With several kitchen exhaust-related fires occurring within the past year here, it is time for a long, hard look at the set-ups of commercial kitchen exhaust systems.
Current regulations state that kitchen exhaust ductworks need to be cleaned frequently and that effective filtration systems should be in place to minimise the environmental impact of kitchen exhaust discharge, which mainly comprises oil and grease.
To further encourage fire risk mitigation and environmental responsibility, perhaps grants or subsidies could be introduced to help with the initial cost of setting up such systems, similar to the Productivity and Innovation Credit scheme.
Given the rising occurrence of kitchen fires, we should definitely take a more comprehensive look at minimising or eliminating fire risk.
Nathaniel Han