Commercial Kitchen Compliance Checks – Ensure Your Kitchen is Safe

December 15th, 2022

Last updated: January 18th, 2023

The compliance of your building is a huge consideration, and whether you are running a business on your own or you have a whole team of people involved, the responsibility will ultimately be yours. Our commercial kitchen compliance guide can help you to make sure you have thought about all of the different responsibilities of building compliance, with a particular focus on the kitchen.

Of course, under the wrong management or if a business ignores its responsibilities, it is very possible that the kitchen can be one of the most dangerous parts of any building.

In this guide, we’re simply talking about the regulations relating to the building compliance and the kitchen itself, not the food that is served, but of course, food safety is crucial, and a food standards rating is mandatory in the UK.

Let’s look into some of the best ways that you can check your building compliance and that your responsibilities have been met.

Ventilation

A poorly-ventilated space can cause a variety of different issues, and kitchen ventilation is especially important due to the cooking that takes place, and the potential heat buildup in the room. Ventilation maintenance tasks involve cleaning and checking the system for effectiveness, and should be carried out every six months.

Fire Safety

There are many different aspects to fire safety, but a commercial kitchen is one of the most crucial places to have adequate fire suppression and detection methods.

As well as having an up-to-date risk assessment for fire, you should also have testing protocols in place for all fire equipment including extinguishers. Regular servicing is crucial, which allows you peace of mind, knowing that the fire extinguishers are in good working order in case they are needed.

Gas Safety

There are certain rules and regulations in place regarding the use of gas in the kitchen. All of the gas appliances must come with a CE mark to indicate their quality and safety, and food delivery kitchens have to have an interlock system as outlined by BS. It is also crucial to ensure that all employees are trained and briefed on how to use gas appliances properly and the risks involved with a gas kitchen.

Refrigeration

Commercial refrigerators are a big part of most commercial kitchens, and should be regularly serviced to ensure that they are functioning to their full potential, keeping food safe to serve, and also extending the lifespan of the refrigerator by spotting issues early.

It may also be that your business uses a commercial freezer. If anything were to go wrong with either fridge or freezer it can also result in a huge amount of spoiled food and wastage, and impact the profitability of your business. It’s not worth taking any risks with.

As well as keeping food cool it must have the power to cool quickly. A fridge must cool from 70°C to 3°C in no more than 90 minutes when cooling, and a freezer must be able to cool from 70°C to -18°C in no more than 240 minutes.

Signage and Warnings

There is plenty of legislation regarding signage, and you should show information about fire safety within a kitchen as well as having signs available for when there is a spillage, to alert people of the wet floors.

Equipment Maintenance

Every business has its own requirements when it comes to equipment. The chances are that there is specific equipment within your kitchen that requires regular testing, including things like portable appliances, which PAT testing can help with. Fixed appliance testing is another way to check your equipment and keep it in good working order, as well as ensuring that it is operating safely at all times.

Summary – Ensure You Consider All Responsibilities

These tips will help a great deal when it comes to properly maintaining your business. Running a commercial kitchen comes with a lot of responsibility, and complying with regulation is the best way to protect other people and yourself. If you are in any doubt at all, it is essential that you get professional help and guidance.

Our team is happy to advise and provide you with guidance when it comes to building compliance and keeping your kitchen safe, freeing you up to focus on what you are best at.

Working across Yorkshire, we cover North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire and offer a fast, efficient response time to all breakdowns and repairs. Contact us today for all planned, reactive maintenance or emergency call out. Call 01423 226578 or get in touch to see how Robinsons Facilities Services can help.