§ 175.310 Portable fire extinguishers and semi-portable fire extinguishing systems.

(a) All portable and semi-portable fire extinguishers must—

(1) Be on board and readily accessible;

(2) Be of an approved type;

(3) Not be expired or appear to have been previously used; and

(4) Be maintained in good and serviceable working condition, meaning:

(i) If the extinguisher has a pressure gauge reading or indicator it must be in the operable range or position;

(ii) The lock pin is firmly in place;

(iii) The discharge nozzle is clean and free of obstruction; and

(iv) The extinguisher does not show visible signs of significant corrosion or damage.

(b) Vaporizing-liquid type fire extinguishers containing carbon tetrachloride, chlorobromomethane, or other toxic vaporizing liquids, are not acceptable as equipment required by this subpart.

(c) Portable or semi-portable extinguishers that are required by their name plates to be protected from freezing must not be located where freezing temperatures may be expected.

(d) The use of dry chemical stored pressure fire extinguishers not fitted with pressure gauges or indicating devices, manufactured prior to January 1, 1965, is permitted on board recreational vessels if such extinguishers are maintained in good and serviceable condition. The following maintenance and inspections are required for such extinguishers:

(1) When the date on the inspection record tag on the extinguishers shows that 6 months have elapsed since the last weight check ashore, then such extinguishers are no longer accepted as meeting required maintenance conditions until they are reweighed ashore, found to be in a serviceable condition, and within required weight conditions.

(2) If the weight of the container is 1⁄4 ounce less than that stamped on the container, it must be serviced.

(3) If the outer seal or seals (which indicate tampering or use when broken) are not intact, the boarding officer or marine inspector will inspect such extinguishers to see that the frangible disc in the neck of the container is intact; and, if such disc is not intact, the container must be serviced.

(4) If there is evidence of damage, use, or leakage, such as dry chemical powder observed in the nozzle or elsewhere on the extinguisher, the extinguisher must be serviced or replaced.

(e) Dry chemical extinguishers, stored pressure extinguishers, and fire extinguishers without pressure gauges or indicating devices, manufactured after January 1, 1965, cannot be labeled with the marine type label described in 46 CFR 162.028–4. These extinguishers may be carried onboard recreational vessels as excess equipment, subject to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

(f) Semi-portable extinguishers must be fitted with a suitable hose and nozzle, or other practicable means, so that all portions of the space concerned may be covered.