By: Phil Ackland

Every year there are some 6,000 building-damaging fires involving commercial kitchens.  The vast majority started on an appliance and spread to the exhaust system. 

Understanding the effects of grease buildup can save your building. To many restaurant owners, the concept of exhaust cleaning is viewed as a janitorial process, like garbage pick up or window washing.  This is wrong; grease that accumulates in an exhaust system is fuel.
 
Kitchen exhaust cleaning is not cosmetic  --  It is first stage fire prevention!

But how do you choose the right vendor that will save you the loss of your restaurant? A vendor that will save, not cost you millions of dollars! And how to train your staff to recognize the difference?

Nearly every major restaurant chain has had a building damaging fire.  Most have had more than one.  So why is so little attention paid to this service?
 
We believe it is knowledge.  Knowledge of what you and your staff should know about these systems; and knowledge of what a truly qualified exhaust cleaner can provide in the way of your peace of mind.

The following are just a few ways that restaurant management can reduce the risk of fires in their exhaust system.

Professional Inspections

• Perform an internal survey of your system,
• Identify inspection locations.
• Recognize the most serious cleaning issues, or installation deficiencies.
• Confirm the inspector knows your local Building and Fire Codes (especially NFPA 96). 
• Require a written report of installation conditions, accessibility and cleanability issues.
• Do not accept "Free Inspections" from exhaust cleaners.  They only want to price out a cleaning.

Basic Staff Training

Train supervisors to inspect the exhaust system.  Make this inspection part of a regularly scheduled practice.  Remove the filters.  Use a flashlight!  Do you see grease?
Provide staff management with basic knowledge of how the exhaust and suppression systems function:

• Maintain clean filters, wash daily if necessary. 
• Train staff to inspect the exhaust system by using the flashlight.  Look into the duct every time the filters are out for cleaning. 
• Identify what your regular maintenance staff should do in the hood and what the cleaning contractor should do.
• Identify the paper trail the cleaner should provide.

Exhaust Cleaners

There are responsible exhaust cleaning contractors willing to assist you in reducing the risk of serious fires.

• Create a cleaning protocol.  Make it part of your contract.
• Require cleaning in accordance to NFPA 96.
• Demand the Crew Leader (the individual on the jobsite) is Trained, Qualified and Certified according the NFPA 96 requirements. 
• Insist on a comprehensive written report.  Ask for details on what was performed and the fire-safety condition of the exhaust system. 
• Do not accept simply worded "accessible areas cleaned" invoices.

Cleaning Frequency
In many cases, when the exhaust system is properly cleaned, clients can actually reduce the number of cleanings and still maintain safety.  This can result in considerable savings.  Only thorough, conscientious inspections can determine the necessary frequency requirement.
 
A serious fire can close a restaurant for weeks or months. Many never reopen.  With only a little knowledge you can improve the safety of your staff, the risk to your building and to your bottom line.

Phil Ackland is a sixteen year veteran of the NFPA 96 committee.  He consults and teaches fire prevention to the insurance industry, fire departments and the food service industry.  He is the author of a number of articles and a series of manuals on fire safety in commercial kitchens.  Phil Ackland and Associates is ISO 9001 certified and provides certification to fire inspectors and exhaust cleaners.
For free copies of Cleaning Performance forms and other helpful free forms see www.philacklandcleaning.com