Kitchen Fire Suppression System Inspection Checklist, Free PDF
Free kitchen fire suppression inspection checklist PDF. Daily, monthly and semi-annual checks for NFPA 96 and 17A, plus what to do after a discharge.
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Mark each task Done, Problem or N/A. Your answers are saved in this browser only, so you can come back to them. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Daily kitchen checks 0/10
At opening or closing, every day
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Manual pull station visible, unblocked and on the exit path
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Pull station pin and tamper seal in place
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Every appliance in its marked spot, beneath its nozzle
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No appliance added, swapped or moved under the hood
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Blow-off cap on every nozzle, no heavy grease on nozzles
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All hood filters in place and seated with no gaps
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No grease dripping from the hood or pooling on it
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Class K extinguisher within 30 feet, mounted and unblocked
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Class K placard posted, activate the system first
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Gas shutoff for the cooking line accessible
Monthly owner inspection 0/10
Once a month, by the owner or manager
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Protected hazard unchanged, same hood, appliances and layout
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Agent cylinder gauge, if fitted, reads in the green
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Cylinder, piping and conduit free of damage or corrosion
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Detection line and visible fusible links intact, not heavily greased
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Tamper seals on the control head and cylinder intact
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Contractor service tag legible and dated within 6 months
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Nozzles in place, aimed at their appliances and capped
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Class K extinguisher gauge in range, tag current
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Hood and duct cleaning certificate current for your volume
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Any defect reported to the contractor, with the date
Semi-annual contractor service 0/10
At least every 6 months, by a certified technician
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Service done by a certified technician
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Automatic operation tested from the last fusible link
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Remote manual pull station tested and actuates the system
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Gas and electric to every hood appliance shut off on actuation
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Gas and power reset manually only, no automatic restart
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Fusible links replaced per code and manufacturer
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Agent cylinder fill and expellant charge checked
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Nozzles cleaned, capped and aimed to the current layout
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Tamper seals replaced and a new service tag attached
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Written report received, deficiencies listed with a fix date
After discharge, records and compliance 0/8
After any discharge, and reviewed once a year
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No cooking until the system is recharged and reset
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Technician replaces fusible links and nozzle caps before reset
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Wet chemical residue cleaned with gloves, per the manufacturer
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Fire department and insurer notified as required
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System listed to UL 300, older dry chemical systems flagged
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Agent cylinder hydrostatic test current
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Every cook and closer trained, system first, then Class K
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Reports, tags, monthly logs and repairs filed
In MaintainIQ a problem can become a follow-up task that stays open until it is fixed.
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Kitchen fire suppression systems rarely fail because the equipment is faulty. More often, the kitchen changed around them: a fryer pushed back off its nozzle after cleaning, a new range added under the hood, a pull station hidden behind a speed rack, or a service tag that quietly expired months ago. When a grease fire starts, none of that can be fixed in the seconds that matter. The fix is a routine: daily eyes on the basics, a documented monthly owner inspection, and semi-annual contractor service you actually check.
This Kitchen Fire Suppression System Inspection Checklist gives restaurants and commercial kitchens one routine built around NFPA 96 and NFPA 17A: daily kitchen checks, the monthly owner inspection, semi-annual contractor service, and what to do after a discharge, plus the records the fire marshal and your insurer will ask for.
Run this checklist on any phone or tablet with MaintainIQ, the checklist and maintenance app for single and multi-location operators.
What’s inside this checklist
- Daily kitchen checks: Pull station access and seal, appliance position under the nozzles, nozzle caps, hood filters, and the Class K extinguisher and placard.
- Monthly owner inspection: Hazard unchanged, gauge in range, tamper seals intact, service tag current, grease on nozzles and links, and a dated inspection record.
- Semi-annual contractor service: Fusible link and pull station tests, gas and power shutoff, link replacement, cylinder checks, nozzle aiming, and the written report.
- After discharge, records and compliance: Recharge before cooking, residue cleanup, notifications, UL 300 status, hydrostatic testing, staff training, and filing.
Why fire suppression inspections matter
- Kitchens change, systems do not: Each nozzle is aimed at a specific appliance. Move, swap or add equipment under the hood and the system may no longer cover the fire it was designed for.
