When electricity is hard to reach, LPG catering equipment is the go-to for outdoor caterers. There is some great equipment out there, whether fryers, ranges, griddles, hobs, or even bain maries. It’s not always as easy as it seems, though. Before you purchase and play, there are some things to consider: the quality of the equipment you’re buying, any safety regulations you may be subject to, maintenance, and staff training. For a successful operation, think carefully about these.
Quality
There is a lot of choice out there, but not all LPG equipment is well-designed for outdoor use. Before you purchase, make sure you have read the spec sheet and found confirmation that your equipment is suitable for outdoor catering. Be particularly careful if you’re purchasing fryers for van catering, as not all fryers are able to withstand the movement they are subjected to.
Ventilation
Outdoor catering doesn’t always mean “out in the open” catering. Is there enough ventilation to operate the equipment you’re choosing? Does it require more ventilation than you actually have if, for example, you’re operating out of a festival tent?
Safety & Regulations
To comply with all health and safety regulations, you must:
- Have aGas Safe Certification on your appliances, i.e. you need to get them checked by a Gas Safe engineer
- Carry out a Risk Assessment and Method Statement to use the equipment at the outdoor event.
- Become familiar with any particular regulations of the event that you’re catering for, including their fire safety plans
- Make sure that you have a log of daily inspections of your equipment and carry out daily inspections to secure the safety of your hoses and cylinders
- Have an appropriate fire extinguisher and/or blanket nearby
- Be able to provide proof of staff training on how to safely operate your LPG equipment.
Setup and Operation
Always set up your equipment on a flat, level surface. Make sure any stands & tables are on even floors and that you have wind guards to protect open flames. When setting up your LPG catering equipment outdoors, also ensure that there is plenty of space between other heat sources and your cylinders. Cooking environments can vary quite a lot in mobile catering, so pay particular attention to this. Before you begin cooking, do a full check-up on connections and hoses to identify any potential leaks. Be aware of where fire exits, fire extinguishers and fire marshals are, just in case of an emergency.
Maintenance
It is imperative that you keep your equipment well-maintained. Always clean it down properly, including the burners and jets, to avoid blockages. Replace any damaged hoses, connections, regulators and any other components as soon as you find a fault in them, and have your equipment checked regularly by a Gas Safe engineer. This applies to cylinders as well as your LPG mobile catering equipment. You will be required to show a maintenance log, so make sure that you keep one where you can show your equipment is checked and fixed regularly by appropriately qualified technicians. Failure to do so could void your insurance, should it ever come to this.
Staff Training
Being able to prove that your staff are trained to use LPG catering equipment safely is actually a legal requirement, so make sure you do train your staff and that you have a log book to show anyone who might want to check. Training includes safe equipment handling, safely changing and checking cylinders and emergency procedures in case something should go wrong. This is also incredibly important in terms of Insurance and Liability. You will require this in order to operate in most outdoor catering environments, and if your staff is not trained, this could also void your insurance.
In Short:
Do’s
- Only ever use LPG catering equipment that is specifically certified for outdoor use
- Make sure gas cylinders are always on firm, flat ground, upright and away from open flames
- Keep a fire extinguisher or fire blanket within easy reach
- Always check all hoses and connections before use to make sure they’re safe
- Always make sure you’re using the right pressure for the equipment as specified
- Always follow the manual instructions
- Test connections every time you replace a cylinder
- Make sure your equipment is certified
- Use gas-certified technicians to make adjustments to your cylinders/equipment
- Always turn off the gas at the cylinder when the equipment is not in use
- Train your staff
- Keep training and maintenance logs
- Apply for all appropriate licences and certifications
Don’ts
- Never use damaged hoses, connectors or regulators
- Never place cylinders next to heat sources
- Never place cylinders on unstable surfaces or at oblique angles
- Never use indoor-rated LPG equipment outdoors
- Never lay hoses across floors where people are likely to walk or trip
- Never bury hoses under floors where people are likely to walk
- Never leave LPG equipment unattended and switched on
- Never cook with open flames next to flammable material, e.g. under awnings
- Never chain cylinders together
It seems like there’s a lot to do and keep in mind. The dream of running a mobile catering van or providing catering at festivals might feel a little dampened after reading this. It is important to be aware, though, that in handling LPG, there is actually quite a lot of responsibility, and it is exactly by taking these precautions that we ensure that 99% of the time, there are no accidents at festival sites and other outdoor events.
If you need mobile catering equipment or would like some further information, call us anytime on 0121 399 0016 or get in touch with us by clicking here.
