Your technicians routinely service the extinguishers and suppression systems at commercial cooking establishments. Since they already have service calls at restaurants and cafeterias, make sure that those customers know you have access to other safety equipment and that you can provide the service of installing that equipment too. Here are some ideas for you to improve safety and increase your revenue without increasing your customer base.

Hood Filters and Spacers

Your customers are constantly taking out filters to clean them. From a safety standpoint that is a good thing. But it takes a toll on the service life of the filters. They not only get worn and damaged, but sometimes they accidentally end up in the dumpster. The damaged and missing filters must be replaced in order for cooking operations to continue safely. Make sure that your customers know you can get replacements to them quickly. You just need to determine the construction material (aluminum, galvanized, or stainless) and the height and width (filters are standard sizes). Your Brooks Account Manager can match that information to the right replacement filters. And do not forget the spacers that fill the gap at the end of a line of filters. Spacers are needed to make the filter arrangement compliant with code. The height (length) of a spacer matches the height of the filter. Filter spacers are available in 2, 3, and 4 inch widths to fill the gap.

Hood Filter Locking Handles and Conversion Clips

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC all require grease filters to have locking handles to lock them into place, and those type of filters are available from Brooks. Locking handles get broken by frequent handling of filters for cleaning. Rather than replace the entire filter, offer to replace just the locking handles and save your customer some expense. Also conversion clips are available to use a standard filter with a CaptiveAire-type hood, which will also save money for your customers.

Hood Light Globes and Guards

Every hood light should have a glass globe over the bulb for safety. A bare bulb is a hazard to workers and the cooking operations. Some restaurants also want a wire guard over the globe for added protection. Nothing is simpler than adding guards or replacing a missing globe or guard.

Duct Access Door Replacements

A missing or damaged duct access door is a hazard, since the exhaust system will not work correctly without it. These doors get damaged or lost during hood and duct cleaning activities and the duct cleaning personnel often do not know where to turn to get replacements. That is an opportunity for you to provide the replacements. Door sizes are mostly standard and the installation is simple with wing nuts or similar fasteners. Your customers will appreciate your quick replacement of these critical components to their exhaust duct systems and returning their exhaust system to a safe and compliant condition.

Exhaust Fan Grease Boxes and Replacement Hinges

Nothing lasts forever, and that includes the grease collection boxes for exhaust fans. A grease box is a safety item that is usually located on the roof, collecting grease that condenses around the perimeter of the exhaust fan. You have probably seen the greasy mess left behind where a grease box is damaged or missing. All you need are the height, width, and depth for the grease box and your Brooks account representative can match it up with a replacement. Also the exhaust fan is supposed to have hinges for safety. Offer to replace damaged or missing hinges. Standard hinge sizes are 9 1⁄4″ x 7 5⁄8″ or 11 1⁄4″ x 7 5⁄8″.

Fryer Panel

A fryer panel is a safety item which, protects a fryer from the surface flames of an adjacent appliance. It creates a code-compliant barrier between the flames and the vapors coming from the cooking oil in the fryer. A fryer panel prevents ignition of the fryer and is required by code (unless a 16 in. clear space is provided between fryer and the adjacent appliance) [96, 12.1.2.4].

Appliance Wheel Chocks

When an appliance is moved for cleaning or maintenance, it is required to be returned to its approved location prior to resuming cooking operations [96, 12.1.2.3]. The easiest and most reliable method for complying with this code requirement is with the installation of plastic wheel chocks that are permanently fastened to the floor. Although two styles are available, these wheel chocks will work for any cooking appliance with casters.

Telescopic Match Extender

Many of the pilot lights for cooking appliances are in hard-to-reach locations. Your customers will appreciate that you have access to telescopic match extenders. They are pen size with a pocket clip and can be extended to 25 inches to hold a wooden match stick. The match is inserted into an alligator clip, at the end of the extender, to relight a pilot light.

