Takeaways and fast food businesses make up the fabric of our communities. From delivering our much-loved curry on a Friday night to sorting us out with a mid-week pizza order, as families, we have great relationships with the local chippy, curry house, and Chinese takeaway.
But, what many people don’t know is that running a food business of any sort is hard work, requiring a great deal of time, money and dedication.
If you run a takeaway, you will know this oh too well, especially when it comes to the subject of fire safety. With takeaways having their own set of fire risks due to the nature of the business and the equipment used, takeaway bosses are under huge amounts of pressure to stay compliant.
Here at Twenty4, we are proud to be working closely with a large number of takeaway businesses across South Wales, supplying a range of fire safety products and solutions to ensure their establishments are safe and in line with fire safety laws.
Below, we share some vital tips and advice takeaway owners need to know.
Top causes of fires in takeaways
According to a recent report from the London Fire Brigade, the top causes of fires in restaurants, takeaways, and cafes are kitchen appliances (25%), cookers (23%) and electrical faults (17%). However, ducting is also at the center of many fires, with dirty ducting and poorly-installed ducting heightening the probability of it catching fire.
Fire extinguishers
It is due to these fire risks that takeaway business owners need to take a vigilant approach to fire extinguishers,ensuring they have the right extinguishers present at their establishments. What’s more, is that all fire extinguishers need to be serviced annually and have a visual inspection carried out on them regularly.
Where you may require various fire extinguishers throughout the business premises, for the kitchen area Wet Chemical extinguishers are a must. These are designed specifically for large chip pan fires and are ideal for industrial cooking environments.
PAT testing ovens, microwaves, fridges, and freezers
As mentioned, electrical fires are a huge issue for takeaway businesses. This is why it pays to check all kitchen appliances and plug-in electrical goods regularly.
This can be achieved through PAT testing. This refers to the process of carrying out visual and more in-depth checks on appliances, ensuring they are safe and legal to use. PAT tests include earth continuity, lead polarity, and insulation resistance checks.
PAT testing ovens, cookers, microwaves, fridges, freezers, and any other large plug-in items is a legal obligation for businesses, so be sure to include this in your fire safety plan.
Sprinklers
Installing sprinklers is a fire safety measure most food businesses take. Being a proven way to eliminate fires instantly, sprinklers can limit the damage caused to your kitchen, stock, and equipment.
Annual fire risk assessments
As you can see, there are many different fire safety services and products that can benefit takeaway businesses. But it is important that the fire safety measures you take with your business directly reflect the needs of your premises, its staff and its customers.
This will all be made clear in your annual fire risk assessment; a document that needs to be completed every year by law. Detailing exactly what your fire risks are, who is most at risk in your premises and outlining the best ways to protect your business, a fire risk assessment will create a clear depiction of your business and the threats it faces.
However, conducting these assessments need to be approached professionally. This is why most of the businesses we work with outsource this responsibility, using our risk assessors to ensure risk assessments are conducted in the right way and on time. This is because failing to do so can result in fines being issued; an eventuality we all want to avoid.
For more details on our fire safety services and products, contact us today.
