If you run a restaurant business, your commercial kitchen is the area that’s most vulnerable to a fire outbreak. This is mostly because it gets subject to constant heat and flames during cooking and food preparation. If your chefs aren’t highly critical and your kitchen appliances aren’t properly maintained, a sudden flare can easily occur. The good thing is that most business establishments have fire protection set in place. However, the problem is that they tend to commit some mistakes when it comes to their fire suppression system.
If you want to avoid burning down your establishment, here are five common mistakes your restaurant must avoid with the fire suppression systems:
1. Your cooking appliances aren’t positioned properly
This is one of the most common mistakes usually committed by staff members, as your kitchen appliances and equipment pieces are constantly moved around for food preparation and cleaning. The problem is that they aren’t used or put back in place within the range of your fire suppression system. When an unexpected flame occurs, your system is rendered useless. For this reason, be sure that all your kitchen appliances are inspected and maintained for proper positioning.
2. You have expanded your kitchen without considering the fire suppression system
It’s inevitable for you to add space in your commercial kitchen and upgrade your appliances for ample workspace and overall efficiency. The problem, however, is when you tend to neglect your fire suppression system during these upgrades. The chances are that the equipment pieces are moved out of the system’s range, making them prone to flare. As a rule of thumb, be sure to have a fire suppression installation or upgrade when updating your commercial kitchen.
3. You don’t regularly clean your walls and floors
It’s quick and easy for kitchen surfaces to have grease buildup as a result of constant cooking. This buildup gets spread on the floors, walls, and other surface areas. Because of this, regular cleaning is a must. Unfortunately, some staff tends to neglect this vital aspect of a restaurant business and fail to perform cleaning for long periods. As a result, the greasy surfaces serve as a route for the flame to spread. Hence, the best course of action is to clean your kitchen regularly!
4. You haven’t set regular upkeep
Apart from cleaning, the regular maintenance of your kitchen appliances and equipment is also imperative. Poorly maintained ones lead to a potential hazard that even your suppression system won’t be able to handle. Keep in mind that the fire safety codes require regular inspection and cleaning of commercial kitchens. For this reason, you must always remember to schedule a routine inspection, and should there be damages or issues with your appliances that could cause a fire, have them fixed as soon as possible.
5. You have a malfunctioned fire suppression system
If your suppression system isn’t working as expected, you risk the flame growing bigger than you can contend with—that defeats the purpose of having one in the first place! Be sure to have your system inspected regularly. If it’s already malfunctioned, have it repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
Conclusion
At this point, we’ve covered the five common mistakes associated with the fire suppression system in a restaurant business—improperly positioned appliances, expanded kitchen without considering the fire suppression system, uncleaned walls and floors, no regular upkeep, and malfunctioned system. Ultimately, you or your property manager must be wary of all these to ensure your fire suppression system works properly and avoid a potential fire outbreak!
At Atlantic Fire Pro, we provide a wide selection of Ansul suppression systems in New Jersey, along with inspection, installation, and maintenance services. If you’re looking for a fire suppression installation, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!