Local fire authorities and insurers agree that a common cause for the spread of fire in kitchen extraction is grease build up within the ducting. This risk can be reduced by regular cleaning and inspection.

Grease itself does not cause a kitchen extraction fire but it does provide the fuel which is one of the three key elements of a fire.

Grease ignited between 310 deg. C to 350 deg. C so if the in-duct temperature exceeds this level the grease will burn which means that companies offering “fire break” cleans are not assuring compliance.

We follow the BESA (Building and Engineering Services Association) TR19 (Grease) ‘Specification for Fire Risk Management of Grease Accumulation within Kitchen Extraction System’ rigidly and our lead engineers are trained as a minimum to BESA Grease Hygiene Technician standard.  That specification clearly outlines what is required of us as your grease hygiene provider to ensure that our work and your systems are compliant.

Process

Initial Consultation

We will attend your site and conduct a full system survey that will include size of extract canopies, canopy filter details, ducting lengths and layouts, plant and exhaust types and locations.

Quotation

We will produce a quotation based on our system survey that will include the data from the survey and a basic schematic of the system that identifies the system components.  This survey will highlight any requirements for additional access panels, concealed components due to the fabric of the building and areas perceived as inaccessible for our initial clean.  The quotation will also show a scope of works detailing how we will clean the components of your extraction system.

Initial Clean

Prior to commencement on site we will provide your site representative with details RAMS for the duration of the works and our requirements to maximise the effectiveness of the clean.

Once on site our engineers will then:

• Fit access doors if identified during the quotation process
• Clean all accessible components of your kitchen extraction system
• Take a minimum of 7 grease deposit micron readings (Wet film thickness tests or WFTT) pre and post clean
• Take a minimum of 7 evidential photographs pre and post clean
• Produce electronic report

Reporting

Using our reporting software the engineer will produce a TR19 report for cleaning verification.  The format of that report will be as per BESA Technical Bulletin TB/009 and it will contain the following:

• An executive summary page that highlights the key risks
• A clear “Yes” or “No” as to whether the system was cleaned in its entirety
• If “No” to the above question, the reason why it was not cleaned in its entirety and a suggested solution
• Other hazards that have been identified
• Micron readings for the test locations
• The mean (average) micron reading across all micron readings taken
• The current cleaning frequency
• A recommendation of a new cleaning frequency based on the daily micron readings calculated
• A sufficient number of before and after cleaning photographs of the system to give a true representation of the system condition.  There should be a minimum of seven TR19 Grease test locations, and more if the duct length exceeds 10 meters
• A schematic diagram of the system layout showing the system that has been cleaned and any areas that could not be cleaned
• Test locations identified on the schematic