HSE's kitchen ventilation guidance addresses cleanability and access to limit grease accumulation. gas-safety guidance for catering also covers regular duct cleaning against fat and grease build-up. Translate that guidance into an accessible, system-specific maintenance programme.
Use inspections to set the interval
Record cooking methods, appliances, operational hours and earlier cleaning findings. Require the competent specialist to explain the inspection regime and how observed deposits determine cleaning decisions.
A move from occasional preparation to daily frying changes the operating basis. Reassess the system and interval accordingly. Heavy deposits recurring ahead of planned cleaning also warrant review rather than automatic renewal of the same dates.
Assign filter cleaning and specialist duct cleaning as distinct tasks. Follow equipment instructions for routine work and make responsibilities explicit; completion of one activity is not evidence of the other.
Define the quotation and work window
Specify included system sections, access methods and exclusions in the quotation. Missing panels or duct routes through another occupier’s space may require work or permissions before the proposed clean is deliverable.
Plan closure, protection of food and equipment, waste handling, reassembly and return-to-use checks together. The operational window must allow reinstatement after cleaning so the kitchen’s restart does not rely on an unfinished handover.
Keep evidence that supports the next decision
Require system identification, section-by-section coverage, before-and-after evidence and inaccessible areas. Location references make images useful. Separate defects needing repair from grease or other deposits removed during the attendance.
Use the report to review future inspection and cleaning dates. Include any insurer-specific evidence requirement in the instruction beforehand. Completion records must reveal sections still outstanding as well as those cleaned.
Frequently asked questions
Is annual cleaning always enough?
No. Assess use, build-up and applicable requirements against observed condition. An annual booking is not evidence that the interval suits every kitchen.
Does cleaning the filters cover the ductwork?
No. Ductwork and filters need separately defined activities. Preserve that distinction in both the schedule and the evidence returned after cleaning.
What if the contractor cannot reach part of the duct?
Identify the section and access obstacle, then agree remedial access or further work. A finished attendance cannot count an unvisited section as clean.
Related help
Coordinate Kitchen Extract, Ventilation and Duct Cleaning and Planned Preventative Maintenance as required; the Knowledge Centre provides further planning guidance.
Review the wider scope through all services, maintenance, projects, sectors and locations.
