One-third of restaurant fires are caused by faulty electrical equipment or improper equipment use. To prevent fires, restaurants should regularly clean greasy surfaces, avoid storing flammables near heat, and check for hazards. There are three classes of fires - A, B, C - which require different types of extinguishers. Restaurants should also maintain fire safety equipment like detectors, sprinklers, and properly train employees in evacuation and extinguisher use.

1. By: Lindsey Krowiarz

2.  One-thirdof all accidental fires in
restaurants faulty electrical wiring and
equipment or improper use of equipment

3.  Check for faulty wiring
 Check for hazards before using any
electrical appliance
 Do not overload outlets

4.  Cleananything that comes in contact with
grease regularly
• Walls and work surfaces
• ranges
• fryers
• broilers
• microwave and convection ovens
• heating, air-conditioning, and ventilation units
• hoods and filters

5.  Keep all flammable items and materials
away from heat sources
 Store all linens and food in dry storage
boxes
 Store paper goods away from corrosive
materials

6. Three Classes
• Class A
• Class B
• Class C
All have different uses

7.  Ordinary combustibles
• Wood, paper, cloth, and cardboard
 Most often occur in food storage rooms,
dining areas, restrooms, and refuse storage
areas
 Type A, or A/B/C extinguishers may be
used on a class A fire
 Examples: Fire in trash can; cigarette
igniting a tablecloth; plastic container that
comes in contact with a range burner or hot
griddle.

8.  Flammable liquids
• gases, grease, oil, shortening, pressurized cans
 May occur in kitchens (deep-fat fryers) and
maintenance areas
 Only B/C extinguishers with the dry chemicals
sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate
should be used on deep-fat fryer fires
 If a class B fire does not occur in a deep-fat
fryer, any A/B or B/C extinguisher can be used
 Examples: Flames from a grill igniting grease
deposits on a hood filter in the kitchen; aerosol
cans stored near a heat source exploding.

9.  Electrical equipment
 Live electrical equipment, cords, circuits,
motors, switches, wiring
 Only those B/C and A/B/C extinguishers
containing nonconductive materials, such
as carbon dioxide, should be used on
electrical fires
 Examples: Fire in a toaster; frayed cord
igniting while a machine is operating; fire
in the motor of a grinder.

10.  Water-Based
 Aqueous Film-Forming Foam
 Carbon Dioxide
 Dry Chemical

11.  Rechargeable from a clean water source.
All recharging and testing should be
done by an approved fire extinguisher
servicing company.
 Use on class A fires only

12.  Reduce temperature and supply of
oxygen to the fire
 Must be protected from freezing
 Use on class A or A/B fires
 Do not use on deep-fat fryer fires

13.  contain a gas-based mixture that leaves
no residue
 limited in range
 may deplete the user’s oxygen supply
 Use on class B or C fires

14.  Interrupt the chemical action that
sustains fire.
 They are available in A/B/C and B/C.
 Only B/C types should be used on deep-
fat fryer fires.

15.  How to use a fire extinguisher correctly
 Pull the pin
 Aim at the base of the fire
 Squeeze the trigger
 Sweep from side to side—stand 6 to 8
feet away from the fire when
spraying

16.  Operate even when no one is in the
facility
 Automatic sprinklers provide an early
and effective response to fire.
 Special kitchen sprinkler systems are
required by the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) for deep-fat fryers,
ranges, griddles, and broilers.

17.  Smoke detectors-
• require a flow of air in order to work well, so they
should not be located in “dead” spaces
• should not be used in food preparation areas.
 Heat detectors-
• detect fires where there is no smoke
• activated by the significant increase of
temperature associated with fire
 Flame detectors-
• react to the movement of flames.

18.  The smoke is extremely thick.
 The fire is too hot for you to get close
enough to fight it effectively.
 The fire is greater than 3 feet across.
 There are potentially hazardous substances
near the fire.
 You do not have the correct type of fire
extinguisher for the fire at hand.
 You do not know how to use the fire
extinguisher.

19.  1. Call the fire department.
 2. Begin evacuating staff and guests.
 3. Turn off the gas valve to prevent
escalation
 4. Meet other employees at the preassigned
meeting place.
 5. Make sure that all persons have safely
escaped.
 6. When the fire department arrives, inform
a firefighter if anyone is missing;
 do not reenter the building yourself.

20.  Regularly check electrical equipment
 Maintain proper fire safety equipment
 Follow correct steps to put out fires and
evacuate the building