- Grease is the enemy: Grease on nozzles and fusible links can block discharge or delay detection, and grease in the hood and ducts is what turns a pan fire into a building fire. Suppression inspections and hood and exhaust cleaning work as a pair.
- The owner inspection is yours: NFPA 17A puts a monthly inspection on the owner, separate from the contractor’s semi-annual service. A gauge out of range or a broken seal caught in week two is fixed before it matters.
- Shutoff is half the system: Suppression only works if gas and power to the cooking line shut off on actuation and stay off until manually reset. That interlock has to be tested, not assumed.
- Records protect you: Fire marshals and insurers ask for current service tags, contractor reports and monthly logs. A missing record can mean a citation, or a disputed claim after a fire.
Fire suppression inspection quick reference
| CHECK | HOW OFTEN | WHO |
|---|---|---|
| Pull station, appliance position, nozzle caps | Daily | Kitchen lead or closer |
| Gauge, seals, service tag, hazard unchanged | Monthly | Owner or manager |
| Full system test and fuel and power shutoff | Every 6 months | Certified contractor |
| Fusible link replacement | At least annually* | Certified contractor |
| Hood and duct cleaning | Monthly to annually, by cooking volume | Certified hood cleaner |
| Agent cylinder hydrostatic test | Every 12 years | Certified contractor |
Reflects NFPA 96 (ventilation control and fire protection of commercial cooking operations), NFPA 17A (wet chemical extinguishing systems), UL 300, and NFPA 10 for the Class K extinguisher. *Fusible link intervals vary by code edition and manufacturer. Your local fire marshal may set stricter requirements, so confirm the edition your jurisdiction has adopted and follow the system manufacturer’s manual.
How to use this checklist
- Every day: Have the opening or closing lead check pull station access, appliance positions, nozzle caps, filters and the Class K extinguisher. The fire extinguisher inspection checklist covers the monthly extinguisher check.
- Every month: Have the manager run the owner inspection (gauge, seals, tag and hazard unchanged), then initial and date the record.
- Every 6 months: Be on site for contractor service, watch the shutoff test, and file the written report with any deficiencies. Our guide to fire suppression system maintenance for commercial kitchens explains what that service should cover.
- Or go digital with MaintainIQ: Run the daily and monthly checks on a schedule with reminder emails, add photos of gauges and tags as proof, turn a failed item into a work order, and set up the semi-annual service as a recurring job with your contractor, across every location.
Go digital with MaintainIQ
Paper tags and clipboard logs cannot tell you a fryer was rolled back off its nozzle last night, they do not remind anyone the monthly inspection is due, and they are the first thing missing when the fire marshal asks for records. MaintainIQ replaces them with scheduled daily and monthly inspections on any phone or tablet, with the name of whoever submitted each one and the time, photos as proof of gauges, seals and service tags, work orders when something fails, the contractor and service history kept with the equipment and vendor records, and past records you can export for any date range. Whether you run one kitchen or a hundred, it is a checklist and maintenance app for multi-location operators that keeps every suppression system checked and every record ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does a kitchen fire suppression system need to be inspected?
At two levels. NFPA 96 requires inspection and service by a trained, certified technician at least every 6 months, and NFPA 17A expects the owner or a designee to inspect the system monthly. Many kitchens add a quick daily check of the pull station, nozzle caps and appliance positions. Your local fire marshal may require more.
What does a monthly owner inspection include?
Confirm the system is in place and the cooking line under the hood has not changed, the cylinder gauge reads in range, tamper seals are intact, there is no visible damage, and the contractor's service tag is current. Initial and date a record each month.
What happens if I move or replace a cooking appliance?
Each nozzle is designed and aimed for a specific appliance and position. If you move, swap or add equipment under the hood, call your fire suppression contractor before cooking on it, because the nozzle layout may need to change for the system to cover the new hazard.
What should I do after the system discharges?
Stop cooking and keep gas and power off. The system must be recharged and reset by a certified technician before you cook again. Clean the wet chemical residue with gloves following the manufacturer's guidance, and notify your fire department and insurer as your jurisdiction and policy require.