Commercial kitchens are hardworking environments, not just for the people who cook in them but also for the equipment. Ductwork, extraction and ventilation systems play a vital part of any catering operation, but as the majority of it is concealed, it can be easy to forget about the hidden hazards that lie within.
Laurence Freeman, Ductwork Manager at TWO Services says: “I often come across the assumption that cleaning ductwork once a year is satisfactory. This is usually woefully inadequate as you will often find that after only two months the levels are higher than they should be, yet there are still 10 months to go before it will be cleaned again. We use a wet film test to determine the thickness of deposits which must be below 200 microns as a mean across the system. However if thick grease is visible to the naked eye then it is clear that particle levels are already many thousands of microns above this! ’
Accumulated grease and oil within an extract system build up fast, forming a hidden combustion load. Flash flame or very high temperature within the duct can ignite the grease, causing fire to spread rapidly, igniting flammable materials at various points along the ductwork path. These sort of fires are difficult to predict and control.
Despite the risk to life and property, and the rigorous reforms to Fire Safety Legislation in 2006, the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES), estimates that 80% of UK kitchen extract ducts are never cleaned. What’s more, if you have not had a regular ductwork clean by an accredited organisation to TR/19 standards, any insurance policies will potentially be invalidated.
Thorough inspection and cleaning requires specialist techniques, training and equipment and should only be carried out by a professional specialist contractor. It should not be left to a general cleaning contractor.
TWO Services are experts in commercial cleaning and work to the highest standards. Staff are trained to European directives and accredited to all COSHH, B&ES and Food Hygiene standards. We can carry out cleans overnight, at no extra cost, to ensure minimal disruption to service. Certificates of hygiene, plus before and after pictures are included to give you and your insurers’ added peace of mind that risk is being mitigated.
The wet film test is used alongside an assessment of the hours spent cooking, the number of stations and the type of cooking – is there a lot of frying for example that will affect the speed of hazardous deposit build up? We gauge these factors before providing a report that will help your business understand your specific level of risk. We make recommendations on ideal cleaning schedules and any measures that should be taken to reduce grease build up. Where access is an issue, we may suggest installing additional panels (in ceilings for example) to ensure the job can be carried out thoroughly.
Compliance with TR/19 does have many long-term positives (aside from preventing catastrophic fires!). Less overheating, fumes and smells means that staff will be more comfortable, leading to improved productivity and less work related health issues, while energy bills should fall dramatically. Once ventilation fans are free from the extra weight of dirt built up on their surfaces it takes up to 35% less energy to make them move. Not to mention that clean equipment means reduced wear and tear, increasing lifespan.
Finally, in the case of outbreaks of bacterial infections and airborne germs (side order of Norovirus anyone?) we can even offer a fairly unique sanitisation service. After cleaning, the ventilation ducts, any hard surfaces are ‘fogged’ with a food-safe substance that kills bacteria such as e-coli, salmonella, c-difficle and various airborne and surface viruses in 30 seconds, providing a barrier that lasts 30 days.
When was the last time your ductwork was cleaned by an expert? Why not give TWO Services a call today on 0800 22 44 33 and quote H&C News for a 10% discount on your first clean with us. If you need maintenance and equipment supply we can quote for that too.
We recently interviewed Two Services, for the full interview click here