FOCUS
Test of faith A new ‘MOT’ approval scheme for commercial kitchen fire protection systems provides fire safety assurance and robust audits, says Richard Jenkins
I
N THE last year, the media has reported several large fires in commercial buildings posing risks to people, property and
responding firefighters. The fires brought into sharp focus the responsibilities of operators of all properties, particularly those with higher risk facilities such as commercial kitchens, not least because kitchen fi re protection systems could have helped contain, if not extinguish these fi res. Kitchens are notoriously high risk environments
for accidents and incidents. Fire industry and insurance data reported by BAFE – the UK’s independent register of quality fi re safety service providers – reveals kitchen fi res as statistically the third most likely cause of large fi res behind hot works and arson. Safety aspects for staff and visitors and
the protection of property are therefore key concerns which the responsible person neglects at their peril. Just over 12 years ago in England, Wales and Scotland – and a little over eight years ago in Northern Ireland – the responsibility for fi re safety in a building was passed from fi re and rescue services (FRSs) to the responsible person or duty holder.
Improving safety
The MOT test first introduced in 1960 under the direction of the Minister of Transport, Ernest Marples, was initially greeted with some horror at the implied expense involved. Yet 60 years on, the MOT has long fallen into everyday parlance as an accepted necessity and its success in increasing safety on our roads is unquestioned. Why, one might ask, has the same idea not been applied to fire safety in buildings? Now, BAFE has put down the challenge to us all that the MOT concept can be applied in the case of commercial kitchen fi re protection systems and indeed could help save even more lives. Last year, BAFE launched the Kitchen Fire Protection Systems Scheme (SP206) in response to the significant fire risks posed. The scheme, which tests the design,
installation, commissioning and maintenance of commercial kitchen fi re protection systems, is delivered by granting approvals to professional installers regularly audited by National Security Inspectorate (NSI) experts.
44 DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020
www.frmjournal.com
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