Why Now is a Good Time to set up a
Kitchen Duct Cleaning Programme
After a serious fire, how long does
it take for a commercial kitchen to recover? 1 month? 6 months? No-one can
really tell, but what is certain, is that it will have an impact on business
long after it is dealt with - higher insurance payments, cost of refurbishment
and loss of customer confidence.
In cases where cooking is the core
activity of a business, such as in a restaurant, a kitchen fire will have an
immediate and severe impact. In businesses such as pubs or clubs, where cooking
is an integral, but not central, part of the business, a kitchen fire can
easily spread, impacting on the more important areas.
Grease deposits are a Fire Hazard
During many cooking operations, hot
oils evaporate. The grease fumes condense on plenums, kitchen extractor fans
and inside extractor system ducts. Not only do these pose a health hazard by
harbouring bacteria and attracting insects and other pests, they are a fire
hazard unless they are cleaned thoroughly.
Cooking oils are designed for use
at about 200oC. When thermostat failure or human error occurs, oils
can be inadvertently heated above their flashpoint and are easily ignited,
creating a kitchen fire. Old and frequently used oils ignite at lower
temperatures so kitchen operators trying to save money by using cooking oils
for as long as possible are exposing their staff and business to an increased
risk.
According to Richard Norman of the
Building Engineering Services Association (Ref: Modern Building Services Magazine
July 2014 issue), grease build up in extractor systems is a major hazard in
commercial kitchens. He says that in ninety percent of instances of a kitchen
fire, a subsequent grease fire in ducting has spread the fire more widely
through the building. It is therefore imperative to carry out regular kitchen
duct cleaning and kitchen extractor fan cleaning. This reduces the fire risk
and increases kitchen hygiene too.
Changes to Best Practice
Many
insurers demand that duct cleaning is carried out in accordance with the
Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) recommendations. A few
insurers require a greater than recommended frequency of cleaning to
keep the fire policy valid so make sure that you have read your policy very
carefully. Heavy use kitchens should have specialist duct cleaning at least
once every quarter or even once a month whilst light use kitchen ducts
and extraction systems should be cleaned at least once per year.
The BESA recommendations are set
out in publication TR/19. This is entitled 'Guide to Good Practice -
Internal Cleanliness of Ventilation Systems'. The second (and most recent)
edition of TR/19 includes reference to the British and European Standard BS EN
15780 concerning the cleanliness of ventilation systems. This does not include
kitchen extractor systems, nevertheless, BESA made changes to highlight the
current best practice to minimise the risk of a grease fire in a kitchen duct.
It is section 7 that concerns
commercial kitchens or food processing plants where cooking is required as part
of the process. The last round of changes to section 7 concern the frequency of
cleaning. A new table has been drawn up showing how often kitchen duct cleaning
should take place. Each kitchen has a unique set of circumstances. The new
table approaches that issue by publishing figures based on cooking type and
hours of cooking.
Certification
When hiring a commercial kitchen
cleaning firm, always check beforehand that they will issue a valid certificate
the designated hygiene manager also has the responsibility to check and verify
the contractors policy stipulates duct cleaning cover otherwise in the event of
a claim the client may not be covered under the policy always ensure
documentation is verified of duct cleaning as this is also a requirement of
many insurance policies.
Responsibility
Commercial kitchen cleaning is a
highly-specialised area requiring both expertise and an in-depth knowledge of
both hygiene and fire regulations. Employing a non-specialist contractor could
lead to a heavy fine for the owner or manager of the kitchen.
How come?
The Fire Safety Order of 2005
stipulates that the 'responsible person' must ensure that both the
facilities and equipment are subjected to a suitable system of maintenance. All
must be in good working order and repair. If it is shown that the fire was
started or caused by negligence such as poor cleaning of a kitchen duct, then
there will be at least a heavy fine. If anyone is killed in such a situation,
they face prison.
Choosing your Kitchen Cleaning
Contractor
must key word : check suggested
commercial deep cleaning ,industrial
cleaning , commercial kitchen cleaning ,kitchen canopy cleaning
,commercial
pressure washing ,duct cleaning, cooker hood cleaning
products ,heavy duty oven cleaner , gel oven cleaner ,commercial
over cleaner
Heading : commercial
kitchen cleaning
Client : Swansea
colleges -commercial kitchens Carillion
PROJECT: to carry out commercial deep cleaning of
kitchen and food preparation outlets
Client Problem
APT were called at short notice with only a two week period
.this was normally a planned cleaning programme of three weeks full closed out
. some of the Main kitchens were under partial refurbishment and the commercial
hotel outlet were still in operation
the client required annual deep cleaning of all food
processing and all food preparation outlets within the colleges .there were
several main kitchens requiring full professional deep cleaning and sanitising
and five small food serving areas .most of the large commercial kitchens
required full deep cleaning including large cooker hood cleaning and duct
cleaning with all the internal and external ductwork cleaning tasks these included the of cleaning aluminium filters
and copper pans with Metasoak safe aluminium cleaner
Method
apt specialist hygiene division and commercial cleaning team
took up the task to carry out the kitchen deep cleaning and the high level duct
work cleaning team carried out the difficult ventilation and cooker hood tasks
using apt Metasoak safe aluminium cleaner to safely clean aluminium cooker
filters
the hygiene team use apt specialist cleaner and sanitizer
Magnaclean to clean stainless steel hard surfaces . commercial oven cleaners
and fat trap grease remover for the unblocking drains and grease traps .
metal soak was used
to clean copper pots , pans and remove baked on carbon and grease to clean deep
fat fryers
the Kitchen Deep Clean several student kitchen outlets -
Deep clean all areas in the kitchen, including walls, floors, ovens, ducting,
filters, cupboards, utensils, copper pans, all crockery was de stained to remove tannin
Result
the job was completed on time ands with great customer
feedback received from the client college services manager mark duthy
the annual hygiene inspection was passed with flying colours
. Robert the catering manager said the pans were as good as new .the hotel
outlet use only Magnaclean to clean kitchens
replacing several other products
please click here to see more
project photos /videos -link
Client testimonial
“Having used several companies in the past without success, APT were recommended and delivered outstanding results for our clients. They were professional and managed the works with no disruption which was a bonus, I will continue to use APT for the foreseeable future.”
Matthew Emmanuel Carillon
Beware of commercial cleaning companies and individuals who undercut specialist businesses ... they are cheap for a reason! Make sure that you hire the best - call APT today on 0800 0723 773 for a free quote or advice without obligation. We have been at the forefront of the industry, offering one-off deep cleans and regular maintenance cleaning contracts for over 25 years. Our technicians are fully trained and qualified to carry out duct, plenum and extractor fan cleaning.
why not call us now free on 0800 0723 773 and let one of our experts discuss your new project or go to www.apt-icc.co.uk
