Gas safety is as important for commercial kitchens as it is for home kitchens. Gas appliances and equipment in commercial kitchens such as hotels, restaurants and canteens must be installed in accordance with the law. Food businesses that have a kitchen must follow commercial gas safety regulations when installing and operating gas equipment.
Using gas without following safety regulations is dangerous to life and property and can put businesses in legal trouble. Therefore, food businesses need to follow the strict gas safety code in their states. Let’s explore the gas safety guide that every commercial kitchen must follow.
Never use domestic gas appliances
Commercial kitchens and food businesses are not permitted by law to use residential equipment. Also, residential equipment is not enough to meet the demand for food businesses such as restaurants, hotels and food shops. In addition, home appliances will be prone to frequent (and expensive) breakdowns, which in turn can affect their ability to operate safely.
This does not mean that if you only use commercial equipment, then it is clear (you still need an annual safety check of commercial LPG), but by using commercial equipment, you have the right tools to meet the demand.
Cleanliness and ventilation are important
Cooking in a commercial kitchen can generate large amounts of oils and fats, which can accumulate on all surfaces, cooktops, deep fryers, and other appliances, including ventilation units. By keeping your kitchen clean and scheduling a deep cleaning of your ventilation units and ducts, you can reduce the risk of starting a fire on your gas burner.
Install carbon monoxide detectors in the kitchen
There are many risks associated with gas appliances in commercial kitchens. Your kitchen can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless and colorless gas that can quickly lead to serious illness or death.
The installation of a carbon monoxide detector will do the job and will be connected to systems that cut off the gas supplies when the CO2 exceeds a predetermined limit. This is typically 2800 ppm or more, although commercial detectors can often be configured to react at any level of CO2.
Cleaning
Gas furnaces and burners must be kept free of dirt and debris that can block the gas ports and cause poor ignition and flame quality. There should be a timely inspection and cleaning of the entire gas unit, from appliances and nozzles to cylinders and burners. All metal surfaces should be inspected for rust, accumulated oil or dust, and surface damage.
The grease filter and cooker hood should be cleaned daily. Collection drawers and deflector filters should be cleaned weekly. Mesh filters should be cleaned at least twice a week. The extraction channels should be cleaned every three to six months, depending on the frequency of use.
The gas equipment must have an isolation valve
An emergency isolation valve stops the gas flow if something goes wrong. However, the isolation valve in your equipment is not enough, and make sure that you and your people are trained on how to use it. In addition, any equipment using liquefied petroleum gas must have a flame retardant device (FFD). FFDs help prevent fatal gas leaks because they do not allow gas to be released when there is no flame.
Installation by a qualified professional
Hiring someone who is not Gas Safety registered to install or repair your gas equipment can put you and others at risk. Make sure you find a registered gas safe engineer. Before hiring a registered gas safety engineer, ask about their education and qualifications. An experienced gas engineer will be happy to share his educational background and produce documents to support his gas safety record.
Keep the kitchen clean
Commercial kitchens are busy places. This means they produce a lot of oil, smoke, and grease, all of which can damage or accumulate in frying pans, stoves, vents, and other areas in the kitchen. You can hire an experienced cleaner to clean the debris in all these areas regularly. By keeping a clean and clear kitchen, you can reduce the risk of a fire in your gas appliance.
Final words
Commercial users need to follow gas safety guidelines when installing and using gas appliances. They need to create a safe environment for their employees and customers. For installation and service, you can call a professional service such as PlusGas. Following the advice in this post can help commercial users to use gas equipment safely.
PlusGas is a reputable and reliable gas supplier in Australia serving Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast, and Toowoomba. The company supplies gas barrels to residential, hospitality and industrial users and claims to offer same day or next day delivery. If you live in any of these areas, you can choose the supplier for cooking gas. Visit their website to know more about their services.
