When it comes to installing new cookers, stoves and ranges, a dedicated extraction canopy is routine and part of the best practice and current requirements for health and safety in commercial kitchens. But in some cases there may be kitchens that don't have an extraction canopy. According to the Catering Equipment Suppliers' Association, The British Standard (BS 6173) was significantly revised in 2001 when it came to the installation of gas-fired appliances.

 

Writing in the trade magazine, Caterer and Hotelkeeper, the Catering Equipment Suppliers' Association responded to a query from a reader asking whether it was necessary to install an extraction canopy over a range that was installed back in 1999. The reader had been advised by a Corgi gas engineer to install an extraction canopy. But as the revisions for the British Standard installation of gas-fired appliances were not revised until 2001, the Catering Equipment Suppliers' Association advised that cooking appliances installed before September 2001 didn't need to comply with the standard.

 

Although the standard is not a retrospective one, commercial kitchens with gas installations are still recommended to invest in extraction canopies, even if they were installed before September 2001. Writing in the magazine, the advisory body said the British Standard should be used as a reflection for 'best practice and current requirements'. If an extraction canopy isn't installed, they strongly recommend a risk assessment in line with their Health & Safety Executive.

 

The Catering Equipment Suppliers' Association say that ventilation systems need to be considered with kitchens that have type B appliances fitted – type B appliances refer to those that would routinely require a dedicated flue system. But extraction canopies can impact on the performance of a flue – many manufacturers permit type B appliances to be installed without an individual flue then if they have the adequate extraction canopy installed above. Type B appliances also necessitate an interlock to shut off the gas supply if air movement fails and the extraction canopy stops working.

Extraction canopies are not just about removing unwanted odours, steam and heat, an extraction canopy is integral to the health and safety of a commercial kitchen. If in doubt about the kind of extraction canopy you need, especially if you have an old range or cooker, contact ventilation system specialists.

 

CK Direct is one of the UK’s top providers of commercial kitchen equipment. We have many years of experience in the field of commercial kitchens and offer a wide range of extraction canopies to meet your requirements. So, if you’re looking for extraction canopies or other forms of commercial ventilation, CK Direct are sure to have just the product for you. To find out more about our range of commercial kitchen equipment, just give us a call on 0808 178 0001 or fill in our online enquiry form.