commercial kitchen fires: to reduce risk 4 Tips

Nate Wojtasinski, ZES

Commercial kitchens, by design, allowing restaurants to prepare many meals quickly. But this fast-paced environment may also constitute a fire hazard and increase the likelihood of a fire in the kitchen. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), more than 7,000 fires restaurants were added each year, often referred to by kitchen staff as the primary cause. To reduce the risk of damage, manager of food service facilities can implement the following practices to ensure the kitchen of the house is well maintained and equipped to prevent fires. Fire Prevention Week, an initiative of the NFPA created to highlight the importance of fire safety is 8-14 October this year.

Electrical equipment. Commercial kitchens are equipped with a number of electrical appliances, which often operate simultaneously. Finally, cables, wires and switches can wear plates and fire. The kitchen staff should be trained regularly to inspect equipment any significant damage and managers should schedule regular maintenance professional assessments to ensure that all systems are functioning properly. If the kitchen is closed at night, all units have to avoid a shortage of electrical fuses, are turned off, which could cause a fire.
 
Minimize fat. Like all facility managers know fat is inevitable in a commercial kitchen. Fortunately, you can take steps to reduce the accumulation of these highly flammable. Employees should regularly clean the kitchen areas that are regularly exposed to grease, make sure they are free of grease. These areas often include walls, ranges, grills, fryers, systems hood, hood filters and even the roof. In addition to the daily food, kitchen managers need to disinfect a thorough cleaning in the kitchen area and supply, which is difficult to achieve.

Clean the exhaust system. The hood system air kitchen, consisting of the hood body, channeling, and an exhaust fan serves to trap grease, smoke and heat. Without maintenance, the accumulation of this waste water can be a fire hazard. Experienced and certified professional should be hired on a recurring basis for a thorough cleaning of the air system of the kitchen to remove fat and improve ventilation. In addition, it requires that all commercial kitchens to comply with the NFPA 96 standard for local fire inspectors and insurance. 96 NFPA Standard for the control of ventilation and the protection against the firings of commercial cooking provides that suction commercial kitchens to be inspected and professionally cleaned at regular intervals, as determined by the type of cooking is done.

Prepare an evacuation plan. If a kitchen fire occurs, facility managers should have a contingency and evacuation plan. Exits must be clearly identified and must be made at least twice a year fire that staff to ensure are fully trained what to do in an emergency drill. Reminder: fire escape routes shall be framed and mounted in strategic areas such as stairwells and corridors. At the beginning of each shift, an employee must be comfortable with the evacuation plan is called the person, call 911 direct employees and customers to safety in case of fire. When cooking fires are preventable, accidents do happen and need, the kitchen staff prepares.

If a fire in commercial kitchens often happens, it has a devastating effect on the installation and operation. Fortunately, there are several preventive measures that can take facility managers to protect their employees, customers and the establishment. Take steps kitchens, to ensure clean, and staff receive appropriate training on fire safety procedures are essential means to mitigate the risk of a dangerous fire. advise the implementation of the above processes and help to create a cleaner and safer for employees and customers environment.

Wojtasinski is technical training and support - Manager International Hoodz , system supplier extraction industrial kitchens and preventive maintenance cleaning. A franchise - companies based in Ann Arbor, MI, Hoodz provides cleaning solutions kitchens, code enforcement and fire protection in restaurants, institutions and other foodservice companies.

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