{"id":444,"date":"2016-08-20T07:53:30","date_gmt":"2016-08-20T13:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/safefoodtraining.com\/minnesota\/?p=444"},"modified":"2016-08-20T04:56:01","modified_gmt":"2016-08-20T10:56:01","slug":"minnesota-certified-food-managers-alert-restaurant-fire-hazards-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/minnesota.safefoodtraining.com\/2026\/mn-certified-food-manager\/minnesota-certified-food-managers-alert-restaurant-fire-hazards-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Certified Food Managers Alert: For Restaurant Fire Hazards"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Minnesota certified food managers we are trained to create a safe eating experience for our guests. But owners and food service managers must bear in mind more than just food safety to protect employees and customers. This is the fourth in a series of blogs that look specifically at the hazards that Scott Futrell, a local fire protection consultant, has provided to assist you in protecting your customers, business and employees.<\/p>\n

What can Owners and\u00a0Minnesota Certified Food Managers\u00a0do to protect your investment or your facility?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Minnesota State Fire Code requires you to maintain your fire protection equipment in working condition.\u00a0 There are procedures you should establish for you and your staff in addition to hiring competent contractors to clean and inspect and test your systems and equipment.<\/p>\n

Basically the Codes and Standards require you to inspect, test, and maintain your kitchen hood, duct, fan, and suppression systems in accordance with the manufacturer\u2019s requirements.\u00a0 Thus it is essential you obtain from the contractor the minimum requirements for inspection, testing, and maintenance and then understand your responsibilities and the very limited, or minimal, portions of these requirements that the contractor will actually perform.<\/p>\n

Checklist for Kitchen Fire Safety<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The owner\u2019s responsibility for inspection and maintenance of wet chemical systems on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis should include the following at a minimum:<\/p>\n

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It is very important to note that often the fusible links are wired shut during the cleaning process to prevent accidental activation preventing the system from operating automatically. It’s also possible that your system might have been disconnected, damaged, or has accumulated excessive deposits of grease causing your system to become inoperative, see Figure 1.<\/p>\n

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Figure 1 – Post Grease
All Image credits: Futrell Fire Consult & Design, Inc<\/p><\/div>\n

Both of these pictures were taken post-fire, where the suppression system did not operate because the expellant was disconnected.\u00a0 Note that the grease cleaning was not performed thoroughly. The fire occurred the day after the cleaning!<\/p>\n

The bottom line is this:<\/p>\n