Portable fire extinguishers

Portable fire extinguishers shall comply with the standard SFS-EN 3-7 for portable fire extinguishers or other technical specifications of equal requirements. The pressure container of the fire extinguisher must be red in color. The red color helps to make the extinguisher more visible, for example, in public spaces

However, the colour of domestic portable fire extinguishers’ pressure containers may be other than red. In this case, the portable fire extinguisher shall be marked for domestic use only. If the portable fire extinguisher is sold in retail packaging, this marking shall also appear on the package. All other characteristics of portable fire extinguisher in colours other than red shall comply with standard SFS-EN 3-7, including the label of the extinguisher and its position on the front of the extinguisher.

Portable fire extinguishers are also pressure equipment. The CE marking of portable fire extinguishers is based on legislation on pressure equipment.

The chemicals contained in the extinguishing agents of fire extinguishers, such as PFAS compounds used in water-based extinguishers, are monitored by Tukes' Chemicals Department.

Acquisition and maintenance

Portable fire extinguishers are acquired by order of an authority, by statutory requirement or voluntarily. When selecting a portable fire extinguisher, the intended use and storage conditions must be taken into account. The characteristics and suitability of the portable fire extinguisher for different fires and conditions are influenced by the extinguishing agent, effect class and size. Common extinguishing agents used in portable fire extinguishers include powder and various water-based extinguishing agents.

Using a portable extinguisher is not complicated, but the threshold for using it may be high if you have not practiced using a portable fire extinguisher before a fire.

The owner or holder of the portable fire extinguisher shall ensure that the portable fire extinguisher is inspected and maintained. The inspection and maintenance obligation does not apply to portable fire extinguishers intended for domestic use or comparable private use.

Portable fire extinguishers must be inspected at intervals of no more than

• one year if the extinguisher is stored in a manner that exposes it to factors such as moisture, vibration, changes in temperature or freezing temperatures.
• two years if the portable fire extinguisher is stored indoors in dry conditions with an even temperature.

The time of the first inspection is determined by the time of manufacture of the portable fire extinguisher. The container may have been manufactured before that, but it is the time of the first filling of the container which counts. If the portable fire extinguisher’s time of manufacture is given to an accuracy of one year, the assumed time of manufacture of the extinguisher is early January that year.

The portable fire extinguisher must be serviced at intervals of no more than 10 years unless a shorter maintenance interval is indicated on the portable fire extinguisher. The portable fire extinguisher’s maintenance interval specified by the manufacturer shall be stated in the operating and maintenance manual attached to the extinguisher. The requirement to indicate the maintenance interval was issued at the beginning of 2025. All extinguishers must have this marking no later than from the beginning of 2026 onward.

Businesses performing inspections and maintenance of portable fire extinguisher and the responsible persons of those businesses must meet the requirements of the Act on Certain Fire Safety Equipment. Tukes maintains a register of businesses and persons-in-charge who meet the requirements and have submitted the required notification and supervises their operations.

Installation businesses, responsible persons and qualifications

The inspection and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers may only be carried out by qualified installation businesses listed in the operator register (in Finnish).

Visit instructions and forms (in Finnish) to make a business notification.

The responsible person must meet the prescribed qualification requirements concerning qualification test and work experience. See more about qualification requirements and instructions for applying for a certificate of qualification (in Finnish).

The Finnish National Rescue Association SPEK arranges training related to the inspection and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers.

Upon application, Tukes may grant a certificate of qualification to persons who have completed a degree and meet the qualification requirements.

Inspection and maintenance instructions for portable fire extinguishers

If you need instructions for the inspection and maintenance of fire extinguishers, contact the importer.