Cleaning Liquids and Sprays

Stainless steel appliances and wall coverings need constant cleaning. Cleaning grease from surfaces is a fire prevention measure (safety) and helps reduce the chances of food contamination (foodborne illness prevention). Make sure your customers know that you can supply them with the cleaner/polish they need. Other housekeeping items that you can provide are oven cleaner and grill/fryer cleaner. Remember, a dirty surface is an unsafe surface.

Service Mat

Your technicians probably use a service mat (P/N SSM) to keep their feet cool while servicing the kitchen hood system. Make sure your customers know they can purchase a service mat from you so their kitchen staff can clean above appliances at the end of a shift. These mats are heat resistant up to 2000°F.

Hood and Appliance Identification Signs

Most restaurant owners want signs on their hoods for identification purposes but do not know where to get them. Brooks’ adhesive-backed signs have red lettering and borders. Common signs include FRYER, GRIDDLE, BROILER, and HOOD #1, #2, #3, and #4. Also a sign that says “REMOTE PULL STATION FOR HOOD FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM” is available for every pull station and is required by NFPA [96: 10.5.1.2].

Remote Pull Station Guards

For many locations of remote pull stations, there is a real potential for accidental snagging with food carts and clothing. Make sure your customers know that you can install a guard on the pull station, which will ensure safety by preventing unwanted discharges of the kitchen system.

Grease Cups

Grease cups capture grease so that it can be safely removed at the end of a shift. Grease cups are safety items that can easily get lost or accidentally thrown out with the trash. Your customers will appreciate that you can replace the most common types and sizes used in commercial kitchens today.

Fire-Stop Caulking

Every fire wall or fire-resistance rated partition must have a perimeter of pipe penetrations sealed to ensure the integrity of the fire barrier. Although your technicians seal pipe penetrations with fire-stop caulking, they might find existing penetrations that have been left unsealed. Offering to seal up openings with UL classified “FIRESTOP” caulking (P/N FS900) will make piping installations code compliant and will improve safety in the event of a fire.

CO₂ Cylinder Carrying Handles

Most restaurants have a supply of carbon dioxide (CO₂) beverage cylinders to dispense carbonated beverages. Although they are often leased, the restaurant is usually responsible for safety while the cylinders are in their possession. Most of the beverage CO ₂ cylinders are manufactured to accommodate a carrying handle, which is needed for safely moving and transporting the cylinders. The handle actually serves two purposes. One obvious purpose is to safely handle the cylinder without dropping it. The other purpose is to protect the valve from damage or getting knocked off. Cylinders should never be moved or transported with a broken or missing handle. Offer to replace damaged or lost handles. You will simply need a handle that will match the cylinder and a snap ring to hold it in place. Handles are available to match Luxfer (2 3⁄8″ neck), Kidde (2 3⁄16″ neck), and Catalina (2 5⁄8″ neck).

Beverage Cylinder Regulators and Gauges

CO₂ beverage cylinders are tied into regulators and gauges to properly and safely regulate the pressure for dispensing beverages. Offer to check the regulators and gauges for safety and proper operation. All fittings are either threaded or quick-disconnect. Change-out is usually quick and easy, returning the operation to a safe condition.

Cigarette Butt Receptacles

Almost every restaurant has a smoking area outside for employee breaks. Often, those areas are littered with cigarette butts, unless there is a receptacle for safely discarding them. A plastic cigarette butt receptacle (P/N JR26800) is the solution, as they are designed to safely and quickly extinguish the butts, due to the oxygen-restricting design of the device.

Expanding your restaurant offerings will improve safety for your customers and improve your bottom line. Additionally, that expansion can occur without any additional service calls on your technician’s routes. Technicians simply need to approach the restaurant owner or general manager and offer to perform a safety check of the equipment. Most restaurants will have one or more areas where safety can be improved with the above suggestions. Replacing obvious broken or missing parts with new ones results in a win-win for you and your customers.

A Safety Can is a container for flammable or combustible liquids that is designed to provide a reasonable level of safety when the container is subjected to fire exposure. Employers purchase Safety Cans for their properties to store, carry, and dispense small quantities of flammable liquids in a safe manner and in compliance with federal Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. Here is what you need to know to help your customers understand the purpose of Safety Cans and how to select the right ones.

