Fire safety in Restaurants, takeaways and cafes.

You have a legal duty under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) to safeguard your staff, customers, and the public. Failing to do so can result in severe legal consequences, including fines or prosecution.

Therefore, it is really important to be aware of any potential fire hazards and steps that can be taken to mitigate these. Please see some of our recommendations below.  

All businesses require a Fire Risk Assessment under the FSO. Please visit our Fire Risk Assessment page for further information. This risk assessment should provide guidance on how to keep people and the premises safe from fire.  

You can find more information on our Fire Risk Assessments page.

What causes fires?

The main causes of fire in restaurants, cafes and takeaways are cooking appliances, electrical installations and fuels/chemicals. You need to consider these in your Fire Risk Assessment and implement risk reduction measures to prevent fire.

Fire Safety Considerations

• Detection and warning: A fire detection and alarm system provides early warning of a fire and can save lives. Install and maintain a fire alarm system, test this weekly and maintain in accordance with British Standard 5839.

• Fire separation: Gaps and holes between walls, floors and ceilings will allow smoke and fire to spread, this could impact escape routes. Ensure these are filled in with appropriate fire stopping materials.

• Electrical Equipment: Faulty or damaged equipment is a common cause of fire. Test, clean and maintain electrical equipment regularly, and keep items away from heat sources. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is recommended. You can read about PAT testing on the Electrical Safety First’s website.

• Ducting: Kitchen ducting should be cleaned regularly to avoid a build-up of grease. This could ignite and cause smoke and fire. to spread to other areas of the property and nearby premises. We have more information on our guidance note for fires in communal areas.

• Firefighting Equipment: Make sure you have suitable equipment for your premises, this might include fire blankets and fire extinguishers. Staff need to be trained on how to use the equipment. Have your equipment serviced regularly, following manufacturers guidelines. You need to list your Firefighting equipment should be considered in your Fire Risk Assessment.

• Escape: You need a suitable and sufficient emergency evacuation plan. It must be adequate for your premises, recorded, shared with all employees, and clearly displayed. Emergency exits should be kept clear and unlocked. You should have regular fire evacuation drills.

• Training: Staff should be given regular fire safety training They should know the emergency escape plan, assembly points along with how and when to call 999 and what information to give us. Staff actions during a fire can keep people safe.

• Construction and Refurbishment: Where possible consider methods that do not require an open fire, flame or the application of heat. If work does include hot works (sparks/heat) ensure that construction staff provide a Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) for all work and permits should be issued that include a fire watch during the works and for at least one hour after the works. Check fire systems are reinstated on completion of the work. For further information please see Health and Safety Executive 168 guidance.

• E-bikes and e-scooters: If you provide delivery service, you should make sure you follow our advice for charging and storing e-bikes.

• Cooking: There are lots of risks involved with cooking. Check out our cooking safety pages to keep your kitchen safe.

• Laundry: Ensure clothing and fabric is stored away from escape routes, heat or ignition sources. Limit the number of combustible items kept on site where possible. If using a tumble dryer, empty the lint filter regularly and ensure items fully cool before folding and storing to reduce the likelihood of fire.

• Substances: Flammable or hazardous products must be stored, used and disposed of in line with manufacturers instructions. Keep them away from heat, sources of ignition and escape routes.

• Outside Areas: Patio heaters, gas bottles and shisha equipment can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Keep them away from furniture and other combustibles, like clothing.

• Waste: Piles of rubbish can fuel a fire or block your escape. Store it safely and clear it regularly. Make sure rubbish is stored securely as this can be a target for vandalism or arson.

Cooking with charcoal and other solid fuels

Solid fuels, such as wood and charcoal, produce carbon monoxide when burned. Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas that has no smell or taste, inhaling it can lead to serious illness and, in severe cases, death.

If you use solid fuels, please:

• Use Carbon monoxide detectors. Fit detectors everywhere you’re burning solid fuel, like pizza ovens or grills. Link them to your ventilation system if you can, they’ll activate if the carbon monoxide in the premises are unsafe.

• Keep cooking appliances on suitable surfaces Make sure it’s stable and away from anything flammable.

• When shutting down solid fuel ovens, remove hot coals and put them in a safe, non-combustible container, and keep it in a well ventilated area outside to let them cool down completely.

• Store fuel, coal, wood etc. in a non-combustible container, in a cool, dry, ventilated space, away from heat, naked flames and ignition sources and not in or around the oven/stove.

• Ventilate. Keep your kitchen extraction fan running until all coals or wood are fully out and cold. This reduces the risk of carbon monoxide buildup. A solid fuel oven requires its own dedicated canopy and ventilation system, separate from other appliances. The canopy and ductwork must be built to withstand the high temperatures from solid fuel combustion.

• There are lids and other types of equipment  that can be used on cooking appliances during the cooling of solid fuels, to reduce carbon monoxide production. They work by limiting the oxygen supply and therefore slowing the combustion process.

