Key points
- Most kitchen compliance rests on a handful of laws: the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, COSHH (for legionella) and the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000.
- Many frequencies come from British Standards and industry guidance rather than the law itself. Where guidance is risk-based, your interval should follow your risk assessment and your competent person's advice.
- Insurers, landlords and environmental health officers will ask for evidence. A check that is not recorded is hard to prove.
- In a leased unit, agree in writing who owns each item. Gaps usually appear where both sides assume the other is doing it.
How to use this checklist
This checklist is for cafés, restaurants, contract catering kitchens and similar food businesses in the UK. It covers building and equipment compliance, plus the main food safety touchpoints that overlap with maintenance.
Work through it site by site. For each item, record who is responsible, the date of the last check, the date the next one is due, and where the certificate or report is kept. Then look at the gaps. Missing certificates and expired dates are the most common findings in audits and insurance surveys.
Some items are fixed by law. Others are set by a British Standard, an industry guide or your own risk assessment. The table below shows which is which, so you can tell a legal minimum from good practice.
The compliance schedule
Frequencies below are typical. Your risk assessment, the manufacturer's instructions, your insurer or a competent person may require something different.
| Item | Typical frequency or basis | Who does it | Law or standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas appliance and pipework safety inspection (catering gas safety record) | Annually is the industry norm; maintenance per manufacturer | Gas Safe registered engineer with commercial catering competence | Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, reg 35; BS 6173 |
| Gas interlock and ventilation check | At each gas inspection; daily user check that extract is running | Gas Safe engineer; staff for daily check | BS 6173; IGEM/UP/19 |
| Kitchen extract (canopy, filters, ductwork, fan) deep clean | Every 3, 6 or 12 months depending on daily cooking hours, or when grease deposits exceed limits | Specialist ventilation hygiene contractor | BESA TR19 Grease; RRFSO 2005 |
| Canopy grease filters | Cleaned frequently, often daily or weekly in busy kitchens | Kitchen staff | Manufacturer's guidance; TR19 Grease |
| Fixed electrical installation (EICR) | Interval set by the inspector; commonly up to 5 years for commercial premises | Qualified electrician | Electricity at Work Regulations 1989; BS 7671 |
| Portable appliance inspection and testing | Risk-based; kitchen equipment often more frequent than office items | Competent person | Electricity at Work Regulations 1989; IET Code of Practice |
| Fire risk assessment | Review regularly and after any significant change | Responsible person or competent fire risk assessor | Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 |
| Fire alarm user test | Weekly, a different call point each time | Trained staff | BS 5839-1 |
| Fire alarm service | At intervals not exceeding six months | Competent fire alarm engineer | BS 5839-1 |
| Emergency lighting | Monthly short functional test; annual full-duration test | Staff (monthly); competent person (annual) | BS 5266-1 |
| Fire extinguishers | Monthly visual check; annual basic service; extended service or overhaul at longer intervals | Staff; competent technician | BS 5306-3 |
| Fire suppression system over cooking line | Service per manufacturer, commonly every six months | Approved installer or servicer | Manufacturer's instructions; insurer requirements |
| Legionella risk assessment | Review regularly and whenever it may no longer be valid | Competent person | HSE ACOP L8; HSG274 Part 2; COSHH 2002 |
| Water temperature monitoring and flushing | Monthly sentinel outlet checks; weekly flushing of little-used outlets | Trained staff or water hygiene contractor | HSG274 Part 2 |
| Coffee machine and boiler pressure system examination | As set in the written scheme of examination | Competent person (often an engineering insurer's surveyor) | Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 |
| Refrigeration leak checks | Depends on refrigerant charge in tonnes CO2 equivalent: from every 12 months to every 3 months | F-gas certified engineer | GB F-gas regulations |
| Lifts, dumb waiters and lifting equipment | Thorough examination every 6 or 12 months depending on use | Competent person (usually insurer's engineer) | LOLER 1998 |
| Pest control | Routine visits under contract, plus reactive call-outs | Pest control contractor and staff | Retained Regulation (EC) 852/2004 Annex II |
| Food safety management system (HACCP) | Daily records; review when menus, processes or equipment change | Food business operator | Retained Regulation (EC) 852/2004, Article 5 |
Gas, ventilation and extract
Gas is the highest-consequence item in most kitchens. Regulation 35 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 requires employers to keep gas appliances, flues, pipework and safety devices maintained in a safe condition. The regulations do not set a fixed interval for non-residential premises, but an annual inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer is the accepted norm.
