Fire extinguishers, fire-fighting equipment, emergency lighting and escape-route signage for businesses that must comply with Dutch occupational health and safety law and the Buildings Decree (Bbl). As a REOB-certified company, we carry out the inspection of your fire extinguishers, the maintenance of your emergency lighting and the annual inspection in line with NEN 2559, NEN-EN 671-3 and NEN-EN 1838.
Fire extinguishers, hose reels, emergency lighting and escape-route signage together form the final layer of fire safety in your building. The fire extinguishers enable your emergency response staff to tackle a fire in its early stages and so prevent it from spreading. The emergency lighting ensures that everyone can leave the building safely if a fire or a power failure takes out the standard lighting. Both are required by law, both must be inspected periodically and both are your responsibility as an employer or building owner.
Dutch occupational health and safety law places that responsibility firmly with you. Work equipment must be safe, properly maintained and reliable in an emergency. The Buildings Decree (Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving, Bbl), the successor to the 2012 Buildings Decree, additionally specifies for each occupancy type which fire extinguishers and emergency lighting must be present. In practice, an insurer or the labour inspectorate will always assess against NEN 2559 for portable extinguishers, NEN-EN 671-3 for hose reels and NEN-EN 1838 for emergency lighting.
Cebec is a REOB-certified inspection and maintenance company. This means our engineers are formally trained to maintain fire-fighting equipment in accordance with the CCV certification scheme, and that every extinguisher point is fitted with a label bearing our REOB code once it has been inspected. We handle the entire process under one roof, from survey and advice through to installation and annual maintenance.
Choosing the right fire extinguisher starts with the fire class that poses the greatest risk in your space. The wrong extinguisher can make a fire worse, for example when water is used on a cooking-oil fire or a CO2 extinguisher on a deep-fat fryer. During the survey we determine which type of extinguisher belongs in each space and in what quantities.
The most versatile extinguisher for offices, shops, commercial premises and warehouses. Suitable for solid materials such as paper and wood and for flammable liquids. It causes limited collateral damage and is a sound default choice for most buildings.
The CO2 extinguisher is the required choice around electrical equipment, server rooms, switchgear cabinets and laboratories. CO2 leaves no residue and is safe up to 1,000 volts. It is not suitable for cooking-oil fires or use in the open air because of its limited range. Through our maintenance contract, any CO2 extinguisher you order comes complete with REOB inspection and location signage included.
Very broadly applicable, including on gas fires. Because of the fine powder, however, this extinguisher causes a great deal of collateral damage. We therefore recommend powder mainly for outdoor areas, industrial settings and specific risks where foam is not sufficient.
Indispensable in commercial kitchens, staff restaurants and workshops with deep-fat frying equipment. It forms a sealing layer over hot oils and prevents re-ignition. Water or foam on a cooking-oil fire produces a flare-up and is extremely dangerous.
A fine mist cools the fire and smothers it at the same time, with minimal collateral damage. Suitable for offices, museums, listed buildings and healthcare premises where dust or foam residue is undesirable. It can also be used on many electrical risks.
Battery fires call for an AVD extinguisher (Aqueous Vermiculite Dispersion) or a dedicated lithium extinguisher. Powder and CO2 do not cool a lithium-ion battery sufficiently to stop thermal runaway. Where there are large numbers of e-bikes or forklift trucks, or where batteries are stored, we address this risk explicitly during the survey.
As a rule of thumb, allow one portable extinguisher per 200 m², with a minimum of two extinguishers per floor. Where the fire risk is elevated, for example in a kitchen, workshop or warehouse, this number is doubled or a risk-specific unit is added. The maximum travel distance to an extinguisher is typically 20 metres in standard office settings and 15 metres where the risk is elevated.
Every extinguisher is mounted in a visible position along an escape route, at a height of roughly 1.2 metres, and must never be covered or moved. A fire-extinguisher pictogram is fitted above the extinguisher point, so its position remains visible even in smoke. This location signage follows the same NEN 3011 and NEN-EN-ISO 7010 pictograms as your escape-route signage.
In addition to portable extinguishers, a hose reel is required under the Bbl for many occupancy types, particularly where floor areas are larger or where the travel distance to an extinguisher would otherwise become too great. The hose reel typically has a hose length of 20 or 30 metres and a minimum water output of 1.3 m³ per hour at 100 kPa. Annual maintenance is carried out in line with NEN-EN 671-3, with a pressure test at 10 to 16 bar every five years.
An extinguisher that does not work, or works only partially, is discovered only at the moment you need it. That is precisely why periodic maintenance by a certified company is essential. We are members of the Dutch scheme for the certification of small fire-fighting equipment maintenance companies (REOB), the CCV scheme that demonstrates our engineers are trained and our working methods are certified.
The inspection cycle follows NEN 2559 for portable extinguishers and NEN-EN 671-3 for hose reels. Each year we visit your building and work through a fixed checklist. In the milestone years, more extensive maintenance follows. After the inspection we fit every unit with a label showing the date and engineer code, and we record everything in the logbook that the fire service, the labour inspectorate and your insurer can request.
More about service & maintenanceSkipping inspection is not an option. In the event of damage or injury, your insurer may refuse to pay out where maintenance cannot be demonstrably shown to be in order. With a maintenance contract, we schedule the annual inspection automatically.
Emergency lighting comes into operation within seconds as soon as the standard lighting fails. In the event of a fire or power failure, the escape routes are sufficiently lit, panic and the risk of tripping are prevented, and the escape-route signage above doors remains legible. For most commercial buildings, emergency lighting is required under the Bbl, in particular for occupied spaces holding more than fifty people, enclosed escape routes and spaces below ground level.
