Tukes monitors fire safety equipment
The Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) monitors new fire safety equipment through spot checks, and the market surveillance of products is based on risk assessment. Tukes does not test products on the market pre-emptively.
Market surveillance is carried out in the form of surveillance projects and as field surveillance by conducting inspections of products sold in stores. Supervision is also carried out reactively on the basis of information received from consumers and, for example, the rescue authorities.
According to a study, 718,300 smoke alarms were placed on the market in 2023, 80% of which were battery-powered and 20% mains-powered. Almost all smoke alarms were optical. In addition, 289,400 portable fire extinguishers were placed on the market; 76% of these were powder extinguishers, 21% water-based extinguishers and 3% carbon dioxide extinguishers.
Tukes also monitors
- installation and service companies of fire detectors and automatic fire extinguishing systems,
- inspection bodies carrying out inspections of systems, and
- portable fire extinguisher companies inspecting and servicing portable fire extinguishers.
The supervision is based on reports of activities submitted by the companies and the assessment of the qualifications of the responsible person. The means of supervision include supervisory visits and supervision on the basis of documents and registers.
At the end of 2022, the Tukes register included 177 companies installing and servicing fire detectors, 102 companies installing and servicing automatic fire extinguishing equipment and 237 portable fire extinguisher companies. There are four inspection bodies; three inspect both fire detectors and automatic fire extinguishing systems, and one only inspects fire detectors.
Read more about fire safety equipment | Tukes