Where there is heat, there is the risk of fire, and your commercial kitchens are the rooms that are exposed to the fire the most hence they are always at the risk. Fire hazards are very much likely to happen in any restaurant as compared to any other business. Because of the constant exposure to heat, fire can break out for a large number of reasons.
Irrespective of the reason why a fire broke out in the first place, what should be crucial in suppressing the fire as rapidly as you can. Typically, water is not an option due to the reason that grease fires spread involves water in at, even though extinguishers can destroy all of your food and other ingredients and products inside of the kitchen.
Restaurant fire suppression system always offers an exceptional way of putting out a fire quickly and more effectively.
As we know, according to the National Restaurant Association, 57% of all restaurant fires include cooking equipment. This clearly means the fire can be restricted only if you have a suppression system installed in your commercial kitchens.
With that being said you must also properly train your staff, clean up grease as soon as it spills as well as have a fire extinguisher readily available when a fire breaks out in other conditions is still very critical, but in this way, you can cut down your fire potential by nearly 60%.
Consequently, a fire suppression system promptly becomes your first line to save yourself and your staff. All you have to do is that you need to know more about it and how it works.
Fire Suppression System Types
Water-Based Fire Suppression Systems
Although this one is considered as the most common type of fire protection system which eventually uses water to beat the fires. You might have seen sprinkler systems in a lot of businesses and some homes as well. In this system, it identifies the fire and sprays a water mist or heavier water level to put out the fire right on time. The major advantage is it’s inexpensive in comparison to other types and easy to replace, but you will have to keep that in mind that this system is not suitable for your commercial kitchens as the fire hazards out there involves water in then and it also can cause some serious water damage and cannot be used around electronics and your commercial kitchens have a lot of electrical equipment in it.
Chemical Foam Suppression Systems
Chemical foam systems are specially designed for your commercial and residential kitchens. They are usually placed under cooking canopies, and do not cause a lot of damage, and are relatively easier to use. It is more expensive as compared to many other systems and it also requires proper pipework and fittings that are made up of stainless steel.
Pneumatic Heat Detection Tube
We all know that fire extinguishers are considered common fire suppression devices, but they are manual use. The pneumatic heat detection tube is such an extinguisher that has a fire detection system as well. Once the temperature of your kitchen reaches a particular level, it starts to blow a small hole in its pipe, and the extinguisher foam turns down the fire. Pneumatic Heat Detection Tube is an economical system, and it can be installed easily, but it is only useful on small fires. They can also be easily transported to another location because they are small in size.
Pressurized Gas System
A pressurized gas system works in such a way that the gas is kept as a liquid under pressure, and it uses liquid nitrogen. In case the fire is detected, the system starts to release the gas, and there happens a chemical reaction with the fire to extinguish it. This system is considered best for server rooms and all other areas that have high-end electronics in it. It is efficient because the gas is under pressure, and it does not cause an oxygen reduction in any way. It is considered an effective firefighting technology.
Foam Deluge Systems
The foam deluge system is used in all those areas where water suppression is not possible like transformers and oil tanks. In case a fire is detected, water mixes with the foam to expand it and fire. This is the best system for outdoor areas, but it does create a large mess that requires clean-up.
Commercial hood Fire Suppression in Restaurant Kitchens
Every commercial restaurant kitchen will need a kitchen hood fire suppression system in order to protect the building from picking up any dangerous fires. These suppression hood systems are not cheap at all, but if you do have one your work environment could be affected in a very bad way.
Commercial Fire Suppression System Cost
The average cost of a kitchen hood fire suppression system is approximately $4,979. If you are planning to pay someone in order to install the whole fire suppression system, you will be paying an average of $11,391. The total expense of a cooking area hood fire suppression system will depend upon the size of the hood that is actually needed in order to cover it, in addition to the kind of cooking surfaces. However, usually, they will cost anywhere between $2,000 and $6,000.
How to avoid Fire Hazards in Commercial Kitchens
In order to avoid any fire hazard in your commercial kitchens, you must follow the following steps.
Most Common Fire Hazards in Commercial Kitchens
Have a Fire Assessment Performed
A fire assessment is often made mandatory by law, and it should be done by a certified evaluator. If it is not the case, the entire assessment may not be considered valid. Throughout the whole assessment, a qualified evaluator will go through your kitchen and detect any potential fire hazards.
Make Sure to Follow the Manufacturer’s Instructions properly
In case your kitchen equipment is not installed in a proper way, it can be a cause of potential fire hazards. Ovens, deep fryers, and any other kitchen equipment should be installed and used properly. Use Caution with Deep Fat Fryers
Install a Remote Power Shutdown System
It is very essential that you have a backup form of protection in case of any emergency. In this way, you will be protecting your staff and additional damage to the kitchen in case a fire breaks out. It is also very vital that you can shut off the power or gas supply in the kitchen on your own if there is a fire.
Properly Installed Ventilation and Extractor Systems
In case the ventilation system and the extractor systems are not installed in a proper way, there are high chances that the fire can spread in half even more rapidly. If by chance the fire gets up into the ceiling, there are high chances that it may travel through the ducts to the rest of the building as well.
Train Your Employees Appropriately
It is also a very important step that you train your employees properly so that they never leave food that is cooking unattended. If a lot of things are being cooked at one time, you should always make sure that your employees have timers, and they use them appropriately. In case any employee must leave the kitchen, they should remove the food from the heat before they go in order to avoid any fire possibilities
Keep Firefighting Equipment in the Kitchen at All Times
In case a fire breaks out in your kitchen, there are still chances that you can prevent damage and injury if you can control the fire yourself instead of waiting for someone and making the fire spread even worse. You should always keep commercial kitchen fire extinguishers for kitchen fires handy. For small pan fires, you can always keep fire blankets in the kitchen.
Secure the Kitchen at Night
Consider it as the most important and basic step and ritual to do at night. When you close your commercial kitchen, consider it very important to create a checklist of everything that should be turned off before the last employee leaves those premises. You can assign one employee in charge of this duty and make the check off the items on the list as they are turned off. The employee should also sign off on the checklist before they leave for the night.
