Monday, May 18, 2009— DENVER, COLORADO — We’re all familiar with the saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

When it comes to fire safety in the commercial kitchen, a Denver fire systems company has found plenty of evidence recently that some restaurants are not getting the most out of their fire prevention efforts, said Massoud Farazandeh, general manager of Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., an affiliate of American Professional Services (APS-Hoods).

Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., which installs and services fire detection systems in Denver and throughout the United States, also offers routine fire suppression system inspections. Restaurants must hire someone to conduct these inspections every six months.

At Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., a comprehensive inspection is a 37-step process that includes:
•    Tripping the fire system from the terminal link
•    Tripping the system from the pull station
•    Visual inspection of the amount of grease in the ducts and the plenum
•    Visual inspection of the cable for the fusible links, brackets, mechanical head, CO2 cartridges and other parts of the fire system
•    Checking for the proper coverage of the nozzles over the equipment
•    Making sure the nozzles have proper caps
•    Making sure the gas automatic shut-off valve works properly
•    Making sure the pull pin and the seal are replaced properly and the system is tagged.
Additional measures also are taken to ensure the system is functional. As the company has picked up new accounts recently, Farazandeh has noticed a trend where many systems have been tagged for inspection, but fusible links have not been replaced.

Tagging the system signifies the date the inspection was done and indicates that the inspection was done properly and successfully, unless notes are made otherwise on the tag or the fire report, Farazandeh said.
“Although many of these systems were tagged six or seven months ago, some of the fusible links had not been replaced for the past three or four years,” Farazandeh said.

Manufacturers recommend replacing fusible links every six months. By law, they must be replaced at least annually, Farazandeh said.

There is one fusible link for about every two feet of commercial kitchen hood length. That means that a 10-foot hood will have approximately five links in it. The cost of replacing those links is not included in the inspection fee, Farazandeh said. Each link replacement ranges in price from $7-15.

“That makes it simple to tell if your fusible links have been replaced,” he said. “You should have that additional cost listed on your invoice.”

Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are another element of fire prevention that cannot be overlooked in the commercial kitchen, Farazandeh said. Extinguishers must be inspected annually to ensure they are in good working condition, should they ever have to be used.

Restaurants must have Class K extinguishers, which are rated for handling fires that involve cooking oils or fats. They are designed for use in commercial kitchens and come in a stainless steel bottle.

It’s important to train employees not to use Class A, B, or C extinguishers- which typically come in red bottles- for fires under kitchen hoods because their contents nullify the chemicals that come from the fire suppression system nozzles, Farazandeh said.

“Fire extinguishers should always be the first line of defense in the event of a kitchen fire, so they need to be operable at all times,” he said. “If the extinguisher doesn’t put out the fire, an employee should pull the pull station for the fire suppression system.”

If the fire is too intense and the pull station can’t be pulled safely in the path of egress, then the automatic system will turn on.

Using fire extinguishers and pulling the pull station are important steps toward minimizing the damage.

“Do them only if they can be done safely and it won’t cause any harm to life or property,” Farazandeh said.

Reports and Findings
Restaurant owners and managers should read their fire suppression reports after inspections are completed, he said. It is important that they understand that every step has been followed on that report. If there are any notes, recommendations or inefficiencies mentioned, those should be taken care of right away.

“Every inspection should include a report of the deficiencies, what needs to be fixed, what was found and what was done,” Farazandeh said. “People have to inspect the tags, read their receipts and notes and make sure they have all the facts before the inspector leaves.”

A good inspector goes through the report and explains verbally what he’s put in writing, Farazandeh said.

Learn More
If you would like to learn more about the fire system inspection services that Nationwide Fire Protection Corp. offers, call (800) 750-7055, or visit the company’s Web site: www.nationwidefireprotection.com.

About Nationwide Fire Protection Corp.

Chief Executive Officer Massoud Farazandeh founded atNionwide Fire Protection Corp. in 1989 and grew the business into a national leader in fire protection and hood cleaning of restaurants and facilities. The company’s comprehensive service offerings enable businesses to do what they do best, which is to focus on their customers and their business. In turn, NFP focuses on what it knows best- keeping businesses in compliance and ensuring the safety of restaurants, staff and patrons.

NFP prides itself on providing exemplary service, offers a quality guarantee and maintains a dependable and highly qualified staff. All crew members are professionally trained to comply with the National Fire Prevention Association Standards and state and local codes.

Nationwide Fire Protection is fully insured and bonded. It is licensed in fire protection contracting in addition to our licensure in the mechanical and electrical fields.

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