In commercial kitchens the principal fire hazard is the grease extraction system. Accumulated grease within the filter canopy, the ductwork and extraction fan can rapidly become a flashpoint. This is born out by figures from the UK Insurance Industry. The Association of British Insurers has recorded losses from extraction fires rising or around £65 million in 1998. Losses only record events in excess of £50,000. As a result the Loss prevention Council recommend that at least annual cleaning of entire systems by specialists is carried out with the exact frequency being determined by risk assessment. Failure to comply could mean invalidation of insurance cover, leaving the insured to carry a total loss. Even the most efficient extraction filters cannot remove all traces of grease and dirt from the air. Over time a layer of grease and dirt is deposited on the surfaces of canopies, extract ductwork and extractor fans. Not only is this a fire risk it also reduces the efficiency of your extraction system. Cooking styles create different grease residues. Deep frying produces different grease deposits from oriental style or grilled cooking. Above 200বammable vapours are given off from grease and spontaneous ignition can subsequently occur. There are potential sources of ignition in the kitchen at all times, from gas & electric equipment. Combined with air within the extraction system and grease deposits these create a very real risk of fire.

Since a kitchen is designated as a fire compartment, any extract ductwork will form a penetration of the fire compartment and therefore must provide a high degree of fire safety. There have been some high profile fires associated with kitchen extract ventilation that underline the extent of the risk. The most infamous is the fire at Heathrow Terminal 1 in December 1997. As a result the whole terminal was out of action during the incident. The motorway service station fire at South Mimms in August 1998 is another example where the losses were very significant.

Micro Solve (Hygiene) Limited provide the professional deep cleaning service required by your insurers. We undertake deep cleaning to an agreed and accountable specification. Cleans are undertaken out of hours to avoid disruption to your business. Our programmes include providing access to existing systems and thorough removal of grease and debris from canopies, ducting and fans. All work is done in accordance with the standards set out in HVCA TR19 and follows the principals of our environmental policy to minimise impact not only on your business but on the environment as well. A detailed audit report is completed after each service clean including digital photographs and a schematic drawing of the system for your records. Once this is issued, a certificate to verify work done is then issued to comply with your insurance policy.

As an integral part of your deep clean all canopy and system filters are checked for damage and efficiency and notes made whether they need to be replaced or not. We are then able to supply system filters on a special order basis and canopy filters can be ordered either via our web site or directly from our office in High Wycombe.

We maintain records of all our client’s systems. These are a complete specification of each system. Therefore if a problem develops at any time we are able to try and diagnose and advise accordingly.

Auditing and Certification Services

We inspect your system both pre and post clean or disinfection to advise you of any problems or potential problems. We report in detail on your system and provide you with documentary evidence and certification. Our auditing programme is devised by our own in house Health & Safety Consultants. Our audit team is headed by fully qualified personnel with post graduate qualifications in health and safety. All of our consultants are Members of the Institute of Safety & Health and are bound by their professional code of conduct.