Gas and extract are linked. BS 6173 expects new and replacement installations to have an interlock, so gas cannot flow unless the mechanical extract is running. A blocked or greasy extract also creates a fire path from the cooking line to the roof.
Read more in our guides to gas safety in commercial kitchens and TR19 kitchen extract cleaning.
If you let a flat or rooms above the premises to staff or anyone else, landlord duties under regulation 36 may apply. That means a gas safety check every 12 months and a copy of the record given to the occupant.
Electrical safety
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical systems to be maintained so as to prevent danger. They do not name a test interval. In practice, an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) to BS 7671 is how you show the fixed wiring is safe. The inspector records the date of the next inspection on the report.
Portable appliances, from stick blenders to microwaves, need inspection and testing on a risk-based interval. Equipment that is moved, washed down or used hard needs checking more often than a desk lamp. Staff should also do a quick visual check before use. See our guide to EICR and PAT testing for businesses.
Fire safety
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and keep fire safety equipment maintained. Since October 2023, in England, every responsible person must record the full fire risk assessment, whatever the number of staff.
The usual testing pattern is a weekly fire alarm call point test, a six-monthly alarm service, monthly emergency lighting checks with an annual full-duration test, and annual extinguisher servicing. Many kitchens also have a wet chemical suppression system over the cooking line, which needs servicing by a competent contractor. Our guide to fire alarm and emergency lighting testing covers this in detail.
Water hygiene and pressure systems
Legionella control applies to any workplace with a hot and cold water system. HSE's ACOP L8 and HSG274 Part 2 set out a risk assessment, a written control scheme and routine temperature checks. Little-used outlets, such as a hand basin in a storeroom, need regular flushing. See our guide to legionella risk assessments for restaurants.
Espresso machines, steam ovens and some boilers are pressure systems. Under the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000, the user or owner needs a written scheme of examination drawn up by a competent person, and examinations carried out at the intervals it sets. If you lease machines, check the contract to see who arranges this. Our guide to espresso machine pressure systems and PSSR explains the duties.
An inspection label on a coffee machine is not enough. Keep a copy of the written scheme and the latest examination report on file for each machine.
Refrigeration, F-gas and lifting equipment
Refrigeration that contains fluorinated gases needs leak checks by an F-gas certified engineer. How often depends on the size of the charge measured in tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Under the GB rules, systems at or above 5 tonnes need checks at least every 12 months, at or above 50 tonnes every 6 months, and at or above 500 tonnes every 3 months. A fixed leak detection system can extend these intervals. Many small plug-in units fall below the threshold, so ask your engineer to confirm each system.
If you have a goods lift, dumb waiter or hoist, the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) require a thorough examination by a competent person. Equipment that lifts people needs examining every six months. Equipment that only lifts goods needs examining every 12 months, unless an examination scheme sets otherwise.
Food hygiene and pest control touchpoints
Food safety law requires food businesses to put in place and keep to procedures based on HACCP principles. The Food Standards Agency's Safer Food, Better Business packs are a common way to do this in smaller kitchens. Maintenance links in at several points: fridge and freezer temperatures, probe thermometer calibration, dishwasher rinse temperatures and the condition of surfaces.
Annex II of retained Regulation (EC) 852/2004 requires adequate procedures to control pests. Most operators use a contractor for routine visits and keep a pest control file on site. Proofing work, such as sealing gaps around pipes and fitting door brushes, is often a maintenance task, so make sure contractor recommendations become jobs that get done.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, chilled food that needs temperature control must generally be held at 8°C or below. Many kitchens aim for 5°C or below to give a margin. Faulty fridges are a maintenance issue and a food safety issue at the same time.
Keeping records that stand up
Inspectors and insurers want to see three things: that the check happened, that a competent person did it, and that any defects were put right. For each item, keep the certificate or report, the contractor's details and the record of remedial work.
For multi-site operators, the challenge is consistency. One site may be fully up to date while another has an EICR that lapsed last year. A single schedule across all sites, with due dates and owners, is the simplest way to stay ahead. Our PPM schedule template for multi-site operators is a good starting point.
Fabric FM keeps every site's certificates, due dates and contractor visits in one place, so a missing or expiring item shows up before it becomes a problem. It is in early access now; see how it works on our compliance management software page.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current regulations and guidance, or speak to a competent person, for your premises.
