Philadelphia is a vibrant city with a plethora of restaurants to choose from, featuring everything from Thai food to vegan delicacies. In several Philadelphia neighborhoods, many restaurants even provide casual sidewalk dining for a fun-filled, outdoor dining experience with friends and family.
The joys of eating out can be quickly turned to sorrow with imminent fire dangers lurking in the background of your restaurant. If you want to keep giving your customers a safe, delicious dining experience for years to come, there are five key safety measures to keep top of mind to avoid fire dangers in your Philadelphia restaurant.
1. Make sure your cooking equipment is fireproof. If you are uncertain, find out for sure to how keep your staff and restaurant patrons safe and happy. Did you know that cooking is the leading cause of all restaurant fires? Because of this sobering statistic, it is imperative to keep all cooking equipment up to code and monitored regularly for irregularities.
Deep fryers can be especially dangerous when they have an excessive grease buildup from the huge amount of combustible oil used in your commercial kitchen. And don’t forget about the possibility of grease buildup on other kitchen equipment, such as the hood filters and exhaust fan. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requires specific cleaning frequencies based on the type of commercial cooking. Make sure you know how often your specific type of restaurant must clean the cooking equipment and exhaust hood system.
2. Check your HVAC. Faulty heating and air conditioning can be dangerous to your health and pose a real safety hazard for all your workers and Philadelphia restaurant goers. Don’t let this insidious fire hazard pose a threat to your restaurant business and customers. Proper ventilation is needed to ensure enough air is coming in to protect against combustible gas build- up and unpleasant odors that could drive your customers away from your Philadelphia eatery.
3. Keep your electrical wiring safe. If you want to avoid fire tragedy at your restaurant establishment, check your wiring. Are there frayed cords, sparks or crackles in your commercial wiring? If the answer is yes, unplug and get your wiring checked and fixed by a licensed, trusted electrician sooner rather than later to help prevent an electrical fire.
4. Spread the fire extinguishers around your restaurant. Fire extinguishers need to be everywhere you, your staff and patrons are in your restaurant—not only in the kitchen area. If a fire breaks out, this life-saving equipment must be easily accessible to extinguish the fire and quickly avoid serious restaurant property or human injury.
5. Leave commercial appliance repair to the experts. Ovens, stoves and other commercial appliances are the means by which your restaurant functions every day. Take time to inspect your appliances to make sure they are safe to use.
Above all, restaurant owners want to protect their establishment and people from preventable fires that can cause irreparable harm. Keep a watchful eye on your commercial equipment, electrical hazards, fire extinguishers, HVAC equipment and commercial appliances to keep your restaurant fireproof and thriving for many days to come.