How to Prevent Fires at Restaurants

The Federal Emergency Management Agency reported that thousands of fires destroy restaurants in the United States each year. Although the process of running a restaurant can be time-consuming, a manager must set aside time in order to structure a plan that can prevent fire damage.

Use Proper Deep Fryers

According to FEMA, most fires ignite in a cooking area near deep fryers. Modern fryers cook food at a very high temperature; as a result, they hold heat for a longer length of time. Vintage deep fryers had chemical fire suppression components that were quite effective. The suppression systems that are equipped in modern equipment don’t operate as efficiently, which is why fires ignite.

If your fryer generates greasy vapors, you must buy suppression equipment that’s UL 300 compliant. UL 300 systems are very dependable because they were designed specifically for cooking areas in restaurants.

Implement Maintenance Procedures

All fire suppression systems in your restaurant should be serviced by a trained safety technician twice a year. Also, each discharge nozzle and cap must be checked regularly. In some cases, the cap and nozzle openings can clog if debris and grease build up.

Clean the Ducts

Some fires start after grease covers the surfaces within an exhaust system. In order to maintain the exhaust ducts, you must follow a few steps.

Each month, you should clean the ducts thoroughly if the staff cooks many foods with charcoal or wood. Quarterly cleaning is required if your restaurant gets a lot of customers; this cleaning routine benefits businesses that provide 24-hour services. Less cleaning is needed when a business has moderate sales. If the volume is low, semi-annual cleaning procedures should be implemented.

Put an Extinguisher in a Strategic Spot

By mounting fire extinguisher cabinets in the kitchen where a fire would likely start, the process of putting out flames will be easily. However, you should never place an extinguisher by a stove. If a fire starts on the stovetop, no one will be able to reach the extinguisher.

You can prevent situations that cause fire damage in your restaurant by cleaning and maintaining your equipment. Since accidents can still happen, you’ll need a good fire extinguisher and a durable and sturdy cabinet.