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Writing insurance on Bars & Restaurants doesn’t have to be overly difficult, but like any industry there are nuances to the loss control and underwriting criteria. One question that frequently comes up is the presence of a UL300 fire suppression system. Here is some basic information about UL300 systems that may help you in the underwriting and placement process.

What is a UL300 system?

UL 300 is a fire testing standard administered by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). In order for appliance companies to receive UL labels on their products, each individual model must be submitted to Underwriters Laboratories for testing. The appliances must meet specific requirements in order to be approved and certified as UL 300.

Why have a UL 300 System?

Before 1994, most commercial cooking involved animal fat. The deep fryers that were used were poorly insulated which made cooking temperatures inconsistent and in-efficient. The extinguishing unit that protected those kitchens was a dry-chemical system which would smother the fire. Today, vegetable oils are used in commercial cooking and they heat to cooking temperatures quickly. Today’s deep fryers have excellent heat retention and are well insulated. Dry chemical systems are no longer capable of extinguishing and sustaining an extinguished fire. UL 300 systems use wet chemicals which serve two purposes: 1.) To smoother the fire, similar to the way dry chemicals did; and 2.) To cool the liquids so they don’t re-ignite, something dry chemical systems couldn’t do. Although a system might be labeled as wet chemical, it may not necessarily be rated to the UL-300 standard. If you have any questions about your system, contact your suppression service company.

How to recognize an approved UL300 system when inspecting a prospect's establishment:

• Nozzles located in the hood and duct
• Nozzles located over each cooking appliance
• Manual pull station
• Automatic fuel shut-offs for gas and electric
• UL 300-compliant wet chemical extinguishing system
• Wet chemical extinguishing system serviced semi-annually by an authorized licensed service company
• Hood and duct maintenance and cleaning semi-annually by an authorized licensed service company
• Baffle filter cleaning recommended weekly