Fire Protection for Cooking Areas

Self-Inspection Checklist

Guidelines

This checklist covers selected regulations from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) General Industry standards 29 CFR 1910.160. The regulations cited apply only to private employers and their employees, unless adopted by a State agency and applied to other groups such as public employees. Recommendations from the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) standards have also been included. A yes answer to a question indicates that this portion of the inspection complies with the OSHA and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard, or with a non regulatory recommendation.

1. Is cooking equipment that produces smoke or grease-laden vapors equipped with an exhaust system? [NFPA 96]
2. Is the exhaust system in operation during all periods of cooking? [NFPA 1]
3. Are all interior surfaces of the exhaust system reasonably accessible for cleaning and inspection? [NFPA 96]

4. Are kitchen exhaust systems cleaned to bare metal at frequent intervals to prevent surfaces from becoming heavily contaminated with grease or oily sludge? [NFPA 96]

   Note: Thorough cleaning of ducts, hoods, and fans shall require scraping, brushing, or other positive cleaning methods.

5. Is an approved fixed automatic fire suppression system installed in all hoods and connecting hood and duct systems? Does it provide surface protection for all cooking appliances and equipment that may be a source of ignition in or under the hood? [NFPA 1 and 96]
6. Is the fixed automatic fire suppression system inspected at least annually and whenever the system is inoperative? [29 CFR 1910.160(b)(2) and (b)(6)]
7. Are fixed automatic fire suppression system inspections made only by properly trained and qualified personnel? [29 CFR 1910.160(b)(2) and (b)(6)]
8. Are all fusible links and fusible link sprinkler heads replaced annually? [NFPA 1]
9. Is at least one manual station provided for the discharge activation of each fixed extinguishing system? [29 CFR 1910.160(b)(15)
10. Does the extinguishing system automatically shut off all sources of fuels and heat to all equipment requiring protection by that extinguishing system? [NFPA 1]
11. Does the activation of an automatic extinguishing system activate an audible alarm or visual indicator that shows that the system has been activated? [NFPA 96]
12. Are instructions for manually operating the extinguishing system posted conspicuously in the kitchen and reviewed periodically with the employees? [NFPA 1]
13. Is operation of cooking equipment prohibited when the extinguishing system or exhaust system is non operational or otherwise impaired? [NFPA 1]
14. Is at least one portable fire extinguisher available with a minimum of a 40-B rated sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate dry-chemical extinguisher or a K-type fire extinguisher? [NFPA 10]
15. Is the portable fire extinguisher located not more than 30 feet from the cooking area? [NFPA 10]