In part one of this two part series we discussed ways to identify if your current system is a UL 300 system or not. If you have discovered that you are using an older system, then what should you do about it? Well our advice is to replace your old system with a new one that is UL 300 approved.
Before we get to the replacement question, here is a list of situations where most local governments will require the use of a UL 300 system.
Use of vegetable based oils in frying.
Any addition or change or any appliance from the original installation.
Any change to the hood or duct system.
The suppression system can no longer be maintained as required for 6 month maintenance due to the lack of available replacement parts or the servicing company refusing to service the out of date unit.
In addition, it is important to note that all dry chemical units are non-compliant as are the following wet chemical units unless modifications have been made:
Ansul R-102, all sizes 1988- 1995,
Ansul Steel tanks (red in color), all sizes 1988 – 2001,
Kidde Aqua Blue, all sizes 1988 – 1995,
Range Guard, all sizes 1977 – 1995.
Many of these UL 300 wet units can be upgraded, but the difference in cost between a new one and a retrofitted one is rarely more than 15% so most restaurants opt for the new system.
One last note about changing your system: If you do so, please remove any dry chemical fire extinguisher from the kitchen area as their interaction with the UL 300 liquid agents will serve to spread the fire rather than extinguish it. NFPA 10 requires that only K rate fire extinguishers be kept in your kitchen area.
In part 1 of this blog I mentioned that you there are ways to have someone else pay for the cost of replacing your old, noncompliant system with a newer UL 300 system. So how does that work? It’s simple really. There are many insurance companies out there that understand the value of the UL 300 system and as such will provide huge discounts for restaurants utilizing this newer system. We have seen these discounts more than pay for the upgrade of systems in our work. If your agent isn’t currently giving you the full discounts for your UL 300 system, you should choose an insurance company that values this safety feature and is willing to cut your insurance costs because you have it installed.
Clinard Insurance Group, Inc., is an independent insurance agency, located in Winston Salem, NC. We specialize in helping all kinds of restaurants all across NC and SC. If you need help with your restaurant insurance questions, or if you would like to see how much money you can save with our specialized restaurant insurance programs, please call us, toll free, at 877-687-7557 or visit us on the web at www.TheRestaurantInsuranceStore.com. We have several specialized insurance programs for the different types of restaurants out there so we should be able to find a solution that best suits your needs. Our special programs include our fine dining insurance package, our casual dining insurance package, our fast food insurance package, our bar and grill insurance package and our special insurance program for caterers.