Extra Summer Visitors? Is Your Pub Kitchen Fire-Safe?
Get prepared early for the summer season
Summer is one of the busiest and most profitable times of year for pubs. Longer days, warmer weather, beer gardens buzzing – and far more covers being served. But while increased footfall is great for business, it can quietly raise a serious risk behind the scenes: kitchen extract system fires.
More covers means more risk
More customers means more cooking, and more cooking means higher levels of fats, oils and grease passing through your kitchen extract system. Over time, these substances build up inside ductwork, canopies and fans, creating a highly combustible environment.
Add summer heat into the mix and the danger increases even further. Grease deposits ignite easily, and once a fire starts inside ductwork it can spread rapidly, causing devastating damage.
Why regular cleaning is critical
Cooking – especially grilling and frying – naturally produces grease-laden vapours. If these are not removed through regular professional cleaning, grease build-up quickly reaches dangerous levels.
A kitchen extract fire doesn’t just damage equipment. It can:
- Shut your business down for months (or longer)
- Result in significant loss of revenue
- Invalidate insurance policies
- Put staff and customers at serious risk
- Damage your brand
For pubs with letting rooms or accommodation, the consequences could be even more severe, potentially leading to serious legal action, including charges of corporate or gross negligence manslaughter if safety obligations are neglected.
How often should your system be cleaned?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Cleaning frequency depends on several factors, including:
- Hours of kitchen operation
- Type of food being cooked (fried food increases grease levels)
- Condition of the system and whether it has been regularly maintained or previously neglected
Unless recommended otherwise in a fire risk assessment undertaken by the client’s responsible person, all operational grease extract ductwork systems will usually require cleaning annually as a minimum.
Busy kitchens producing high volumes of grease may need cleaning several times a year – especially heading into peak summer trade. The frequency of cleaning should be sufficient to ensure that grease deposit limits of a means average of below 200 microns across the system, are not exceeded, and that there are no single readings of 500 microns.
Follow the industry specification: TR19® Grease
When it comes to compliance and safety, the gold standard is BESA TR19® Grease – the industry-recognised specification for the cleaning of kitchen extract systems.
To protect your business, you should ensure:
- Your contractor cleans in full accordance with TR19® Grease
- They are a member of the Ventilation Hygiene Register
- Their work is independently audited by BESCA, the auditing arm of BESA
This not only reduces fire risk but also demonstrates due diligence should the worst ever happen.
Don’t wait for a problem to appear
Summer trade should be about increased revenue, not increased risk. Preparing early by booking professional kitchen extract cleaning helps protect your staff, your customers, and your business – giving you peace of mind during the busiest season of the year.
If you’d like help assessing your current system or scheduling a clean ahead of summer, now is the time to act.
Stay Compliant This Summer with Swiftclean
Stay ahead of risk this summer with expert support from Swiftclean. Whether you need a kitchen extract clean, a compliance review, or simply peace of mind before peak trading begins, our team is here to help.
Get in touch today to speak with a specialist or use our kitchen extract compliance checker to quickly assess your current position and identify any gaps before they become a problem.
FAQs: Pub Kitchen Fire Safety and Extract Cleaning
How often should a pub kitchen extract system be cleaned?
Cleaning frequency depends on usage, cooking type and system condition. As a minimum, most systems should be cleaned annually, but busy pub kitchens, especially during summer, may require cleaning every 3–6 months to stay safe and compliant.
Why is summer a higher risk period for kitchen extract fires?
Increased footfall leads to more cooking and higher grease build-up in extract systems. Combined with warmer temperatures, this creates a more combustible environment, increasing the risk of fire.
What is TR19® Grease and why is it important?
TR19® Grease is the industry specification for cleaning kitchen extract systems. Following it ensures grease levels are kept within safe limits, reduces fire risk, and provides the documentation required for insurance and compliance.
