All kitchens should be properly ventilated, whether it be at a busy restaurant or your own home. However, commercial kitchen ventilation takes a lot more thought than a simple extractor fan.
The potential dangers and risks of working in a commercial kitchen are always hammered home by health and safety workers and for good reason. The gas from cookers combined with the steam from boiling water and dishwashers creates an atmosphere that is just waiting for disaster.
The most important job of any commercial kitchen ventilation system is to remove the potentially poisonous combustable gasses out of the space and into a safe area. Therefore the extractor systems need to be working and on at all times to comply with health and safety regulations. These systems also need to be kept clean at all times to ensure they can function properly, meaning kitchen staff have a responsibility to run a tight ship, for their own safety if nothing else.
An important thing to remember is that when extractor fans take gas out of a kitchen, they also take air with it too. This air then needs to be replaced which means proper ventilation is required. Windows are obviously best, but some kitchens use grilles to bring air into the space which can work just as well.
There are various types of commercial ventilation systems available. For instance, you can have them mounted on a wall in the kitchen or integrated into an island, meaning you have some options with your design.
Grease filters need to be fitted to any commercial ventilation systems to comply with health and safety and ensure the flow of air remains constant. Baffle grease filters are ideal as mesh filters are now illegal in commercial kitchens as they can often become worn down if not properly maintained.
We have more information on commercial kitchen design and can also divert you to some of the leading suppliers and fitters of commercial kitchen ventilation systems currently available online.