Stay compliant with the vacuum extraction services from ACS Cleaning
Insurers of food manufacturing facilities increasingly make a planned maintenance strategy a condition of cover, and will often ask to see evidence that ductwork cleaning has been carried out.
There’s a legal side too. Under fire safety legislation, including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO), the responsible person must assess and reduce fire risks on their premises. Fat, grease and product residues building up inside extract and ventilation ductwork are a serious fire risk, because a fire can spread through the duct network and into other parts of the building.
TR19®, published by BESA (the Building Engineering Services Association), is the leading industry guidance on cleaning ventilation and grease extract systems. Working to it shows insurers, auditors and fire risk assessors that ductwork is being managed properly, and it also supports food safety by keeping contamination from HVAC systems and airborne residues out of food production areas.
We’re often called in after an incident or near miss has already happened. Like many of our clients, this manufacturer recognised that prevention is far more effective, and more cost-efficient, than reacting once something has gone wrong.
We put together a planned ductwork inspection and cleaning programme tailored to the client’s site. Our experienced team carried out a thorough clean of the extraction and ventilation system in line with TR19® guidance, removing grease, dust, product residues and other combustible contaminants from the ductwork.
As with all our work, site-specific RAMS were prepared in advance, and the team arrived on site with a folder containing all the documentation the client needed for their permits.
Once the work was complete, the client received a detailed service report with photographic evidence showing the standard achieved. This documentation supports:
A planned ductwork cleaning programme reduces fire risk, supports compliance with TR19® and fire safety legislation, and gives insurers the documented evidence they ask for. Regular maintenance also improves food safety, helps extraction systems run efficiently and supports successful audit outcomes.
Just as importantly, it helps avoid unplanned downtime and costly emergency repairs, protecting both business continuity and day-to-day production.
“Really impressed with yourselves. The RAMS and level of detail involved was excellent, and the guys coming to site with the folder with everything in was really helpful for us to refer to when doing permits etc.
The guys were fantastic, had no issues with them at all, very informative of what they were doing and just wanted to get on with the job.
Overall I was really happy with how things went and I’m sure we will be using yourselves again!”
Food manufacturer
