Blusdekens voor restaurants en commerciële keukens
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Blusdekens voor restaurants en commerciële keukens
Restaurants and commercial kitchens operate with open flames, hot cooking oil, electrical appliances and intense activity. Grease deposits, extractor systems, multiple cooking stations and time pressure can allow a small incident to develop rapidly.
A fire blanket can provide trained or instructed staff with a controlled first response to a small, contained and fully coverable fire. It should complement alarms, suitable extinguishers, fixed suppression systems and evacuation procedures — never replace them.
Common fire risks in commercial kitchens
Typical early-stage incidents may include:
- a pan containing burning cooking oil or fat;
- a small fire on a hob or cooking surface;
- a compact electrical appliance fire after power isolation;
- tea towels, packaging or loose materials catching fire;
- clothing catching fire during food preparation; and
- another small object that can be covered completely.
A conventional fire blanket is no longer appropriate when flames have spread to an extractor hood, ducting, cabinets, walls, ceilings or several appliances.
What Fire Classes Can a Fire Blanket Be Used On? →
Why fire blankets suit professional kitchens
A fire blanket contains no pressurised cylinder and does not discharge water, powder or foam. This can be valuable around hot oil, food-preparation surfaces and sensitive kitchen equipment.
Relevant advantages include:
- no discharged extinguishing residue;
- no pressurised spray that may disturb burning oil;
- a straightforward operating principle for instructed staff;
- compact wall-mounted storage;
- suitability for small cooking-oil fires when properly tested; and
- rapid access near an identified cooking risk.
A straightforward operating principle does not mean that no instruction is required. Staff should understand how to deploy the blanket, why water must never be used on burning oil and when evacuation takes priority.
Where should fire blankets be installed?
Install each blanket near the identified kitchen risk, but not directly above or behind a hob, fryer, oven or other likely ignition source.
A suitable position should be:
- near a kitchen exit or escape route;
- clearly visible and labelled;
- within comfortable reach of intended staff;
- accessible without reaching across flames or hot equipment;
- away from excessive heat, steam, grease and moisture; and
- unobstructed by doors, trolleys or stored materials.
Large commercial kitchens may require more than one blanket where cooking zones are separated or one incident could block access to the only unit.
Where Should You Keep a Fire Blanket? →
How to use a fire blanket on a small pan fire
Only attempt deployment when the fire remains small, safely reachable and fully coverable.
- Raise the alarm and alert nearby staff.
- Keep a clear escape route behind you.
- Switch off the heat source only when this can be done safely.
- Pull the release tabs firmly downward.
- Hold the blanket so that it protects your hands and upper body.
- Place it gently over the entire pan or burning appliance.
- Do not throw the blanket or disturb the burning oil.
- Leave it in place until the pan, oil and equipment have cooled fully.
- Replace the blanket after deployment on the fire.
Never pour water onto burning cooking oil or fat. Do not carry a burning pan and do not lift the blanket prematurely.
How to Safely Use a Fire Blanket →
Fryers and larger cooking equipment
A conventional fire blanket should only be used when the complete burning surface can be covered without reaching over intense heat or flames.
Do not attempt blanket deployment when:
- a large commercial fryer is fully involved;
- burning oil is overflowing or spreading;
- fixed suppression equipment has activated;
- flames have entered an extractor hood or duct;
- gas lines, fuel supplies or pressurised equipment are involved; or
- the blanket cannot cover the entire burning area.
Follow the kitchen’s shutdown, suppression and evacuation procedures. Do not interfere with an operating fixed fire-suppression system.
Electrical appliances in commercial kitchens
Electricity is not a separate formal European fire class. Energised equipment does, however, create additional shock and arc hazards.
A fire blanket may only be considered for a small appliance fire when:
- the electrical supply has been isolated safely;
- the incident remains confined to the appliance;
- the complete burning object can be covered;
- no exposed live components are within reach; and
- no developed lithium-ion battery incident is involved.
Do not touch damaged plugs, cables, sockets or the burning appliance. If the fire has spread into cabinets, wiring or surrounding materials, evacuate and contact the emergency services.
Fire Blankets for Electrical Appliance Fires →
Clothing fires in professional kitchens
When clothing catches fire, the person should be told to stop, drop and roll where possible.
Another person may use a sufficiently large fire blanket to help smother the flames when this can be done safely.
When applying the blanket:
- keep the face and airway uncovered;
- cover from the shoulders downward;
- do not wrap tightly around the neck;
- keep the person low while smothering the flames;
- contact the emergency services; and
- begin burn first aid immediately afterwards.
