Fire Regulations in Restaurants
Hundreds of restaurant fires occur every year in the UK. Some incidents go unreported as they are immediately dealt with. However, what if the fire is not contained? A fire in a restaurant poses the actual risk of spreading to nearby homes, especially if it is located in a mixed-use structure. Without proper fire safety regulations like sprinklers in place, there is a risk restaurant fires can take lives and damage property.
So, what are the current regulations in place? Find out what you need to know about fire safety in restaurants and how installing a fire sprinkler system can help.
What is the Current Legislation?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the basis of fire safety regulation in the UK. This publication is a comprehensive guide to fire safety in non-domestic buildings.
With these guidelines, a “Responsible Person” must be nominated for the site. This individual will be in charge of the restaurant’s fire safety protocols and is assigned to anyone who has control over the premises. Whether this is the landlord, owner or fire safety marshall, fire safety checks and risk assessments should be focused on throughout the day to ensure there are no dangerous risks.
Local fire and rescue authorities are responsible for the bulk of non-domestic properties’ fire safety authority and enforcement. This means that restaurants are subject to inspection by the local fire department at their discretion.
What Are the Main Causes of Restaurant Fires?
This one is quite obvious. Where there is a kitchen, there is a potential for an accident. Especially in restaurants and other catering businesses where there may be several chefs cooking at once.
Commercial kitchen fires are frequently caused by cooking oil and deep fat fryers. They’re one of the reasons why restaurant fires have such a high loss rate when a fire occurs. According to the London Fire Brigade, restaurant fires are typically caused by appliances (25%) and starting from the cooker (23%).
Kitchen fires can also be caused by malfunctioning equipment and wiring, accumulating to around 17% of all restaurant fires. When you evaluate the hazards and potential losses that can occur as a result of a fire, it’s worth looking into sprinkler systems that can help a restaurant’s fire safety regulations.
Sprinklers should always be installed in large buildings. A sprinkler tank should be installed to ensure that enough water is available in the event of a fire. This is especially critical if the structure has multiple layers or is regarded to be hazardous.
What Can Restaurant Owners Do?
There are certain aspects of fire safety regulations that can be implemented by the “responsible person” of the premises.
These include:
- Ensuring ducting is installed correctly
- Ensuring electrical equipment is regularly tested
- Educating staff members on fire safety risks; such as overloading sockets
- Perform annual fire testing and evacuation plans, in the event of a fire
- Consider vulnerable customers (such as the disabled) and how they will exit the building
RAD Fire Sprinklers
Here at RAD, we promote and install automatic fire sprinklers throughout residential and commercial buildings in the UK. We can immensely on providing fire suppression systems in buildings of all sizes; always adhering to fire safety regulations. Fire sprinklers installation is the most effective fire safety plan and can be easily implemented in various types of buildings such as care homes and in businesses.
To find out more about our fire sprinkler system services, or to receive a quote, why not fill in our online form? A member of our team will shortly be in touch to see how we can help you. Or, give us a call on 01892 680 090 and speak to us today.
