Restaurant & Pub Fire Safety: Protecting Your Business, Staff & Customers
Running a successful restaurant or pub is a constant balancing act – delivering exceptional service, delicious food, and a welcoming atmosphere. However, beneath the bustling surface lies a unique set of fire risks that demand unwavering attention. Unlike many other commercial venues, commercial kitchens, busy bar areas, and storage spaces in restaurants and pubs combine high heat, flammable materials, complex electrical systems, and constant staff movement. A fire in such an environment can not only lead to devastating financial losses and operational downtime but, more importantly, can endanger the lives of your team and patrons. Understanding these specific dangers and equipping your premises with the right fire safety solutions is not just a legal requirement – it’s fundamental to safeguarding your investment and reputation.
Unmasking the Specific Fire Hazards in Restaurants & Pubs
Fire safety in hospitality isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Each area within a restaurant or pub presents its own distinct set of risks that must be proactively addressed.
Commercial Kitchen Fire Risks: The Core Hazard
The heart of any restaurant or pub is its kitchen, a high-intensity environment ripe for fire incidents.
Class F Fires (Cooking Oils & Fats): This is arguably the most prevalent and dangerous fire type in a commercial kitchen. Deep fat fryers, griddles, ovens, and hot plates regularly reach extreme temperatures. Overheated cooking oils and fats can rapidly ignite, producing intense, difficult-to-extinguish blazes that can quickly spread to extraction systems and ductwork.
Gas Fires (Class C): Many restaurant and pub kitchens rely on natural gas or LPG for hobs, ovens, and fryers. Leaks from faulty connections, damaged hoses, or unserviced appliances can lead to highly explosive gas fires, posing an immediate and severe threat.
Electrical Fires: Kitchens are packed with powerful electrical equipment – refrigeration units, dishwashers, combi ovens, and ventilation systems. Electrical overloads, faulty wiring, or damaged appliance cords are common causes of electrical fires, which can quickly escalate in a grease-laden environment.
Bar & Front-of-House Hazards
Beyond the kitchen, the bar area and dining spaces in pubs and restaurants carry their own, often underestimated, risks.
Electrical Equipment: Bar areas are densely packed with electrical appliances: beer chillers, ice machines, blenders, POS systems, coffee machines, and ambient lighting. Overloaded circuits, damaged cables, or poorly maintained equipment can easily spark an electrical fire.
Flammable Liquids: While not as prevalent as in kitchens, the storage of spirits, liqueurs, and certain cleaning agents behind the bar or in nearby cupboards presents a risk of Class B fires if exposed to an ignition source.
Public Access & Decorative Elements: Areas with high footfall and decorative lighting, candles, or heating elements introduce potential hazards from customer actions or electrical faults in non-standard fixtures.
Storage & Cellar Dangers
Often out of sight, storage areas and cellars in restaurants and pubs can be significant fire traps if not properly managed.
Combustible Materials: Large quantities of cardboard packaging, linens, cleaning supplies, and other combustible materials are often stored in these confined spaces, providing ample fuel for a fire.
Electrical Equipment in Confined Spaces: Electrical distribution boards, cellar cooling systems, and lighting in these often poorly ventilated areas pose a risk of electrical fires, which can be difficult to detect early.
Gas Cylinder Storage: If your pub or restaurant uses external gas cylinders for heating or cooking, their safe storage and handling are critical to prevent leaks and explosions.
Can the Fire Safety Stick Be Used in Industrial or Commercial Kitchens?
When it comes to fire safety in industrial kitchens, especially those with fryers, ovens, and other high-risk cooking equipment, choosing the right fire suppression tools is critical. One innovative solution that’s gaining traction is the Fire Safety Stick—a lightweight, compact, and mess-free fire suppression device. The Fire Safety Stick also needs no professional or annual servicing, just complete a simple visual inspection and log sheet that any responsible person can perform in under 60 seconds.
But is it suitable for industrial or commercial kitchen environments?
Is the Fire Safety Stick Suitable for Industrial Kitchens?
Yes, the Fire Safety Stick can be used in industrial kitchens, including areas where fryers, ovens, grills, and other high-temperature cooking appliances are present. Its ability to extinguish multiple classes of fire (including A, B, C, F, and Electrical fires) makes it a versatile tool for commercial kitchen fire safety.
However, using the Fire Safety Stick as a primary fire-fighting solution in these environments requires an amendment to your existing fire risk assessment, an update to the fire strategy, insurance approval and a sign-off from the local fire and rescue service. These steps ensure that the device is suitable for the specific fire risks present and that its deployment is fully integrated into your site’s fire safety plan.
Use the Fire Safety Stick as a Complimentary Fire Aid
The good news is that the Fire Safety Stick can be used as a complementary fire safety device without needing to amend your current fire risk assessment. In this context, it serves as an additional layer of fire protection—enhancing your existing fire strategy without interfering with established fire protocols or requiring significant changes.
This makes it ideal for:
- Quick response to small fires before they escalate
- Staff training and fire awareness
- Supplementing existing extinguishers and suppression systems
*We do strongly recommend updating the Fire Strategy to avoid confusion that the Fire Safety Stick is indeed a ‘complementary’ fire fighting tool.
Expert Guidance Is Key
If you’re considering incorporating the Fire Safety Stick as a primary component of your fire safety strategy, we strongly recommend consulting with a qualified independent fire risk assessor familiar with the Fire Safety Stick. This ensures that your fire risk assessment remains compliant, effective, and tailored to your specific operational needs.
We can help connect you with a trusted and independent fire risk assessor who understands the capabilities and best-use scenarios for the Fire Safety Stick. Remember that the risks come first and if the risk needs a specific fire extinguisher, Fire Safety Stick or other, the risk assessor will recommend accordingly.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re looking to enhance your fire preparedness or explore innovative fire suppression solutions, the Fire Safety Stick offers a flexible, low-maintenance, no-mess option for industrial kitchen safety. From complementary support to a core safety solution (with the right assessments in place), it can play a valuable role in your fire protection strategy.
Interested in learning more or speaking to an independent fire risk assessor? Get in touch—we’re here to help.
Don't wait for disaster to strike.
-
Fire Safety Stick 50 Second£74.50
-
Sale!
Fire Safety Stick 100 Second£105.00
-
Sale!
Fire Safety Stick – Combo Pack£165.00
-
Sale!
-
Sale!
-
Sale!
