This blog is going to be discussing fire safety for the hospitality industry. MCL Fire is proud to say we are authorised distributors of the Ansul R-102 fire suppression system. A fully automatic and quick-acting suppression system designed for food manufacturing, commercial and large scale kitchens.
The hospitality industry represents around 3-5% of all business in the UK and Ireland. In 2019 a report done by the house of commons found that the sector generated £59.3 billion GVA making up 3% of the UK economy. However with recent restrictions due to covid this industry has seen an expected decline.
However, As restrictions ease, this industry is likely to grow substantially as the general public will want to eat out and socialise more. Therefore, it is vital that organisations evaluate their fire safety precautions as they have a legal responsibility to maintain an adequate level of fire safety for both customers and employees. The premises could be forced closed until requirements are met or in the worse case, a fire occurs causing catastrophic damage.
Before you dismiss fire suppression or the importance of maintaining adequate fire safety precautions ask yourself this.
Can your business afford to miss out on this potential growth?
Total consumer expenditure on hospitality sub-sectors, February 2020 = 100, UK, November 2019 to June 2021
Fires reported in the hospitality sector years 2019-2020 to 2020-2021
Number of fires reported in the hospitality industry UK 2019-2020
Number of fires reported in the hospitality industry UK 2020-2021
Source: Office of National Statistics, Fire and rescue incident statistics.
How we help you control and minimise your fire risk?
Why choose MCL Fire for your Ansul installation or servicing?
MCL Fire has been installing and maintaining Ansul r-102 fire suppression systems for the hospitality and food manufacturing industries across the island of Ireland for 6 years. We offer full support throughout the planning, installation and post-installation process.
In 2018 we were recognised and awarded an outstanding sales award from Ansul themselves for our ability to provide a quality service to our customers.
How can the hospitality protect their kitchens?
Commercial kitchens require at least 1 fire blanket, chemical & co2 fire extinguisher. These pieces of equipment offer activate protection however they require direct human interaction. For example, someone needs to actively use the fire extinguisher to combat the fire. This can be dangerous, even with the correct training as kitchen fires can develop rapidly. This is where systems such as Ansul r-102 come in as they require minimal interaction and can even be activated automatically.
Why should Hospitality businesses worry about fire safety?
It’s no surprise that kitchens pose a significant fire risk due to extreme heat, electrical equipment, flammable gas and high-temperature liquids such as cooking oil. This is why fire precautions must be put in place to prevent & minimise the risk of a fire. The fire Fire safety regulation states that all commercial kitchens must have appropriate fire precautions in place.
Why Choose Ansul R-102?
The system incorporates a flexible design with an extremely effective ANSULEX Low pH Liquid Agent that quickly knocks down flames and cools hot surfaces while generating a tough vapour-securing blanket that helps prevent reflash. At the same time, the system is easy to maintain as it is cartridge-operated, providing quick, hassle-free onsite recharge to reduce downtime.
The R-102 system also allows overlapping appliance protection, where nozzles are arranged to provide overlapping agent discharge patterns, thus able to provide comprehensive protection even when appliances under the hood are replaced or rearranged. To complement kitchen designs, the R-102 system also features an aesthetic stainless steel enclosure that is non-corrosive.
Lastly, with Ansul R-102 you can guarantee quality and effective performance as it has been rigorously tested by respected quality control organisations around the world. The system is UL/ULC listed; CE marked; COA, LPCB, TFRI, MED, DNV, ABS and Loyd’s Register approved and meets UK RFO and EN standards.
How does it work?
Ansul R-102 can be triggered both automatically and manually. The manual activation is very simple and only requires someone to pull the activation switch. However, Oil pan fires can develop rapidly which can make it dangerous to reach the activation switch. This is why the system must be activated immediately once a fire is identified. However, if the flames get too big it is advised to safely evacuate the premises. The system will have what Ansul refer to as fusible links, which will be found on the activation line. These links are graded at different temperatures and will automatically trip and activate the system if extreme temperatures are reached. Due to this activation is slower but still effective at minimising damages.
What is the importance of maintaining and servicing Ansul r-102 systems?
Ansul r-102 systems require a biannual service, this is due to a number of reasons. The first is that the kitchen poses one of the largest fire risks for organisations in the hospitality sector. This is due to the extreme heat, electrical equipment and flammable liquids such as cooking oil. Due to this organisations have a legal requirement to incorporate effective fire prevention measures and ensure they are properly maintained and operational.
The majority of the time Ansul r-102 nozzles sit directly over cooking equipment, close to the air vats. This means that grease and grime can build up and block the nozzles, preventing them from working. It’s important to ensure nozzles are covered using the provided orange cap. These orange caps protect the holes from being clogged with grease, during activation they pop off from the pressure. It is also important to clean any grime or build up around the system annually to ensure the system runs optimally in the case of a fire. This also makes it easier and safer for our technicians to do any servicing work post-installation.
F.A.Q
Can the Ansulex suppressant cause damage to my kitchen/premises
No, Ansulex low PH liquid fire suppressant will not cause any damage nor will it produce any toxic byproducts. However, cleanup will be required after activation which should be expected.
Wont the grease fire just re ignite after being suppressed?
No, the Ansulex formula is specially designed to completely smother and cool oil pan and fryer fires. As the suppressant lands on the flames, the Ansulex formula will begin a saponification process. This creates a protective barrier preventing any flammable vapors from escaping and reigniting.
What else could I do to prevent a kitchen fire?
It’s amazing that you asked! We actually have a blog covering this! Give it a quick read when you get a few minutes spare!
Recent Comments