Commercial Kitchen Fire Safety: Reduce Your Risks for Fire

5 invaluable products to increase your commercial kitchen fire safety so your business, staff and clientele are not at risk.  

Fires cause millions of dollars worth of damage to commercial kitchens across Australia every year. And with Australians fast embracing the city-living lifestyle of apartment living, new developments tend to incorporate residences above restaurants and retail outlets, increasing the risk to human life when a fire breaks out.

The good news is, we’ve introduced 5 products specifically designed to dramatically increase your commercial kitchen fire safety to prevent fires from happening:

Grease is one of the main culprits

When grease isn’t controlled effectively, it builds up in the filters of exhaust hoods and ducts, sometimes travelling all the way to the roof. This feeds the risk of fire as grease is highly combustible. Sparks caused by cooking catch and ignite into flames, which can very quickly escalate into an uncontrolled fire.

In 2014, a kitchen fire within one of Melbourne’s most respected restaurants, Donovans, was suspected to have been started by a flare-up in an old charcoal barbecue, causing a spark in the canopy vents.

Two products that solve this problem

1. ecoshield UV technology: ecocanopy hoods which incorporate this state-of-the-art technology are extremely effective in containing grease within the boundary of the canopy. Powered by high efficiency internal centrifugal fans, these exhaust hoods reduce extraction levels by up to 50% compared to conventional exhaust hoods, saving costs associated with infrastructure (such as smaller fans & ductwork), and creating considerable energy savings. 

2. ecocapture can dramatically reduce hazardous grease build-up in the ductwork systems because it incorporates a patented disposable media pad that captures up to 98% of air-borne grease. ecocapture comes in various sizes and, in most cases, replaces your existing filters. For new installs, we can incorporate ecocapture filters into the hood at our factory in Dandenong South, Victoria.

Ineffective ventilation puts your kitchen at risk

Kitchen ventilation helps control exposure to airborne contaminants, such as fumes and vapours, that can be a common cause of fire. Your kitchen exhaust hoods play an essential role in achieving effective ventilation – it’s about installing the right size, model and amount for your restaurant’s needs.

Some cooking environments, such as solid-fuel and heavy-grease cooking, pose a greater threat for fires than others. These types of cooking generate higher levels of heat and fumes and have increased ventilation demands than more traditional cooking methods.

The solution?

3. ecomist has been specifically designed for high-risk cooking environments. This extremely effective exhaust hood uses cold water mist technology that reduces the risk of duct fires associated with high-heat and heavy-grease types of cooking.

Yes, your exhaust filters need to be cleaned… regularly 

Regular cleaning and maintenance of exhaust hood filters not only extends the life of the appliance, but also reduces the risk of fire. The problem is, filters can be cumbersome to access and time consuming to clean. After all, it’s the last thing chefs and kitchen staff want to do at the end of a long shift. Sometimes, they even go to extreme measures climbing onto hot cooking equipment before it’s cooled down to access the filters – adding to the risk of fire.

Often, restaurant owners resort to outsourcing this task, but with each clean accruing to hundreds of dollars, it can present problems economically.

So, imagine if the filters came down to you…

4. ezyAXS is a world-first, OH&S friendly exhaust hood that brings the grease filters down to the user at the push of a button. Winner of the 2018 Australian WorkSafe Health & Safety Invention of the Year, it’s a game changer when it comes to maintaining and cleaning filters because it makes access so easy and safe.

Hot cooking equipment that’s unattended is a fire hazard

It’s a common mistake that can be incredibly costly. Quite often, fires start in deep-fat fryers, cooking ranges or grills when cooking equipment isn’t turned off at the end of an activity. The problem is, oils very quickly overheat and ignite creating sparks that catch and spread.

Ensure cooking equipment is turned off and reduce your risks

5. ecosense provides an effective solution for this problem. Designed to save energy by controlling how fast your exhaust fans operate to match cooking activity, this clever piece of technology also incorporates a proactive temperature alarm and auto on/off capability, eliminating risks of fire during in-attendance.