Preventing Thanksgiving Kitchen Fires: Tips for Restaurants and Commercial Kitchens
Restaurants and commercial kitchens are the busiest during the holiday season. Thanksgiving is a time when kitchens are extra busy and so the chances of fires also increase. For fire prevention, food service industry businesses need to have proper safety measures in place. Here are some practical steps you can follow in your restaurant to keep employees, customers and property well protected.
Understanding the Risk
Commercial kitchens typically work longer during Thanksgiving, with all ovens and fryers busy, the environment becomes more prone to fire-related accidents. According to the National Fire Protection Association, most restaurant fires begin from cooking equipment, when there’s grease, oil and food residue build-up. The heat, open flames and flammable material in kitchens increase the risk of fire. To prevent these issues, it’s important to regularly maintain equipment and train staff about what they should do in case of an emergency.
1. Keep It Clean and Grease-Free
Grease buildup in hoods, vents and filters is a major fire hazard in commercial kitchens. The buildup can easily catch and spread fire everywhere. An effective way to prevent kitchen fires is to maintain cleanliness, which can also improve air quality. Before the holiday season, get your kitchen’s exhaust system, ducts and filters properly inspected and cleaned by a professional.
2. Check Your Fire Suppression System
The fire suppression system is built to automatically put out flames before they spread and cause damage. However, at times, this system does not operate properly, resulting in accidents. This is why it is important to get fire suppression systems periodically inspected. Before the holiday rush begins, check if your fire suppression system is up-to-date and properly serviced.
3. Deep Fryers and Open Flames
Thanksgiving menus often have fried foods included in them. Hot oil can ignite very easily if overheated or spilled. Always be careful while frying foods and never leave a fryer unattended. Maintain safe spacing between fryers and open flame appliances to prevent flames from spreading. Remember to keep combustible materials such as paper towels and cardboard boxes away from cooking areas.
4. Train Your Staff for Emergencies
Even if your kitchen is equipped with fire safety equipment, the safety depends on your team to a certain extent. Training your staff properly is essential to keep everyone safe. Every employee should know how to use a fire extinguisher in case of a fire. Refresher sessions can be conducted before Thanksgiving week so that your staff knows where manual pull stations and emergency exits are located.
5. The Cost of Neglect
Neglecting fire safety can put your property at risk, leading to serious consequences like business disruptions, extensive damage and in certain cases even loss of life. The cost of repairing and getting things cleaned up after a fire can be considerable, which is why investing in fire prevention is essential. When your kitchen is safe from fires, your employees feel more at ease and business operations proceed smoothly.
Contact FireMaster today for kitchen hood fire suppression system installation and servicing. We offer quick and efficient services, keeping your kitchen safe even during busy times like Thanksgiving.