During the holiday season, establishments such as restaurants and bakeries operate at peak capacity, preparing holiday meals and producing extensive quantities of baked goods. It is imperative to circumvent potential fire hazards by employing attentive cooking methods and ensuring the meticulous upkeep of kitchen equipment. This article offers information regarding the escalated risk of fire incidents during the holiday period and guidance on safeguarding commercial kitchens against fire-related dangers.
Understanding Increased Risks
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) states that almost 8,000 restaurants will report a fire each year. As you might imagine, with the elevated frequency of commercial kitchen use during the holiday season, the number of fires that occur during this period may increase. Kitchen fires can occur for many reasons, such as unattended cooking or grease buildup on the cooking appliances. With these increased risks, it’s essential to be vigilant and mitigate the fire risks as soon as they are uncovered.
Best Practices for Kitchen Safety
Best Practices for Kitchen SafetyPracticing proper kitchen safety in your restaurant kitchen or other commercial kitchen can help prevent the risk of fire. Some of the steps you can take to make kitchen fires less likely to occur include:
- Properly storing flammable materials in safe areas
- Clearing emergency exit areas and making them accessible at all times
- Practicing safe cooking strategies.
Preventative Maintenance and Cleaning
In addition to cooking safely in your restaurant’s kitchen, bakery, or other commercial food space, it’s essential to maintain the kitchen appliances properly and have regular cleaning performed. You should hire a fire safety professional to install a commercial kitchen exhaust duct system to prevent grease buildup and the potential for fire hazards. In addition, regular hood duct cleaning is essential, and a fire safety company can handle this job for you. Lastly, commercial kitchen fire suppression system upgrades and maintenance services may be required occasionally.
Fire Protection Systems for Kitchen Fire Safety
Fire Protection Systems for Kitchen Fire SafetyFire safety products may also be required for your commercial kitchen. In addition, these items are essential in your restaurant or dining facility to protect your property and the people in it. Here are some fire protection systems your facility should have in place:
When installing these fire safety products in your commercial kitchen, you keep the location fire safe and compliant with local fire regulations.
