4 steps to reduce the risk of fire or smoke or damage

Hot equipment, electrical connections, cooking oils, open flames: These are all factors that could cause potential fire damage in your restaurant. A fire can have a catastrophic impact on your business. 

Below are four steps to take in order to best prevent and minimize smoke or fire damage in your restaurant.

1. Schedule regular service for your fire suppression system. More than half of fires in restaurants involve cooking equipment. For proper maintenance, it is recommended that these systems be inspected twice a year. Make sure that you have a reputable company with appropriate certifications doing the inspections. Typically, the equipment manufacturer can refer you to an authorized distributor that can service and inspect the fire suppression system. Specifically, you should have a UL300 automatic fixed fire suppression system installed that will protect the ducts, grease removal systems, hoods and commercial cooking equipment.

2. Have the exhaust system inspected for grease buildup. Poorly maintained hoods and ducts account for over 20 percent of restaurant fires. Regular cleaning of grease filters, based on the volume of cooking, is highly recommended. The National Fire Association’s Fire Code outlines and sets the standard for maintaining and servicing exhaust hoods, grease removal devices and other components that involve the containment and control of grease residue.

3. Service appliances and equipment regularly. It’s important that the other pieces of equipment in your restaurant are also serviced and maintained. Obvious hazards may be detected during these routine inspections, such as frayed wires, broken switch plates and combustible items like rags and cleaning products that are placed near power sources. Other mechanical parts that may be having issues are likely to be missed by the untrained eye, so it is important to have a qualified company inspect all commercial appliances and equipment in the facility regularly.

4. Make sure facility design and construction comply with building and fire codes. This may seem obvious, but some restaurants are not constructed following local building and fire prevention codes. That includes modifications or renovations to the structure since the last time it was inspected by city or fire inspectors. Other things to consider are the furnishings and decorations in the restaurant and whether or not they are fire-retardant. It's also important to ensure that adequate fire extinguishers are placed throughout the building as outlined by the local fire department. Having fire extinguishers readily available allows the staff to quickly extinguish small fires, thereby mitigating further smoke damage.

Adam Webster is c.e.o. and cofounder of Rocky Mountain Restoration. He specializes in water and fire damage restoration and has more than a decade of experience in the property restoration industry.