A systematic approach to cleaning and maintaining kitchen extract systems is essential under fire safety legislation, though many businesses are still unaware what this involves, as Gary Nicholls reports.
According to the london fire brigade, there were 166 fires in restaurants (including cafes and takeaway food shops) in the Capital during the financial year of 2007/8, despite the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO) in late 2006 which places new duties on building owners and operators. The sources of ignition in the vast majority of these cases were cooking appliances in kitchen areas, explains the Brigade’s fire safety inspecting officer Spencer Sutcliff.
“Catering facilities do attract a degree of priority within our audit programme because they have ignition sources, flammable materials, members of the public on the premises and often sleeping accommodation above them, which in combination can increase the life safety risk,” he says.
Extract installations in kitchens can be a source of high fire risk if grease and other residue is allowed to build up within them, he explains, but that risk could be managed. “If installations and ducting are not maintained and fully cleaned regularly, then the risk is higher. Additionally, the fire can spread through ducting to other parts of the building.”
He urges all premises owners and operators to make themselves aware of the RRO and to undertake a fire safety risk assessment, which is now mandatory, act upon its findings and put in place an emergency plan. “The risk assessment should, among other things, cover any ductwork in the premises and the need for it to be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis, and also look at whether it may contribute to the spread of fire,” says Mr Sutcliff.
Maintenance issues
Ventilation hygiene companies are reporting increased demand for their services, but many remain concerned at the level of ignorance among building owners about the need for properly planned, on-going maintenance of kitchen extract systems and ventilation ductwork. “Catering facilities in all types of premises are a real source of concern,” says Richard Norman of Indepth Hygiene Services and deputy chairman of the Heating Ventilation Contractors’ Association’s ventilation hygiene group. “It is estimated that over 80% of kitchen extract ducts in the UK are never cleaned and are, therefore, in a hazardous state.
A kitchen extract ventilation system draws grease-laden air directly from the areas above cookers, grills and fryers via the cooker hood, and discharges it to atmosphere, he explains. While the filters usually found above the fryers are designed to trap grease particles, they can never be 100% efficient and a significant number of these particles will pass through into the extract system. This allows a potentially flammable coating to form on the inside of the canopy/extract plenum, in the ductwork and on the fan blades.
“These grease deposits are easily ignited by even a small flash fire on or in the fryer, hob or grill, and flames and heat can then quickly spread through the building, causing substantial damage and endangering lives,” says Mr Norman.
Almost a quarter of the 24,000 accidental fires in non-domestic buildings each year are attributed to cooking appliances, according to the HVCA. A number of fires at high profile places, such as the River Cafe in London, Heathrow Airport, South Mimms services and at the Hard Rock Cafe, were traced back to grease extract ducts.
“The cleaning of the grease extract system is frequently overlooked, often because it runs behind false ceilings or walls and, therefore, tends to be in areas that no one feels responsible for,” adds Mr Norman. “The RRO should be changing that at least.”
Lack of awareness
Fire inspectors have found that larger national companies and major restaurant chains are more aware of their responsibilities under the RRO than smaller, independent businesses, and are better at carrying out risk assessments.
“It is generally considered that this new legislation was better advertised by central government than previous fire safety laws,” says London Fire Brigade’s Spencer Sutcliff. “In addition we, as London’s fire authority, held seminars for businesses, issued guidance notes and have a policy to ‘educate and inform’, so there should be an improving awareness in respect of the RRO and what it requires.” Where there is poor compliance, he adds, it is largely due to lack of awareness and understanding rather than disinterest on the part of building operators.
“In our experience some people tend not to understand the whole concept of the term ‘responsible person’,” says Mr Sutcliff. “They think the responsibility is something they can delegate to others without fully understanding the legal implications. Additionally, under the RRO, more than one person can have responsibility for fire safety; this often needs to be explained before roles and responsibilities are fully understood.”
Many building managers do seem to have recognised the RRO, but have not made the connection with kitchen extract cleaning. They are taking steps but not necessarily in the areas of greatest hazard. Grease can build up to a dangerous level inside the ventilation ductwork behind cooker hoods that might appear outwardly clean. If a fire starts on the cooker or in the deep fat fryer it can spread incredibly quickly through grease laden ducts.
Most insurance firms insert conditions or warranties into their policies, which effectively mean they will not pay out in the event of fire if the ductwork has not been adequately cleaned. The cost of having a full risk assessment carried out followed by remedial work and then an annual or six monthly cleaning and/or inspection is absolutely minimal, compared to the cost of having an uninsured fire. Also, if there is any loss of life, quite apart from the human tragedy, the financial penalties could be unlimited under the terms of the new Corporate Manslaughter Act.
A simple guide for building owners and operators, Fire Safety Risk Assessment in Small and Medium Places of Assembly along with other fire safety guides, is available free at: www.communities.gov.uk. The HVCA also provides a guide Internal Cleanliness of Ventilation Systems (TR/19). This gives comprehensive information about how grease extract systems should be cleaned, and how to set up a planned hygiene maintenance programme to reduce the risk of fire.
Gary Nicholls is managing director of building services hygiene company Swiftclean, is a member of the HVCA’s ventilation hygiene group, and has acted as an expert witness on extract systems. For more information about ventilation system hygiene and specialist companies visit: www.hvca.org.uk
