About 10,000 or so United States food establishments experience fires annually. There’s no way to ensure that your restaurant doesn’t land on that list, but there are proven ways to reduce the size and damage of a fire when one occurs.
Wise business owners have a kitchen fire suppression systems. Kitchen fire suppression systems can detect and put out fires, saving lives and protecting your business.
In this article, we will discuss suppression systems and what makes them vital for the health and safety of your establishment.
What Is A Kitchen Fire Suppression System?
What is a Kitchen Fire Suppression System?A kitchen fire suppression system is a system of components that is activated if a kitchen fire starts and works to extinguish it before it overwhelms the room. The core elements are fire detectors, chemical agents, and pipework.
There are five common types of kitchen fire suppression systems that work differently to put out a fire. Each client selects the tool best suited for the needs of their business. for example, might have different systems than computer rooms and hotels.
Wet Chemical
If you’ve ever witnessed a stove covered with foam after a fire, you have seen the aftermath of a wet chemical suppression system. The foam reduces the temperature of the oil or grease to extinguish the fire.
Dry Chemical
Powder is used to put out fires in dry chemical systems. It would possibly employ the same powder used in some fire extinguishers, potassium bicarbonate.
This should not be confused with sodium bicarbonate or baking soda. They’re both alkaline powders, they do similar things, but potassium bicarbonate is the superior firefighter.”
Aerosol
Potassium bicarbonate is also found in aerosol systems. But as the name suggests, the system administers the bicarbonate as a spray, not a powder. The bicarbonate essentially compels the fire to exhale the oxygen it requires to live.
Carbon Dioxide
Because Carbon Dioxide suppression systems are non-residue forming, there’s one less thing to clean up after a fire. Carbon dioxide extinguishes fires by keeping flammable gases from hitting the temperature they need to ignite.
Water Mist
Water Mist systems discharge a mist of very fine water droplets into the space. The mist cools the air and reduces temperature, which means that the flames cannot spread by igniting more gases.
How a Kitchen Fire Suppression System Works
The fire suppression system must first be aware of the threat. Depending on the environment and the most likely type of fire, it may use a combination of flame and heat detectors.
Once the fire is detected, it automatically disperses its detection agent. Most systems also enable manual activation.
The suppression system will impede the chemical reactions that are fundamental to fire, extract oxygen from the perimeter, or cool the surrounding temperature below ignition temperature.
More sophisticated suppression systems will also clear the electricity and gas that feed the workstation that ignited. If required, the suppression system can also apply chemicals that assist in removing the suppression agent during clean-up.
Why Is Fire Suppression System Important For Your Commercial Kitchen?
Anyone who has spent time in a commercial kitchen knows that there are safety risks involved in the job. Nobody with experience and skill is going to take a job in your kitchen without a fire suppression system.
Attract Better employees
The least qualified job candidates will end up being the one. Then, once they learn the ropes, they would probably find themselves in a more resourced environment. Not having a suppression system doesn’t create a sense of security, value and respect in workers.
Appeal to Insurers
With the installation of a fire suppression system, your insurance premium will most likely be much lower. Insurers frequently offer discounts for utilization of safety gear. But the more precautions you take, the lower-risk you are for the insurer to insure.
Limit Your Recovery Time
The kitchen fire can cripple your business for days or weeks. You could be left with astronomical cleanup and repair bills. You could also experience a labor shortage as laid off employees seek jobs elsewhere.
On the flip side, a fire suppression system can snuff out a blaze in a matter of seconds, preventing it from destroying your kitchen. With a suppression system in place, your recovery time from the incident will likely be much shorter than without one.
Why Aren’t Fire Extinguishers Enough?
Fire extinguishers are required by state and local fire codes. But that doesn’t mean they’re sufficient protection against fire. The fact they are legally mandatory is really just a testament that fire extinguisher services are the very least you should have on standby to fight a fire.
Extinguishers work best on small blazes that are unlikely to spread. In such moments, there’s time for a person to figure out how to work the extinguisher and point, and spray.
In contrast, kitchen fires are usually high-temperature fires which may spread quickly because of oil and grease. There may not be much time to figure out how to use an extinguisher.
You may not be able to get close enough to the fire to use an extinguisher if it is too big. Being up close also carries the added risk of breathing in fumes and superheated air. And hot oil and grease can splatter on the person using the extinguisher.
Instead of employees attempting to extinguish a large fire with a portable extinguisher, a fire suppression system takes care of the hazard. Instead, the system can run autonomously while workers evacuate.
Must You Schedule Training and Maintenance?
Fire extinguishers and a commercial kitchen fire suppression system both must be maintained and employees must receive training. Training sessions are something you want to have on your schedule, irrespective of how loaded your work is.
Keep the fact that your staff and customers are counting on you to ensure their safety top of mind. As part of your commitment to their well-being, part of it entails booking appointments for experts to approach thorough fire system testing.
Where Can You Get Expert Help with Your Kitchen Fire Suppression System?
Proper kitchen fire suppression systems can save the lives of your employees. They can even help you keep the doors of your business open. Also consider that you can experience an increase in peace of mind while decreasing your insurance costs.
Finally, you can enjoy all these benefits of a fire suppression system if you’re planning on installing one at your facility as soon as you can. They should be professionals with decades of experience. Contact Brazas Fire today!