Demand for cleaning and maintenance of kitchen extract ventilation systems has increased dramatically in the past year, according to the industry’s newly rebranded certification scheme.
There has been a huge 78% increase in the number of works notified to the BESA Vent Hygiene Register (VHR) digital database since last March – with the annual total passing 21,000 for the first time.
BESA has attributed the increase to clients, insurers and fire officers recognising the importance of these systems to the fire integrity of buildings.
There is at least one serious fire in a UK commercial kitchen every day, BESA said, but improving the maintenance of grease extraction systems, ventilation and ductwork, it can minimise the risk of a fire spreading. As a result, thousands more systems are now being cleaned in compliance with the industry specification TR19 Grease according to VHR.
Formerly known as the BESCA Ventilation Hygiene Elite scheme, the Register has been rebranded to reflect the growing profile of the profession and to help it prepare for formal government regulation. It is managed by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) which is promoting ventilation hygiene as a key element of the wider building safety agenda.
VHR is intended to become the ventilation hygiene equivalent of the mandatory Gas Safe Register, which transformed the safety of gas installation work in the UK. It is recognised by the insurance fire risk body RISCAuthority, and by the London Fire Brigade – which recently updated its guidance for catering premises to include new measures from TR19 Grease.
BESA’s head of certification Duncan Sibbald said:
Despite its central role in building safety, this remains an unregulated sector, The 150-plus members of the VHR are the professional vanguard, pushing the industry towards higher standards and regulatory compliance, which is very much in tune with the culture change being driven by the Building Safety Act. These companies recognise the importance of being able to provide third party audited evidence to their clients that their kitchen extract systems have been cleaned in compliance with the industry specification.”
Companies receive a VHR Post Clean Completion Certificate which can be a crucial piece of evidence for any potential insurance claim or fire report, Mr Sibbald added:
While we are delighted to have passed the 21,000 compliant cleans milestone, we recognise we still have a very long way to go because there are still tens of thousands of systems out there waiting to be brought up to standard – and many are putting building occupants at considerable risk…Vent hygiene is more than just cleaning, it’s fire prevention…”
