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safety at height
the World Of Hospitality
occasions there is no access provision and it is
impractical to use a Mobile Elevated Work Platform.
We recently came across the GlideLoc Fall Arrest
Ladder System supplied by Safety At Height and
have found it to be the ideal solution in providing
safe and effective access. Our technicians feel
confident as they are attached at all times at any
working height. They also find the intermediate
folding footrests ideal to stand on as they carry out
their cleaning activities’.
Height Safety Solution without Compromise
The GlideLoc Fall Arrest System is a fixed ladder that
can be anchored to the wall adjacent to the vertical
duct riser. It offers building owners a discrete and
safe means of access.
The user is equipped with a Full Body Harness and a
Shock Absorbing Traveller. The Traveller fits
between his harness and the central fall arrest rail
of the ladder. Should a slip occur, it locks in
position and prevents a major fall and injury.
The System can be fitted with folding footrests
along its length. These are ideal to give the user a
‘firm footing’ whilst working off the ladder. These is
particularly useful when cleaning is done through
inspection hatches.
Height Safety for Personnel
within the Hospitality Sector has
never been more important.
Working at height is so often an essential part of life
for people employed in maintenance and cleaning
activities. In 2013-14 the HSE reported that falls
from height were still the most common cause of
fatalities, accounting for nearly three in ten (29%)
fatal injuries to workers.
One key issue facing many organisation who
produce food within the catering and hospitality
sectors is the cleaning of cooking extraction ducts
and risers. In new premises gaining access to do
this is seldom a problem as the extraction system
will be an integral part of the building design. This
however is not the case for older buildings where
the extraction duct system frequently runs vertically
up the outside facade. Such ductwork presents one
of the most serious and common fire hazards in a
building. Of the 24000 accidental fires per year in
commercial properties, around a quarter are
attributed to cooking and extraction systems.
Kitchen-extract systems build up grease, oil and
other residues. If these deposits are left to build up
within the extract duct and fans, they can ignite and
cause fire to spread rapidly throughout the entire
ducting system. As extraction ducts may often be
routed through the outside it is possible the entire
property is consumed by fire.
The key issue is removing the grease along the full
length of the duct, thereby removing the fuel or
‘combustion load’ which reduces the potential of induct fires. If a system has only been partially
cleaned there is still a potentially lethal fire hazard
contained within the duct.
The central spine of the ladder can be used to ‘work
position’ the user enabling two-hand working.
The Fall Arrest Ladder comes in two main designs:
The GlideLoc ‘Twin’ Ladder offers clients a fixed
rigid access system.
The Fire Service offers the following
recommendations:
Why carry out cleaning and maintenance?
You will reduce the risk of fire.
It prevents the build-up of grease deposits
and bacteria within your kitchen extraction
system.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)
Order 2005 your extract systems need to be
included in your fire risk assessment, with
action taken to minimize any potential
fire risk to buildings and occupants.
Failure to carry out proper cleaning and
maintenance could lead to a reach of
Environmental Health regulations and could
invalidate your fire insurance policy.
How often should I clean ductwork?
Ideally you should measure the rate of build-up of
grease on the internal surfaces of the ductwork. If
this is not possible your cleaning work should be
planned around the level of use:
Heavy use (12-16 hours per day) - Clean every
3 months
Moderate use (6-12 hours per day) – Clean
Every 6 months
Light use (2-6 hours per day) - Clean every 12
months
The GlideLoc ‘PivotLoc’ is a unique folding fall arrest
ladder which offers an astatically pleasing and
secure means of access
London Fire Brigade is called to one fire every day
which start in the kitchen extraction systems and
ductwork of businesses like pubs, cafés, hotels and
restaurants. Many of these are due to inadequate
maintenance and cleaning.
The Expert’s View
Build-up of grease in vertical duct
It is therefore of the upmost importance for those
within the catering and hospitality industries to
have kitchen extract ductwork cleaned and
maintained on a regular basis.
We asked Kevin Moran, Managing Director of
industry cleaning specialist Deep Clean Ltd. to offer
a view on the current market and associated access
problems.
‘Most companies in the hospitality and cratering
industries are aware of the legal obligations to have
a maintenance and cleaning programme for the
extraction systems and ducting. One of our most
common problems is how to gain access to external
vertical risers on older buildings. On many
For more assistance with your height safety contact Safety
At Height Ltd. +44 (0) 161 449 5615 or visit www.safetyheight.co.uk