The lighting requirements are set out in NEN-EN 1838. An escape route must achieve at least one lux along its centre line. In large open spaces, an additional anti-panic level of at least 0.5 lux horizontally at floor level applies. Within five seconds of a failure, fifty per cent of the required lighting must be active, and one hundred per cent within sixty seconds. The minimum duration is one hour, while three hours is often applied for healthcare and accommodation occupancies.
The escape-route signage itself follows the pictograms from NEN 3011 and NEN-EN-ISO 7010. In non-residential occupancies these pictograms are usually permanently lit, so that the escape route is always visible and switches automatically to its own battery in the event of a power failure.
A complete emergency lighting system with LED and battery-backed luminaires not only meets the light-level requirements but is also correctly positioned, tested periodically and supported by an up-to-date logbook. We always address these six aspects during our survey and at the annual emergency lighting maintenance.
A minimum of 1 lux along the centre line of every escape route up to 2 metres wide, so that obstacles and changes in floor level remain visible. For wider routes, 0.5 lux applies across half the width.
In open spaces larger than 60 m², a minimum of 0.5 lux horizontally at floor level applies. This prevents panic and allows people to orient themselves, for example in open-plan offices, hospitality venues and shops.
Internally or externally lit escape-route pictograms in line with NEN-EN-ISO 7010, placed above doors, at junctions and at changes of direction. Viewing distance up to 20 metres for internally lit signs and up to 30 metres for externally lit signs.
The battery backup provides a minimum of 1 hour of operation in the event of a mains failure, and often 3 hours for healthcare and accommodation occupancies. 50% of the light output must be active within 5 seconds and 100% within 60 seconds. We mainly use LED luminaires for high reliability and long service life.
Decentralised luminaires with their own battery are easy to extend and maintain. In larger buildings, a central power supply in line with NEN-EN 50171 is often more efficient, with one central battery.
A short functional test each month and a full duration test each year. We record the results in the logbook, so that operation can be demonstrated at any time to the fire service, the labour inspectorate and your insurer.
From survey and advice through to handover and annual maintenance, you have a single point of contact for your fire extinguishers and emergency lighting. You do not have to research standards or keep track of inspection deadlines yourself.
We walk through your building, take stock of the existing fire-fighting equipment, hose reels and emergency lighting, and map the fire risks for each space. Where necessary, we assess against your risk assessment and evaluation (RI&E).
You receive a plan based on the Bbl and the applicable NEN standards, including quantities, types, positions and a clear quotation for supply, installation and maintenance.
We fit extinguishers, hose reels, luminaires and escape-route signage in the correct positions. Every unit is provided with a pictogram, an inspection label and a logbook entry.
With a maintenance contract, we schedule the inspections automatically. Annual inspection by REOB engineers, a duration test of the emergency lighting and a fully updated logbook.
Portable fire extinguishers are inspected annually in line with NEN 2559. After five years, extended maintenance follows; after ten years, an overhaul in which the cylinder is pressure-tested; and after twenty years, foam and powder extinguishers are generally replaced. Hose reels are checked annually in line with NEN-EN 671-3, with a pressure test at 10 to 16 bar every five years. We carry out all of these inspections as a REOB-certified company.
Foam extinguishers are the standard for office and commercial environments, CO2 extinguishers belong with electrical equipment and server rooms, wet chemical extinguishers are required in commercial kitchens, and AVD extinguishers work on lithium-ion batteries. The right type depends on the fire risks in your building. During the survey, we determine which type belongs in each space and the minimum number of extinguishers you must have.
The Buildings Decree (Bbl) requires emergency lighting in virtually all commercial buildings. This applies, among other things, to occupied spaces holding more than fifty people and the enclosed escape routes leading from them, to spaces below ground level such as basements, and to public functions such as offices, shops and hospitality. In the event of a mains failure, the lighting must provide at least one hour of operation, and often three hours for healthcare and accommodation occupancies.
A REOB-certified company works with certified engineers, an audited quality system and fixed work instructions in line with NEN 2559; an ordinary inspection offers no such assurance. REOB is the Dutch scheme for the certification of small fire-fighting equipment maintenance companies, administered through the Centre for Crime Prevention and Safety (CCV). The inspection label states our REOB code and the name or code of the engineer. For insurers and the labour inspectorate, that is the proof that your fire-fighting equipment has been demonstrably maintained by a certified company.
Emergency lighting is tested monthly with a short functional test and annually with a full duration test, in line with NEN-EN 50172. During the functional test, you briefly interrupt the mains supply and check that all luminaires continue to operate on battery; during the duration test, the luminaires are discharged for their full rated duration. We include this annual test in the maintenance contract and record the results in the logbook.
In the event of thermal runaway in a lithium-ion cell, conventional extinguishers have limited effect. CO2 and powder do not cool the cell deeply enough and the fire keeps re-igniting. AVD extinguishers, which form a ceramic layer and cool at the same time, are gaining ground and do work on a fire in its early stages. For larger batteries, such as those in an electric forklift truck or car, the only effective strategy is to evacuate, isolate the power and have the fire service cool the battery with plenty of water. We assess the risk you face at each location and which unit is appropriate.
With a maintenance contract, we combine the fire-extinguisher inspection, the hose reel maintenance and the emergency lighting maintenance in a single visit, which is more efficient and more cost-effective than separate visits. The total cost depends on the number of items of fire-fighting equipment and emergency lighting luminaires that must be inspected and on the milestone in the inspection cycle. We provide a clear quotation in advance, so that you know the annual cost for the complete fire-safety chain.
We assess your current situation and advise on which fire extinguishers, fire-fighting equipment and emergency lighting you need under the law and the Bbl. Free of charge and on site.