As of November 2012, the State of Alaska no longer issues Class I permits through the Division of Fire and Life Safety. Class I permits allow you to conduct inspections and non-invasive annual maintenance of portable fire extinguishers. The permit allows such things as weighing the unit, making sure the internal powder has not settled, inspecting tags, seals, hoses, and locking items. 

The State of Alaska says "It is the responsibility of the employer to provide training and documentation to enable the employer's personnel to conduct a Class I inspection and non-invasive maintenance of portable fire extinguishers." 

APEI is now offering a free Class I Fire Extinguisher Training Program for all members. This training program allows your employees to conduct annual non-invasive fire extinguisher inspections. It also gives you explanations of multiple OSHA requirements and NFPA standards.  

Training your employees on conducting annual fire extinguisher inspections saves you money. The average cost for an extinguisher servicing company to conduct an annual inspection is $8 per extinguisher, which can add up fast. For some of our remote members, having to pay for a service company's travel costs can be very expensive.   

For more information on APEI's Fire Extinguisher Training Program, contact Cole Cummins, your loss control manager, at ccummins@akpei.com. 

APEI offers many opportunities for our members to save money. One way to save is to utilize the APEI Playground Improvement Grant. In order to reduce the number and severity of playground injuries, APEI will reimburse members for half the cost, up to $10,000 for labor and materials to improve a playground surface. The grant includes the purchase and installation of appropriate unitary surfaces like shredded tires, engineered wood fiber, and rubber tiles.

For more information on APEI’s Playground Improvement Grant, check your loss control manual or contact Cole Cummins, your loss control manager, at ccummins@akpei.com.

Employee safety training is a fundamental element of safety. It is a quality measure as well as a regulatory standard.

APEI offers many different options on how to provide training for your employees including on-line training, regional loss control seminars, on-site APEI-led training, and APEI webinars. Not only do these trainings benefit your employees, but through APEI's premium credit program, it can save you money. Employee training allows for up to a 12% credit off the APEI portion of workers' compensation and general liability premiums at renewal.

Find more information in your loss control manual or contact Cole Cummins, your loss control manager, at ccummins@akpei.com.