These regulations cover both handheld fire extinguishers and automatic fire suppression systems among other safety equipment, and it is your responsibility to make sure that your restaurant is up to fire safety regulation standards.
The commercial kitchen in your restaurant has an extraordinarily high fire risk, simply because of the work that happens there. Many appliances operate at high heat and come into contact with fats and oils regularly. Fires that break out in commercial kitchens can do thousands of dollars in property damage, but they can also endanger the safety and lives of your employees and patrons. Protecting against fires and saving lives is why there are fire safety regulations in place for restaurants. These regulations cover both handheld fire extinguishers and automatic fire suppression systems among other safety equipment, and it is your responsibility to make sure that your restaurant is up to fire safety regulation standards.
Wet Chemical Fire Suppression Systems
Any grease removal devices, hood exhausts, ducts, and any equipment that produces grease-laden vapors are required to have automated fire suppression systems in place. Most often, these are going to be wet chemical fire suppression systems. These work by releasing chemicals that react to make a foam and coat the oil and smother it till the temperatures of the appliances drop below the flash point. These systems are usually “pre-engineered,” which means they are set up to precise standards, and they need to be installed and serviced by approved technicians. When you have these systems installed, they often have to be designed to operate together, especially when there are multiple potential hazards in the same area. Finally, all of the automated systems in commercial kitchens are required to have manual actuation devices as a fail-safe, which means you have to make sure all of your employees are trained in when and how to use them.
Class “K” Extinguishers
You are required to have portable fire extinguishers on hand in your kitchen, specifically class “K” ones, which are rated for kitchen fires. Class “K” extinguishers use select chemicals that saponify with grease and oils to turn them into a non-flammable substance similar to soap. However, the regulations state that these portable extinguishers must have a sign above them that indicates that the automatic fire extinguishing systems need to be used first. This is because most industrial kitchen grade appliances operate at such high temperatures that the portable extinguishers can’t handle fires that break out on them. You’re required to have them on hand, but only as a back-up if the automatic fire suppression systems fail.
Fire Protection Services from Fireline
Whether you need smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, or an automatic sprinkler system installed at your commercial property, Fireline has you covered. We have been protecting people and property from fire damage since 1947—and our experience shows in our excellent work! We are known for our superb customer service, our expertise, and our reliability. For more information on how we can help your residential or commercial property, visit us online or give us a call at (800) 553-3405. We are located in Baltimore, MD, with a second office in Leesburg, VA. For more fire safety tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.