Fire safety logs for restaurants, cafes and takeaways
Cooking is one of the most common ways fires start in food businesses. Fat and oil, gas and extraction systems need regular checks, and a busy dining room needs clear exits. A weekly log keeps it all in view.
First month £1, then £7.99 a month. Cancel any time to stop future charges. Payments are non-refundable.
Common fire risks in restaurants, cafes and takeaways
- Cooking fat and oil, fryers and grills
- Grease in extraction hoods and ducting
- Gas appliances, pipework and isolation valves
- Crowded dining rooms and large group bookings
- Stored stock, packaging and waste near exits
What your weekly check covers
Choose “Restaurants, cafes and takeaways” for your location in Pioneer Fire and your weekly check shows 40 questions across 6 groups. Here is a taste of each.
All premises
- Alarm tested and heard in all areas
- Escape routes and exits clear and unlocked while open
- Fire doors close fully and are not wedged open
9 questions in this group
Kitchen and catering
- Fire blanket in place, tapes hanging free, container undamaged
- Extinguisher suitable for the kitchen in place (wet chemical for fat, CO2 for electrical)
- Cooking appliances and fryers switched off and clean at close
7 questions in this group
Electrical equipment and charging
- Plugs, leads and cables undamaged, no scorch marks or burning smell
- Extension leads not overloaded or daisy-chained
- Portable appliance test labels in date, where you use them
7 questions in this group
Storage rooms and plant rooms
- Room kept tidy, stock stacked away from lights, heaters and electrical panels
- Flammable liquids, aerosols and gas cylinders stored correctly and away from heat
- Door kept closed or locked as intended, and fire door closes fully
5 questions in this group
Outside areas and waste
- Bins and waste skips kept away from the building, not against walls or windows
- Waste not allowed to build up in or near exits
- External exit routes and fire exit doors clear, including gates and steps
5 questions in this group
Pubs, bars and restaurants
- Customer exits and escape routes clear and doors open easily from the inside without a key while open
- Fire exits not blocked by furniture, stools, queue barriers, bins or deliveries
- Cellar and bottle store routes clear, with stock kept off the floor near exits
7 questions in this group
Training and drills
Tap-to-add topics for your team, drill timings and headcounts, and staff confirm attendance by QR code or PIN.
- What the alarm sounds like
- Where the exits and assembly point are
- What to do on discovering a fire
- Using extinguishers and fire blankets
- Roll call and who is in charge
- Isolating gas and fryers safely
- Wet chemical extinguishers and fire blankets for cooking fires
- Clearing front of house and the kitchen
- Managing large groups and bookings
Equipment to keep track of
Add service dates to the register. Overdue items are flagged, and we email you before they lapse.
- Fire extinguisher
- Fire alarm panel
- Call point
- Smoke or heat detector
- Emergency light
- Fire door
- Fire blanket
- Kitchen extraction and ducting
- Gas shut-off valve or interlock
- Gas safety inspection
- Fixed wiring inspection (EICR)
Risk assessment prompts for restaurants, cafes and takeaways
The worksheet follows the five steps in GOV.UK guidance and gives example prompts like these. It helps you record an assessment. It is not a substitute for a competent assessor where you need one.
- e.g. cooking equipment, fryers, gas appliances, candles, extraction systems
- e.g. cooking fat and oil, grease in ducting, packaging, linen, furniture
- e.g. diners, kitchen and front of house staff, delivery drivers, anyone upstairs
- e.g. diners with limited mobility, children, large group bookings
- e.g. who isolates gas and fryers, clears the dining room, calls 999 and takes the roll
Try it on paper first
Download the free restaurants, cafes and takeaways sample pack: a printable weekly check, drill and training sheet, equipment register and risk assessment prompts, using the same questions as the website.
Questions from restaurants, cafes and takeaways
What fire safety checks does a restaurant kitchen need?
Check the fire blanket and the right extinguisher are in place, fryers and cooking equipment are off and clean at close, extraction filters are free of grease, and you know where the gas and electrical cut-offs are.
Which extinguisher is right for cooking oil?
Wet chemical extinguishers are made for cooking fat and oil. A fire blanket can help with small pan fires. Never use water on a fat or oil fire.
What fire records should a restaurant keep?
Your fire risk assessment, weekly checks, servicing for the alarm, lighting, extinguishers and gas, extraction cleaning records, and staff training and drills.
Articles for restaurants, cafes and takeaways
General information based on GOV.UK guidance and common practice. It is not legal advice or a fire risk assessment. Your own fire risk assessment sets what applies to your premises.