Safety Cans are specially designed liquid containers that are constructed so they will safely relieve internal pressure when subjected to fire exposure. When one of these containers is involved in a fire, pressure will build to a point where the spring-closing lid will vent and allow the vapor to burn off. Over time, the entire contents will safely vent and flammable vapors will be safely consumed by the fire. Alternatively, if another container was used, it would likely fail catastrophically, with a large fire ball that would spread the fire and could cause severe injuries to anyone in the vicinity.

Safety Cans are purchased and used for compliance with the Code of Federal Regulations, 29 CFR, 1926.152. OSHA requires that flammable liquids be kept in these closed covered containers when not in actual use. Safety Cans are required by OSHA, because they provide a reasonable level of safety for workers in the event of a fire. The containers are required to be sealed with a lid so that neither liquid nor vapor will escape at ordinary temperatures. OSHA also requires all Safety Cans be provided with sufficient emergency venting capacity to ensure they will not rupture during a fire event.

Safety Features of Safety Cans

Every Safety Can has a spring in the lid that keeps the lid closed. An internal gasket in the lid provides a seal, which prevents vapor from being released, under normal conditions. During a fire, flammable liquid heats up and turns to vapor. As the pressure builds, the spring-closing lid allows the vapor to vent and burn off. Over time, the entire liquid content of the Safety Can turns to vapor and is consumed by the fire. The spring-closing lid serves as a safety relief, which prevents catastrophic failure of the container.

Safety Cans are not only self-closing, they are essentially leakproof, due to the gasket in the lid. The spring-loaded lid is connected to the handle. Pulling the handle opens the lid. When the handle is released, the spring causes the lid to automatically close. The flammable liquid is sealed by the spring tension and the gasket in the lid. The combination of the spring tension and the gasket make the Safety Can leak-proof. This important safety feature permits the Safety Can to relieve internal pressure under fire conditions. Once a person finishes pouring from a Safety Can, the spring closes the lid, which ensures it is closed so flammable vapors are not emitted under normal conditions.

One common problem with handling and transferring of flammable liquids is the buildup of static electricity, which could cause a spark, resulting in ignition of flammable vapors. However, Safety Cans have a flame arrestor to prevent flashback ignition into the container. If ignition does occur during dispensing, the spark arrestor will keep the resulting flame from entering the container and creating further combustion or an explosion.

Type I and Type II Safety Cans

Type I Safety Cans have only one opening for filling and pouring, which is self-closing and self-venting. Type II Safety Cans have one opening for filling and another separate opening for pouring. The fill and pour spouts on Type II Safety Cans are self-closing and self-venting.

DOT Safety Cans

Only the “Transport Safety Can” is safe for transportation in a vehicle. It is a Type II Safety Can that is manufactured with roll bars. The roll bars protect the filling and pouring fittings from damage in the event it tips or rolls over during transportation. The roll bars also provide additional hand-holds for carrying and handling. These Safety Cans are often called DOT Safety Cans because they comply with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements.

Safety Can Sizes

A 2 gallon Safety Can is the maximum size permitted for Class IA Flammable Liquids. Class IA Flammable Liquids have flash points below 73°F (22.8°C) and boiling points below 100°F (37.8°C). For all other flammable and combustible liquids, 5.3 gallon Safety Cans are the maximum. The most common Safety Cans are 1, 2, 2.5, and 5 gallon metal Safety Cans. Remember to always recommend the smallest container to limit the amount of flammable liquids being stored, handled, or potentially spilled.

Safety Can Colors

Safety Cans are color-coded so end-users and emergency responders can quickly identify contents. The industry color-coding commonly applied is shown below.

Safety Cans comply OSHA regulations, and the unique design will prevent a catastrophic fire. OSHA requires them, and your customers will want them for the safety of workers wherever flammable liquids are stored and dispensed.