Annually, all carbon dioxide fire extinguishers aboard a vessel are

• A. Inspected
• B. Weighed
• C. Recharged
• D. Externally labeled

Answer: (B)

CO2 extinguishers are typically sealed and many lack a usable pressure gauge, so you can’t reliably judge how full they are by looking at a gauge or by external condition. The amount of CO2 inside a cylinder is best verified by weight. By weighing the cylinder and comparing it to the known full-charge weight, you can determine whether the extinguisher still contains the proper amount of agent. If the weight matches the full-charge spec, it’s considered ready; if it’s lighter, it needs to be recharged. This is why weighing annually is the correct method for CO2 extinguishers. Inspections, labeling, or simply recharging after use don’t by themselves confirm that the extinguisher still has the correct charge.