MINIMISING RISKS FOR COMMERICAL KITCHEN EXHAUST SYSTEMS

AIRAH has released a free best-practice guideline for operating commercial kitchen exhaust systems.

Developed by the Institute’s Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Special Technical Group (STG), the Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Management Best Practice Guide is freely available from the AIRAH website.

The guide highlights the fire risks associated with commercial kitchen exhaust systems, and provides strategies for minimising these risks.

AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, says the specialist guide is a vital aid for practitioners – and addresses a major safety issue for all building occupants.

“One of the most common places for a fire to occur in a building is in a kitchen,” says Gleeson. “This is particularly true for restaurants and commercial kitchens, where most fires start at the cooking surface and spread into the kitchen exhaust hood ventilation system. When a fire enters a kitchen exhaust system it can escalate and spread rapidly due to the accumulation of grease and other debris.

“Indeed, grease is definitely the word when it comes to escalation of kitchen exhaust fires.”

This was the case in 2014, when the renowned Stokehouse restaurant in Melbourne burnt down.

According to Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Management Best Practice Guide editor Vince Aherne, F.AIRAH, maintenance contractors and health and safety assessors regularly relate kitchen exhaust horror stories.

“The systems have been either installed incorrectly or have been compromised since installation,” he says. “They do not comply with minimum safety standards, or have not been maintained – resulting in years of grease accumulation and high fire and health risks. A so-called ‘accident waiting to happen’.

“It is clear that many in the commercial kitchen industry do not fully appreciate the importance and risks of kitchen exhaust maintenance.”

The Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Management Best Practice Guide is available for free download from www.airah.org.au/resources