The kitchen is the backbone of any commercial foodservice establishment. However, it is also a key fire hazard-prone area. Therefore restaurant fire suppression system installation is necessary for all small and large restaurants. Furthermore, since a large amount of cooking takes place every day in a commercial kitchen, it is typical for the kitchen hood to accumulate grease buildup, which needs to be cleaned regularly. Grease is highly flammable, and if there are any mishaps or negligence, even a tiny mistake may turn into a raging fire. Therefore, maintaining a clean kitchen hood and regular inspections are crucial.
Restaurant fire suppression system inspection is not only crucial for fulfilling legal fire code compliance requirements but also for the safety of your restaurant staff and millions of dollars worth of cooking equipment. As per the NFPA, the kitchen hood must be cleaned and inspected every month. Neglecting regular kitchen hood cleaning and inspections may cause various issues, such as the following:
- Blocked nozzles
If the kitchen fire suppression system is not cleaned properly, the grease and debris build-up may cause the fire suppression system’s nozzles to develop blockages. In that case, if the inspections are ignored and a fire occurs in the kitchen, the fire suppression system’s nozzles may not effectively work to put out the fire. However, if the inspection is conducted regularly, the inspector may find the blockage, fix it, and advise preventive measures. Therefore, it is recommended to schedule a timely fire suppression system inspection.
- Toxic air risk
The kitchen hood needs to be cleaned up so the polluted air and smoke from cooking can vent outside. However, if it is left dirty, it may quickly deteriorate the air quality or even lead to toxic aromas. It would affect not only your staff but also customers’ health. Thus, kitchen hood cleaning and inspection are crucial.
- Environment safety threat
As per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), commercial kitchens need to adhere to specific standards to ensure proper ventilation and keep environmentally-toxic smoke and grease to the minimum. Thus, if the kitchen hood is dirty and leads to unhealthy toxic air discharge, it may violate the EPA standards and put the future of the restaurant at risk. Therefore, proper cleaning and inspections are indispensable to ensure restaurant fire safety compliance with relevant environmental standards.
If your kitchen hood and fire suppression system have not been inspected in over six months, get in touch with our team to schedule an inspection today!
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