• Consider installing an automatic fire suppression system, there are different options available. These activate when temperatures reach a certain threshold and can start to control a fire straight away.

• Keep your Fire Risk Assessment up to date. Include the safe handling, storage, and disposal of solid fuels and ensure this is reviewed regularly.  Incorporate solid fuels into staff training and procedures for managing solid fuel equipment.

If you're responsible for a food business like a restaurant, cafe or takeaway, there are specific areas of fire safety you need to really pay attention to. 

What causes fires in restaurants and takeaways?

1. Kitchen appliances 25%
2. Cooker 23%
3. Electrical distribution 17%

On this page, we'll take a closer look at the risks – and what you can do to reduce them. 

Did you know?

Everyone in business needs to complete a Fire Risk Assessment and make a emergency plan.

Risky business – what to watch out for 

The first step to improving your fire prevention strategy is identifying where things can go wrong. In 2016/17, our firefighters attended many fires in food businesses across London, and we've noticed some common factors in the premises who run into problems. 

Common fire risks in food businesses

1. Dirty ducting – if you don't clean the ducting in your extraction system regularly, you're at a greater risk of ducting fires 
2. Poor fire-safe separation between units – this is especially dangerous if you don't keep your ducting clean. Ducting can pass through residential accommodation above and causing secondary fires. 
3. Electrical fires – because businesses haven't tested portable appliances (like kitchen radios or blenders), and because the electrical system itself isn't up to scratch. 
4. Electrical lighting – can be placed too close to flammable material, increasing the risk of fire. 
5. Cooking techniques – overheating of oils used for cooking
6. Tumble dryers – food businesses can get through a lot of laundry, and face increased risks, for instance when drying towels overheat in the dryer, or staff members forget to regularly clear lint. 
7. Outdoor areas and shisha bars – patio heaters and their gas supplies need to be handled carefully, and so do shisha coals.
8. Storage and rubbish – we often see blocked escaped routes, and piles of rubbish increasing the risk of potential arson or accidental fires from stray cigarettes. 

Firefighters tips for restaurants and takeaways

Though the food business poses extra risks and challenges when it comes to preventing fire, with a little planning you can keep your customers, your people, and your premises fire safe. 

• Have ducting cleaned regularly in accordance with guidance TR/19.
• Ensure ducting is installed correctly.
• Make sure all electrical items are tested and maintained – check regularly, and don't allow employees to bring their own kitchen appliances to work. 
• Ensure your electrical system is regularly tested – at least once every year.
• Educate your staff about the risks of overloading sockets, and make sure no-one is using counterfeit phone chargers. 
• Use your tumble dryer safely – have named individuals responsible for cleaning lint and checking it dryer regularly. 
• Complete your Fire Risk Assessment, and make an emergency plan that includes disabled people.
  

Cooking with Charcoal Ovens

Solid fuels, such as wood and charcoal, produce carbon monoxide when burned - a highly poisonous gas that has no smell or taste. Inhaling it can lead to serious illness and, in severe cases, death.

As a restaurant operator, you have a legal duty of care under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) to safeguard your staff, customers, and the public. Failing to do so can result in severe legal consequences, including fines or prosecution.

Ensure that a functioning Carbon Monoxide Detector is installed in areas where solid fuel is used. Test it regularly and follow the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines for maintenance.

• When shutting down solid fuel ovens, remove hot coals carefully and transfer them to a safe, non-combustible container.
• Place the container in a well-ventilated, external area away from combustible materials to allow the coals to cool completely.
• Use tools and gloves designed for handling hot coals to prevent burns or accidental fires.
• The kitchen ventilation systems should remain operational until the coals are completely extinguished and cool. This reduces the risk of carbon monoxide buildup.
• Update your Fire Risk assessment to include the safe handling, storage, and disposal of solid fuels.
• Incorporate staff training and clear procedures for managing solid fuel equipment.

Carelessness in the use or disposal of solid fuels can lead to fire hazards or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Why should you care about fire safety? 

1. You are risking lives if you don't.
2. It's the law – you can face an unlimited fine and even time in prison if you don't meet your legal obligations.
3. It makes good business sense – the Association of British Insurers reported that around 60% of private businesses never recover from a fire. 

Signs that something’s amiss…

Gaps and holes

Typically between the stairs and the commercial premises.  A fire in the commercial premises can allow smoke and the products of combustion to enter the staircase and stop people exiting.

What to look out for: 

• Damaged walls from the staircase to the commercial premises – look out for holes or large cracks.
• Ill-fitting or damaged doors in the wall from the commercial premises to the staircase.

Holes in the floors exposing the premises beneath.

Residential entrance through the commercial premise

If a flat or bedsit can only be accessed through the commercial premises, fire can spread very quickly from one area to another and you may have no way to escape.

What to look out for: 

• No separate entrance or way to leave quickly in an emergency.