Commercial kitchens are the highest fire-risk environment in most buildings. Grease-laden ductwork, open flames, high-temperature cooking equipment, and long operating hours create conditions that can turn a small flare-up into a serious fire within seconds. In Australia, grease-laden ductwork is the single most common cause of commercial kitchen fires, and the fire safety standards that apply to restaurants and cafes reflect that risk directly.
For restaurant owners, cafe operators, and the building owners who lease premises to hospitality businesses, understanding your fire safety obligations is not optional. Non-compliance exposes you to council enforcement, insurance complications, and liability in the event of a fire.
This guide covers the key fire safety requirements for restaurants and cafes in Australia, from wet chemical suppression and kitchen exhaust maintenance through to extinguisher selection, AFSS compliance, and the 2026 changes to AS 1851.
Running a restaurant or cafe in Australia? Fire Safe ANZ provides fire safety compliance services for hospitality businesses nationwide. Request a quote today
Fire safety in commercial kitchens is governed by three overlapping frameworks:
From 13 February 2026, all commercial kitchen fire protection systems listed on a building’s fire safety schedule in NSW must be maintained in accordance with AS 1851-2012. What was previously considered best practice is now the legal minimum, and failure to comply can invalidate your Annual Fire Safety Statement and expose you to council enforcement action.
A wet chemical fire suppression system is required above all commercial cooking equipment in Australia where a Type 1 exhaust hood is installed. This includes deep fryers, grills, wok burners, salamanders, and other high-temperature cooking equipment that generates grease-laden vapours.
Wet chemical suppression systems work by releasing a potassium-based solution that reacts with hot cooking oil to form a soap-like crust, smothering the fire and preventing re-ignition. They are specifically designed for Class F fires involving cooking oils and fats, which cannot be safely extinguished by standard water or dry chemical systems.
The wet chemical suppression system must be installed and certified before a commercial kitchen can open. From that point, it must be serviced every six months by a licensed fire protection technician in accordance with AS 1851. Every service visit must be documented in the maintenance logbook and records retained on site for a minimum of seven years.
A wet chemical system that has not been serviced is not just a compliance issue. If a grease fire occurs and the system fails to activate or discharges incorrectly, the consequences for the business and the building owner can be catastrophic.
Grease accumulation in kitchen exhaust ductwork is the primary fire risk in most commercial kitchens. AS 1851 Section 14 sets specific inspection and cleaning frequencies for kitchen exhaust systems based on the type and volume of cooking conducted:
The critical requirement most kitchen operators miss is that AS 1851 requires the entire exhaust pathway to be inspected and cleaned, not just the visible rangehood and filters. This means the canopy, baffle filters, plenum chamber, vertical and horizontal ductwork, fan housing, and the discharge point on the rooftop must all be inspected and any grease accumulation removed.
AS 1851 sets a maximum grease residue threshold of 2mm thickness on any internal surface of the exhaust system. If grease deposits exceed this level, the system is non-compliant regardless of when it was last cleaned.
The legal obligation for kitchen exhaust maintenance under AS 1851 switches on when the exhaust system is listed as a prescribed fire safety installation on the building’s fire safety schedule. Even where it is not explicitly listed, building owners and kitchen operators have a statutory duty of care under workplace health and safety legislation to minimise foreseeable fire risks. Insurers also routinely require evidence of kitchen exhaust cleaning, and policies may exclude cover for fire losses where cleaning has not been documented to an acceptable standard.
Every commercial kitchen requires a wet chemical fire extinguisher adjacent to or near the cooking station. Wet chemical extinguishers (identified by an oatmeal/beige band) are the only safe extinguisher type for Class F cooking oil fires. Using a water, CO2, or dry chemical extinguisher on a grease fire can cause a violent steam explosion or spread burning oil, making the situation significantly worse.
In addition to the wet chemical extinguisher at the cooking station, restaurants and cafes typically require:
All extinguishers must be selected and placed in accordance with AS 2444 and serviced every six months under AS 1851. For a full guide to extinguisher types and what each building needs, read: Fire Extinguisher Types Australia
Not sure if your kitchen has the right fire safety equipment correctly installed and serviced? Fire Safe ANZ can assess your premises and build a compliant maintenance program. Get in touch
Most commercial premises housing a restaurant or cafe will have a fire detection and alarm system linked to a Fire Indicator Panel (FIP). In kitchen environments, detector selection is particularly important: standard smoke detectors are not appropriate for kitchen areas due to the high levels of steam, smoke, and grease vapour generated during normal cooking operations, which can cause frequent false alarms.
Heat detectors or specialist cooking environment detectors are typically specified for kitchen areas, while smoke detectors are appropriate for dining rooms, storage areas, and offices.
All detection and alarm systems must be tested and maintained in accordance with AS 1851, with records documenting every inspection and any defects identified and rectified.
Restaurants and cafes must have emergency lighting and exit signs installed and maintained in accordance with AS 2293. In the event of a fire or power failure, these systems must activate automatically and maintain sufficient illumination for occupants to safely evacuate.
Evacuation diagrams must also be displayed in accordance with AS 3745, correctly oriented for each placement location and updated whenever the building layout, exit routes, or equipment locations change.
For venues with outdoor dining areas, terraces, or complex multi-level layouts, evacuation planning requires additional care to ensure all exit routes are clearly defined and occupants can reach the assembly area safely.
If the building your restaurant or cafe occupies has a fire safety schedule, the building owner is required to lodge an Annual Fire Safety Statement with council every 12 months. This covers all essential fire safety measures listed on the schedule, which in a commercial kitchen context typically includes the wet chemical suppression system, kitchen exhaust system, fire alarm system, extinguishers, emergency lighting, and any other installed systems.
Tenants operating a restaurant or cafe are responsible for the fire safety measures within their tenancy, including wet chemical suppression servicing and extinguisher maintenance. The building owner retains responsibility for base building systems and the AFSS lodgement itself, but this division of responsibility should be clearly established in the lease.
If you are a restaurant or cafe operator and unsure whether your building has a fire safety schedule or whether your landlord is managing AFSS compliance, contact Fire Safe ANZ and we can help you clarify your obligations.
For a full breakdown of AFSS obligations and the lodgement process, read:
Non-compliance with fire safety obligations in a hospitality setting can have serious consequences:
The cost of compliant maintenance is a small fraction of the cost of a single insurance dispute or a kitchen fire that spreads to the broader building.
Fire Safe ANZ provides fire safety compliance services for restaurants, cafes, and hospitality businesses across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, and beyond. Our services include:
Keep your kitchen compliant and your business protected. Call 1300 553 566 or request a quote online
