31-133a. Fire extinguishers; inspection, installation or service, certification by state fire marshal; rules and regulations; fees. (a) No business shall inspect, install or service portable fire extinguishers or automatic fire extinguishers for commercial cooking equipment without first being certified by the state fire marshal.

(b) (1) The state fire marshal shall adopt rules and regulations as provided in K.S.A. 31-134, and amendments thereto, establishing standards for inspection, installation, servicing and testing procedures and minimum insurance requirements of businesses inspecting, installing or servicing portable fire extinguishers or automatic fire extinguishers for commercial cooking equipment. The rules and regulations shall provide for qualifications and training of any person or persons designated by such business as the person or persons upon whose qualifications and training the certification of the business is based and shall require submission of proof, satisfactory to the state fire marshal, that such qualifications and training have been met.

(2) The rules and regulations shall further provide for annual certification of such businesses. No fee shall be charged for each certification. No fee shall be charged for any person who is an officer or employee of the state or political or taxing subdivision when that person is acting on behalf of the state or political or taxing subdivision. If the person or persons upon whose qualifications and training the certification of the business is based leave such business, the certification of that business is void.

(c) Inspection or service of any portable fire extinguisher or automatic fire extinguisher for commercial cooking equipment by any business who is not certified by the state fire marshal as required by this section shall constitute a deceptive act or practice under the Kansas consumer protection act and shall be subject to the remedies and penalties provided by such act.

(d) As used in this section:

(1) "Automatic fire extinguisher for commercial cooking equipment" means any automatic fire extinguisher mounted directly above or in the ventilation canopy of commercial cooking equipment.

(2) "Business" means any person who inspects, services or installs portable fire extinguishers or automatic fire extinguishers for commercial cooking equipment but does not include: (A) Any person or authorized agent of the person who installs a portable fire extinguisher for protection of the person's own property or business; or (B) any individual acting as a representative or employee of a certified business.

History: L. 1980, ch. 119, § 1; L. 1982, ch. 169, § 1; L. 1990, ch. 135, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 220, § 1; L. 2001, ch. 5, § 95; L. 2011, ch. 53, § 12; L. 2016, ch. 34, § 1; July 1.