Fire safety is undoubtedly a critical aspect of keeping your home or commercial building as protected as possible. Commercial spaces, however, have a bigger obligation to serve and protect the general public, which means keeping buildings as safe as possible. In commercial kitchens, automatic extinguishing systems should be inspected and serviced every six months — and only by a qualified contractor. Fire extinguisher inspections as also critical. As one of the quickest and most accessible fire control methods, people need them to work properly in a time of crisis.
A majority of the country — 35 states — require replacement of non-UL 300 systems when the cooking equipment is changed, repositioned, or replaced, or if the existing system can?t be maintained. Even if it isn’t required by state law, it’s still one of the safest ways to keep your commercial kitchen as safe and protected as possible.
In addition to frequent inspections, due diligence is also necessary to maintain employee and customer safety in the kitchen. Remove ashes from wood- and charcoal-burning ovens at least once a day, and store them outside in metal containers at least 10 feet from any buildings or combustible materials. Keep in mind, also, that deep fryers (9%), ranges (7%), and miscellaneous kitchen and cooking equipment (5%) are the leading types of equipment involved in ignition in nonconfined restaurant building fires.
A study of more than 2,000 fire incidents revealed that portable fire extinguishers had successfully extinguished more than 80% of those fires. That’s just one reason why incorporating portable fire extinguishers and emphasizing and prioritizing fire extinguisher inspections is so important. One additional step you can take to make sure your employees understand the safety protocols and rules and procedures set by your restaurant is to make sure all employees know how to use a fire extinguisher in case of an emergency event such as a fire. If a fire starts in the kitchen and a supervisor isn’t available, the fire can cause significant damage to equipment, employees, and even customers if left uncombated. Always encourage safe procedures in your restaurant. For more information about fire extinguisher services and fire extinguisher servicing, contact a professional fire extinguishers services.