this contains information about the company performing the test and the date the fire extinguisher passed hydrostatic testing.