Get Answers to Common Questions About Fire Extinguishers in Commercial Kitchens

In the state of California, there are specific regulations that must be satisfied before a commercial kitchen can be opened, operated, or maintained in its current state. These include having the appropriate licenses and certifications, continuing to comply with safe food handling practices, successfully passing routine safety inspections, and ensuring that all appliances and plumbing are up to code.

Aside from the aforementioned, the presence of fire extinguishers in your commercial kitchen space is not only a crucial safety measure, but it is also a necessity in the state of California. However, it is not sufficient to merely have one or two fire extinguishers within your commercial kitchen. It is important to have the appropriate type, amount, and positioning of your fire extinguishers as well.

Read on to learn more. Then contact Flue Steam at 800-700-FLUE if you need more information on fire extinguishers or fire suppression systems in Southern California.

In California’s commercial kitchens, which laws mandate the presence of fire extinguishers?

The California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 8, Section 6151, provides businesses in the state of California with specific information regarding the fire extinguisher requirements that must be met. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal OSHA), the California State Fire Marshal, local fire marshals, and businesses and corporate liability insurance carriers are the entities that observe and enforce these requirements.

Fire extinguishers of Class K must be fitted in a safe and secure manner at least once every thirty feet in commercial kitchens and dining establishments. Every extinguisher has to be easily accessible at all times, and nothing—not even furniture or other things—can get in the way of that. In addition, each worker is required to get instruction on how to operate a fire extinguisher and be made aware of the precise location of each unit within the structure.

It is important to provide employees with training not just when they are first hired but also on a yearly basis afterwards. In a similar vein, fire extinguishers ought to go through annual inspections, and hydrostatic testing ought to be done on a consistent basis.

Is it illegal to be without fire extinguishers in the United States?

If you own a commercial property and fail to comply with OSHA regulations regarding the number, type, and location of fire extinguishers on your property, you could be subject to hefty fines from the agency. These fines could amount to thousands of dollars for each fire extinguisher that is out of compliance. In addition, you could be subject to fines if you fail to provide your workers with fire safety training and/or if you don’t do well on annual inspections and tests.

It is imperative that you comply with all of the regulations and guidelines that are enforced not only in the state of California but also in your particular municipality in order to avoid being subject to these fines.

In Southern California, you can obtain supplies of high-quality fire extinguishers

Not only do you want to be in compliance in order to keep your commercial restaurant or kitchen up and running, but you also want to ensure that you have fire extinguishers that are of a high quality and can be relied upon in the event that a sudden fire breaks out on your premises. But how exactly do you go about acquiring fire extinguishers in which you may have complete faith?

For the benefit of Southern California businesses, Flue Steam stocks a comprehensive inventory of a variety of fire extinguishers in a wide range of sizes. In order to safeguard your industrial kitchen or restaurant from the devastation caused by fire, give us a call right away for additional information about fire supply: 800-700-FLUE.