Tips to Prevent a Fire in Your Restaurant

Although fires can break out anywhere at any time, restaurants are especially prone to fires. Unless everyone on the kitchen staff is well trained on fire safety and your safety equipment is up to date, open flames and a busy environment don’t mix very well. The following tips from fire sprinkler contractors in Lawrenceville, GA could be the difference between a successful restaurant and a kitchen that’s burned to the ground:

• Sprinklers and suppression systems: Your number one defense when a fire starts in your kitchen is sprinklers and other fire suppression systems. When these systems detect a flame, smoke or a kitchen that’s too hot, they’ll activate and emit water or fire-suppressing chemicals to put out the fire. Call today to speak with one of our fire sprinkler contractors in Lawrenceville, GA about installing a new suppression system in your kitchen. You’ll be amazed at how advanced new systems are compared to the older model that may be in your kitchen.
• Fire extinguishers: Sometimes, sprinklers alone won’t do the job of putting out a fire. It may take a fire extinguisher and someone who knows how to use one to stop the fire from spreading. Make sure your kitchen has the right number of extinguishers, and that everyone on your staff knows how to use them!
• Regular inspection: Simply having a sprinkler system and the proper number of fire extinguishers isn’t enough to keep your restaurant safe from a fire. Call fire sprinkler contractors in Lawrenceville, GA a few times a year to inspect and maintain your sprinkler systems and replace your fire extinguishers before they go out of date.
• Keep a clean kitchen: From food spills to cluttered pots, pans and towels, kitchens can get messy quickly. When that happens, your risk of a fire shoots up. Wipe up any spills (especially grease) right when they happen, and keep your kitchen clutter-free. A clean kitchen won’t be as big of a fire hazard.

A key component of restaurant fire prevention and safety is ensuring your staff is trained and ready to react responsibly in the event of a fire. Staff should be trained on:

• General fire knowledge: Anyone working on your kitchen staff needs to know a few things about fires. What are the main causes of fires? Where are fires most likely to occur? What should you do when a fire does break out? These are just a few of the questions that every employee should be able to answer without any hesitation. Train your employees on fire safety on day one and keep their knowledge up to date with regular fire safety courses.
• Equipment training: Going along with fire safety training, your employees need to know how to use all of the fire equipment in the kitchen. Teach them proper extinguisher techniques and how to handle certain types of fires. For instance, make sure they know that you can’t put out a grease fire with water!
• Escape routes: Finally, make sure everyone knows how to get out of your restaurant when a fire starts. Post the escape routes throughout the building and hold regular fire drills. The smallest things can save lives.

Have your equipment checked and speak to your staff as soon as possible about fire safety in the kitchen. Just a little bit of knowledge can make all of the difference in the world when it comes to fires in the workplace.

Categorised in: Fire Sprinkler Contractors

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