Restaurants, pubs and cafés combine the two things that matter most in a fire: a kitchen where one can start, and a room full of customers who do not know the building. A fire risk assessment for a hospitality venue concentrates on both.
Your duty as the operator
Section 18(2) of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003 places a duty on anyone having control of a premises other than a dwelling house. You must take all reasonable measures to guard against the outbreak of fire, provide fire safety measures and procedures, and ensure the safety of people on the premises as far as is reasonably practicable. As an employer you must also hold a written risk assessment under section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
Kitchen risks
- Extraction ducts: grease builds up inside canopies, filters and ductwork, and a flame at the cooker can carry it through the building. Filters need regular cleaning and ducts need professional cleaning.
- Deep fat fryers: a common source of serious kitchen fires. Thermostats and cut-outs must work.
- Gas: staff should know where the emergency shut-off is.
- The right extinguishers: cooking oil fires need a wet chemical extinguisher and a fire blanket. Water makes them worse.
- Fixed suppression systems: if fitted over the cooking range, they need servicing.
Front of house risks
- Numbers: how many people the exits can safely serve, especially on busy nights.
- Exits: unlocked and unobstructed whenever the public are in. Back doors blocked by kegs, crates or bins are a common finding.
- Furniture layout: extra tables added over time can narrow the routes to exits.
- Candles, decorations and outdoor heaters.
- Cellars and stores: often a single way in and out.
Staff and procedures
Hospitality has high staff turnover, so fire safety instruction on the first day matters. Every member of staff should know how to raise the alarm, how to direct customers out, where the assembly point is and who calls the fire service. Record the training and the drills in your fire safety register.
Accommodation upstairs
If staff or guests sleep above the premises, the risk is higher and the assessment has to cover detection, alarm and escape for the upper floors.
What you receive
A written report with findings ranked by priority and practical actions, so you can deal with the urgent items before the next busy weekend.
Safer Solutions carries out fire risk assessments for hospitality venues across Cork city and county. Call 086 275 9728, email info@safersolutions.ie or request a quote.