Alan Norman is an expert witness in court cases dealing with fires in ventilation systems. Here the managing director of ductwork cleaning company Indepth Hygiene talks about the importance of ensuring grease extract ventilation systems are kept clean.
The most fundamental change brought about by the Fire Safety Order is to transfer the responsibility for ensuring the safety of buildings occupants from the fire authorities to those responsible for the ownership or management of buildings.

The key concept of the appointment of a 'responsible person' to take ton this role has still not been fully understood or acted upon by many building owners and managers. This manifests itself in the failure to produce comprehensive fire risk assessments. This means many buildings occupants are at risk because nobody has properly identified all possible sources for fire.

One installation which has often been overlooked and which continues to be given less attention than its high fire risk potential warrants, is the grease extract ventilation system usually found in buildings and premises where there are catering facilities.

High fire risk

However, the most common reason why grease extract systems are overlooked is because ducting is often out of sight. Now there is an indisputable need not only to know the configuration of extract systems but to put in place a cleaning and maintenance regime which will ensure potentially flammable grease deposits which accumulate in the ducting are removed to eliminate potential fire hazard.

But, even where a manager recognises his responsibility by appointing a 'responsible person' and includes the grease extract ventilation system in the fire risk assessment, he is less than halfway to fulfilling his responsibilities. He will need to appoint a contractor to clean the system to make it fire safe.

All too often, however, having commissioned the cleaning he makes no effort to ensure the system has been properly cleaned. Instead he relies on a statement, sometimes not even written, from the contractor that the system has been properly cleaned. Often it hasn't and because parts of the system are out of sight, although accessible, no check is made on whether it remains a fire risk.

This complacency brings other dangers. Should a fire occur involving the ducting it will be no defence to claim 'I thought it had been cleaned'.

To blame the contractor might seem like a get-out-of-jail card but has little validity in the context of the way insurers and, in disputed cases, the courts will interpret whether all reasonable care was taken to comply with the law.

Remember, the 'responsible person' can be liable not only for damages but for criminal liability charges if there is a fatality as a result of a fire in an uncleaned extract system.

Checklist

So, what needs to be done?

· Ensure the grease extract system is included in the building's fire risk assessment.

· Appoint a contractor who will carry out the cleaning in accordance with the Industry Standard HVCA TR19 and is a member of the HVCA.

· Demand a clear statement from the contractor by way of a schematic drawing of the system detailing what will be cleaned.

· Check after the cleaning that what should have been cleaned has been cleaned. Take a torch and look into the ducting from behind canopy filters in the kitchen. Check that access panels have been installed in the ducting. No panels, invariably no cleaning.

Grease extract ducting cannot be cleaned unless access has been effected to allow removal of grease deposits. And don't believe assurances from a contractor that he will not need to install access panels as he will be using motorised or other mechanical devices to provide cleanliness.
They might be appropriate for air systems but grease deposits can only be eliminated by elbow grease aided by cleaning chemicals, brushes, scrapers and cloths.

Finally, having checked the system, demand a work completion certificate which states what has been cleaned and identifies any areas which cannot be physically accessed for cleaning. You can then be confident you have complied with the law and property insurance requirements.