Gas Shut Off Valve For Commercial Kitchen

I was recently involved in an investigation into a potentially serious fire in the commercial kitchen of a Hotel.

As usual, there was no one single cause or major issue highlighted by the investigation. Some of the findings were:

• Thermostat cut off switches weren’t properly checked or maintained
• Filters and exhaust hoods were not regularly cleaned
• Gas cut off valves in the kitchen were located behind equipment and very hard to access
• The main gas shut off valve was located remotely from the kitchen and none of the staff knew where it was
• Fire Blanket was missing and extinguisher was impeded by serving trolleys
• Staff had not been trained in what to do if a fire started and there were unnecessary injuries as a result

Gas shut off valves as shown below are simple to install and can reduce the damage and injuries caused by kitchen fires. All staff should know where it is, how & when to operate, and all be trained in proper fire emergency procedures including extinguishing and evacuation.

Gas Cut Off Valve in Commercial Kitchen

Tagged as: Fire, Food Safety, Hospitality, Risk Assessment Templates