How to Prevent Commercial Kitchen Fires

The Primary Causes of Commercial Kitchen Fires

Restaurants or catering businesses are required to maintain their equipment according to stringent standards set out by regulatory bodies. Unfortunately, even by upholding such standards, there’s a risk that a fire may break out. In an in-depth report from 2010 to 2014, the NFPA identified these primary fire causes:

• Cooking equipment – 61%
• Electrical and lighting equipment – 9% 
• Heating equipment – 9% 
• Smoking materials – 7%
• Arson – 4%

These frightening statistics are a result of poor maintenance, human error, and insufficient fire prevention systems. Thankfully, in a commercial kitchen, any of these incidences can be avoided by implementing the correct standards and systems that will rapidly extinguish fires and protect staff working in the kitchen. 

Why Commercial Kitchen Fires Must Be Prevented

Restaurants, pubs, and other catering facilities form the backbone of many towns and cities – regardless of their population. In doing so, they employ large groups of staff who prepare quality meals and dishes that are enjoyed by thousands of people. Preventing a commercial kitchen fire is vital in not only protecting the livelihoods of owners and their staff but it also includes the below reasons.

• Protects staff from serious and critical injuries
• Ensures the patrons of the restaurant or commercial space are protected
• Minimizes potential damage to equipment and facilities
• In the event of a fire which is extinguished, there’s minimal loss in income and relatively low cost in repairing or replacing equipment
• Upgrades your establishment's image

Successfully preventing fires in a kitchen enables the business to continue working at a rapid pace – ensuring staff get paid and owners continue to bolster their accounts for unforeseen circumstances.

Prevent Commercial Kitchen Fires with the Right Suppression System

Commercial kitchens already implement the correct cleaning methods while using industry-standard exhaust hoods and ventilation systems. But many of these kitchens choose not to utilize a superior fire suppression system that immediately detects and extinguishes fires.

In this case, the Rotarex TRIPLESTAR^® system is the proven, all-in-one suppression system that’s not only dependable but is also incredibly effective in suppressing fires. The system has endured rigorous testing and has been certified by the LPCB (Loss Prevention Certification Board).

With a proven experience of protecting numerous commercial kitchens, the TRIPLESTAR^® system builds on its ever-increasing reputation as it can be installed with absolute ease. This ease of use is made more remarkable by the fact that it only has three main parts:

1. Cylinder / Valve Assembly
2. Detection Line
3. Discharge Line

When working in unison, all three of these parts don’t require any electricity or other moving parts – making the system dependable in any kitchen environment.

How Kitchen Space is Irrelevant for the Rotarex TRIPLESTAR^®

The Rotarex TRIPLESTAR^® system excels in a variety of departments yet a key component in its winning formula is that options are available for small, medium, and large commercial kitchens. Versatility is essential in this environment and Rotarex Firetec ensures that you can install a system that is uniquely suited to your premises.

Regardless of the size, the TRIPLESTAR^® system will protect several zones in the kitchen:

• The 9L system will protect 3 zones (ex: 2 cooking areas + 1 hood)
• The 16L system will protect 4-6 zones (ex: up to 5 cooking areas + 1 hood)
• The 25L system will protect 7-9 zones (ex: up to 8 cooking areas + 1 hood)

An effective and wide-ranging fire suppression system, it provides fantastic peace-of-mind and ensures that your equipment has superior protection all year round.

The Rotarex TRIPLESTAR^® Pneumatic Detection System Compared to Traditional Systems

Commercial kitchens are home to several pieces of quality equipment - all of which need to be protected with advanced suppression systems. The TRIPLESTAR^® system utilizes a pneumatic grey detection tube especially developed for greasy environments that runs the entire length of a cooking area. It’s here that the system demonstrates its superiority as it instantly detects a flare up in temperature with the sensor automatically identifying the hottest area in need of suppression.

Such immediate action and its fantastic value for money ensures that the TRIPLESTAR^® thoroughly outperforms other traditional systems that are cumbersome and over-priced. 

Other Preventative Measures to Put in Place

Avoiding fires in any kitchen environment is an absolute necessity. While mistakes certainly happen, reducing their impact is vital in protecting the integrity of the equipment and building in large.

Look out for the below concerns and put measures into place to minimize the chances of any fires flaring up: 

1. Clean Grease on a Consistent Basis

Grease has always been the main culprit in many commercial kitchen fires. Without a proper cleaning regimen, grease begins to build-up on certain equipment and ventilation systems. This build-up increases the likelihood of a fire starting as any flame that contacts the grease will inevitably lead to a fire starting and spreading in a matter of seconds.

2. Ensure Staff are Sufficiently Trained

The kitchen is no place for people that aren’t adequately trained to clean to prevent fires as well as how to respond when there’s a fire. Give your staff regular training sessions and update them with any new equipment that they may need help with. The better trained your staff are, the better they’ll respond when confronted with a fire in the kitchen.

Final Thoughts

Operating a commercial kitchen in any environment is challenging and at times stressful. Such stress combined with the fast-paced nature of the industry means that mistakes will happen. Effectively dealing with these mistakes takes on far more importance when the livelihoods of staff and the long-term future of the business are at stake.The Rotarex TRIPLESTAR^® serves as a preventative measure in case any mistake is made. With the system in place, you’re safe in knowing that your staff are protected, and your business will continue to serve customers with delightful and delicious meals.