Pitch to the Experts for fire safety help

The Artisan Food Trail has put together a panel of experts that could help you get that ‘leg-up’ with your food business.
Pitch to the Experts is a competition where the winning food business will receive up to a total of £10,000 worth of expert advice and help from the 10 members of the panel.

We’d like to introduce each of the panel members individually to give you a better understanding of their businesses and how they could help you.
There are also details of the prize they are offering to the Pitch to the Experts winner.

Today we introduce Fire Safety Services (UK), helping to keep your food business safe…

Fire Safety Services (UK) Ltd are supporting small food businesses throughout the UK by forming part of the £10k prize package for the winner of 'Pitch to the Experts' at this year's Food Entrepreneur Show & Takeaway Innovation Expo.

Fire Safety Management For Food Businesses
A fire safety management system can significantly reduce the risks and minimise the potential effects of fire. Fire safety management need not be complicated for your business. Fire Risk Assessments must be suitable and sufficient, therefore need to be completed by competent persons. We can help all sizes of food business (including, catering companies, hotels, restaurants and fixed/mobile takeaway companies) to ensure they get it right.

It is very easy to become complacent about basic fire safety management when you have a whole myriad of tasks and pressures needing attention. However, by accepting poor housekeeping or breaching fire compartments by wedging open fire resisting doors, a small fire could potentially grow substantially and quickly spread through the building and become untenable. This would be easily preventable by implementing a simple fire safety management system.

Why Choose Us?
Fire Safety Services work on the principle of offering a high quality service and products to its customers, irrespective of size, location, quantity of sites etc. because fire is indiscriminate and can affect anyone at any time.

Quality and integrity are at the heart of our company culture; distinguishing our company from other fire safety providers.

Third-party Accreditation
We are a third-party accredited company. This means that we are assessed independently on a regular basis to ensure we comply with the highest possible standards in fire safety. We are ISO 9001:2008 certified, BAFE approved, NSI Gold Fire certified, LPCB approved and hold registration under the government backed CHAS scheme for health & safety. Furthermore, we are active members of the industry leading Fire Industry Association (FIA).

Top 5 Fire Safety Tips for Food Businesses
Most of us will be aware of events involving fire, some may have experienced it personally, but in generally it is something that happens to somebody else.

When you have had a Fire Risk Assessment carried out it must be suitable and sufficient; this will help you reduce the potential for a fire occurring dramatically. It will give you the guidance to put in place the training, plans, measures, equipment and maintenance needed to ensure your business is compliant, protected and less likely to suffer the devastating effects of a fire.

Below we have compiled our top 5 fire safety tips for food businesses:

1. Storage – Remove any empty boxes and other combustible items and ensure stock is not stacked too close to heat sources such as lighting or heaters.
2. Escape Routes – These can become temporarily blocked during deliveries. Once the delivery is finished clear the exit routes and move stock to the appropriate area/room.
3. Automatic detection / sprinkler heads – Avoid storing stock too close to these as they will not work as designed. Also do not cover the detector heads with plastic bags etc.! If they keep going off you must find out why and get the problem rectified.
4. Ducting – A high amount of fires start in the ducting above the cooking range to the outlet. This is due to grease deposits building up and igniting. The ducting should be deep cleaned annually by an approved contractor. Interim cleaning of removable filters and grease traps should be implemented weekly.
5. Fire Extinguishers – Ensure these are visually inspected weekly to confirm they are ready for use and are not obstructed. Regular staff training should be carried out to familiarise staff with the different types of fire fighting equipment and how to use it.

The Prize
The prize provides the winner with a Fire Risk Assessment (including written report) containing fire safety compliance recommendations and advice up to a value of £1k.

Web: www.firesafetyservices.co.uk
Tel: 08000 23411
Email: enquiries@firesafetyservices.co.uk
Twitter: @fss_fire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fssuk
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fire-safety-services-uk-ltd

For more information about the Pitch to the Experts competition read our article where you will also find the links to submit your pitch to win up to £10,000 worth of help and advice for your food business.