Safety requirements for portable fire extinguishers

Published by:
Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO
Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO

Do you sell portable fire extinguishers in the Netherlands? These must meet safety requirements. Portable fire extinguishers must have a Government Inspection Mark (Rijkstypekeur) on the label.

Safety requirements

Portable fire extinguishers must meet the safety requirements as described in standard NEN-EN 3-7+A1. There are additional requirements for portable fire extinguishers for classification of fire D. You can find these requirements in standard NEN2033. When you apply for a Government Inspection Mark, you must include an inspection report (scroll to test report according to EN-3). This report shows that the portable fire extinguishers comply with the required standards.

Please note: The technical requirements that apply in the Netherlands to portable fire extinguishers differ from those of other EU Member States. If a portable fire extinguisher is already allowed in another Member State, the Dutch government may only ban its sale in the Netherlands in exceptional cases.

Applying for Government Inspection Mark

Portable fire extinguishers must have a Government Inspection Mark (Rijkstypekeur) on the label. This mark states that the fire extinguisher is approved, and for which fire class (A, B, C, D, F) it has been designed. You cannot sell or market fire extinguishers in the Netherlands without the Government Inspection Mark.

Government Inspection Mark certificates are issued by Kiwa NCP. You can download the application form and the rates (scroll to application form and rates) . If your application is accepted by Kiwa you will receive a State Approval Number.

State approval number on label

You have to put the State Approval Number on a label. There are special rules for what you need to put on this label and how (pdf).

Validity of State Approval Number

A portable fire-extinguisher has a service life of 20 years. A state approval number is valid for 5 years. After this period you have to renew the number. You are not allowed to import fire extinguishers under an expired number. You can only sell fire extinguishers under an expired number, if they have been manufactured during the time that the government type approval number was still valid.

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