Gas news
Autumn 2019
energysafe issue 53
Getting it right—clearance spaces
above commercial catering equipment
By Tyler Mason, Gas Engineer
The clearance space above commercial catering equipment is one of the
most common non-compliance issues our gas inspectors find when they
arrive at a job.
Open and flaring flames can ignite
overhead grease filters which are loaded
with accumulated fat and grease—which
is precisely the reason why additional
clearance distances for these types of
appliances are required.
The table below details how certain
types of commercial catering equipment
require greater overhead clearances
than others.
For example, open-flame gas appliances
such as hotplate burners, require a
1050 mm clearance to the overhead
grease filter, while target-top, Chinese
cooking tables (also known as woks),
griddles, barbecues, char grillers/broilers
or open-top flare grillers/broilers require
a minimum clearance of 1350 mm.
Gas appliance
The clearance is measured from the
highest part of the cooking area or trivet
to the lowest part of the grease filter.
Where multiple appliances are installed
under a common canopy, the distance
for each gas appliance type must be
individually satisfied in order to comply
with AS/NSZ 5601.1.
While this should be a straightforward
aspect to planning a commercial
kitchen, insufficient clearance spaces
still represent the most common non-
compliance following an inspection.
ESV recently published an online
animation to assist gas plumbers
install gas appliances correctly—
The commercial kitchen gas
installation guide.
Be aware that ESV has now added the
minimum clearance between grease
filters and char grills to its list of zero
tolerance fault items.
Gas installations that fail to meet the
minimum clearance prescribed by the
Australian Standard will be escalated to
ESV investigations, and will receive an
Infringement Notice incurring 4 penalty
units for an individual or 20 penalty
units for a company.
Minimum
clearance (mm)
Kebab cooker 200
Solid grill plate, deep fryer (top of pan) 600
Open flame gas appliance (hotplate burner) 1050
Target top, Chinese cooking table, griddle,
barbecue, char griller/broiler or open top
flare griller/broiler 1350
18
The animation steps a plumber through
the requirements for installing gas
appliances in a commercial kitchen,
including references to the relevant
clauses in AS/NZS 5601.1.
Watch the commercial kitchen
installation guide on our website
at esv.vic.gov.au/commercial-
kitchen-installation