Cool affected skin with cool running water for at least 20 minutes where possible. Do not remove clothing that has melted or adhered to the skin.
Fire Blankets for Clothing Fires →
Choosing the correct size
1 × 1 m fire blanket
A 1 × 1 m blanket provides practical coverage for many standard restaurant risks, including:
- domestic-size pans;
- small cooking-oil and fat fires;
- compact kitchen appliances; and
- small, fully coverable objects.
1.2 × 1.8 m fire blanket
The larger 1.2 × 1.8 m version provides additional surface area and may be preferred where:
- larger pans or cooking equipment are used;
- clothing-fire preparedness must be considered;
- the kitchen contains several different risks; or
- the workplace risk assessment requires greater coverage.
A larger blanket must still remain manageable for the staff expected to deploy it.
What Size Fire Blanket Do I Need? →
Independently TÜV SÜD Tested
DVM fire blankets are manufactured from densely woven fibreglass fabric of at least 430 g/m².
The DVM 1 × 1 m Fire Blanket Series, including this material specification as part of the complete finished construction, has been independently tested by TÜV SÜD in accordance with EN 1869:2019.
The tested series successfully passed the applicable cooking-oil and heptane fire-performance tests. This provides product-specific evidence for small, contained Class F cooking-oil and fat fires in restaurant and commercial-kitchen environments.
The result applies specifically to the tested complete DVM 1 × 1 m series. Fabric weight alone does not prove equivalent fire performance in an unrelated product.
Safety Bag or Premium Box?
Premium Box
A rigid Premium Box may be preferable in a commercial kitchen because it provides:
- permanent wall-mounted storage;
- strong visual recognition during service;
- additional protection for the packed blanket;
- a consistent location known to all staff; and
- a smooth external surface that can be cleaned carefully.
Safety Bag
A flexible Safety Bag may suit:
- small professional kitchens with limited wall space;
- mobile catering units;
- temporary food-service locations; and
- secondary risk areas where a compact format is preferred.
Neither format should be installed where it will be coated with grease, exposed to direct heat or obstructed by kitchen equipment.
Both versions must remain visible and immediately accessible.
Staff instruction and kitchen procedures
Commercial kitchens may employ permanent, temporary and seasonal staff. Clear instruction is therefore essential.
The responsible organisation should consider:
- fire-blanket instruction during staff induction;
- clear responsibility for raising the alarm;
- procedures for switching off gas, electricity and cooking equipment;
- coordination with fixed suppression systems;
- instructions in languages appropriate to the workforce;
- keeping exits and fire doors unobstructed;
- reporting damaged or missing fire-safety equipment; and
- recording every fire-blanket deployment or incident.
Staff should never assume that a fire blanket permits them to fight a growing or uncontrolled kitchen fire.
When should staff not use a fire blanket?
Do not attempt blanket deployment when:
- flames are spreading across several appliances;
- an extractor hood, duct, wall or ceiling is involved;
- burning oil is flowing or spreading;
- gas, pressurised equipment or fixed suppression systems are involved;
- the burning area cannot be covered completely;
- smoke or heat affects visibility or escape routes;
- evacuation is already underway; or
- personal safety is uncertain.
Follow the restaurant’s alarm, shutdown, suppression and evacuation procedures and contact the emergency services.
Inspection and replacement
DVM recommends a documented visual inspection at least once every year. High-use commercial kitchens may require more frequent checks because of heat, grease, steam and intensive daily activity.
Confirm that each blanket:
- remains at its designated location;
- is visible and unobstructed;
- has secure mounting and intact packaging;
- has undamaged and accessible pull tabs;
- has readable instructions and product identification;
- shows no grease, moisture or chemical contamination;
- has not been deployed or removed without authorisation; and
- is included in the kitchen’s inspection records.
Routine inspection should normally be performed without fully unfolding the blanket.
Replace a blanket after deployment on an actual fire. Do not wash, clean, repair or refold it for emergency reuse.
Fire Blanket Inspection & Maintenance →
Samenvatting
A fire blanket can provide effective first-response protection in a commercial kitchen when:
- the fire is small, contained and fully coverable;
- the blanket is visible and safely accessible;
- staff understand its operation and limitations;
- the correct size has been selected; and
- intervention does not delay evacuation or fixed suppression.
For many standard pan and cooking-oil risks, the DVM 1 × 1 m Fire Blanket Series provides compact, independently tested protection. Choose the 1.2 × 1.8 m version where greater coverage or clothing-fire preparedness is required.
Choose a fire blanket for your commercial kitchen
View the kitchen fire blanket guide →