Commercial kitchen gas installation guide

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This instructional video covers the
various Australian standards and Energy
Safe Victoria gas information sheets you
may need to consider when undertaking a
commercial kitchen installation.

It is intended to provide general information
and guidance about the applicable
Australian standards you will need to be
familiar with when installing commercial
kitchen appliances. It is not intended to
provide comprehensive instructions on
how to complete an installation.

The applicable Australian Standard is
AS/NZS5601.1 2022.

The video will cover the
most important aspects of a commercial
kitchen installation from the
perspective of this standard it will
also consider installation issues that
are most commonly the subject of
non-compliance when an installation is
inspected by Energy safe Victoria.

The relevant clauses covering each stage of
a kitchen installation are also featured
standard gas installations require you
to Lodge a compliance certificate with
the Victorian building authority.

Complex gas installations require you to seek
acceptance from Energy safe Victoria
prior to commissioning. You must also
submit a signed schedule 11 when you
complete the work.

Whether it's LPG or
Natural Gas Energy safe Victoria's
acceptance of a completed installation
is required before you can connect to
the gas supply. Energy Safe Victoria's
gas information sheet 33 will help you
identify if the installation is a
standard or a complex one.

First consider if the kitchen's
ventilation is adequate. The amount of
ventilation required depends on the type
and number of gas appliances to be
installed.

This requirement is covered by
Clause 6.4 it discusses the adequacy and
quality of the Air Supply and measures
needed to ensure an adequate supply of
fresh air is available to the kitchen's
Gas Appliances.

Inside the kitchen various standards apply to the
installation and connection of the
appliances. 

Inside the kitchen
various standards apply to the
installation and connection of the
appliances. 
Clause 5.2.9.2 now requires the installation of
either a quarter turn isolation valve or
emergency stop button and solenoid with
pressure proving where more than one
commercial catering Appliance is to be
connected in the kitchen 

Signage clearly identifying the isolation point will
also be required. An isolation valve must
Connect gas appliances in a commercial
kitchen this requirement is covered by
Clause's 6.6.3 and 6.6.4 4 which discuss the
means and type of isolation to use. It
will normally comprise a manual shut off
valve this valve must be accessible at
all times. 

Clause 1.3.1 defines what 'accessible' means.
Combustible walls around your gas
appliances must be protected with an
approved type of facing board. 

Clause 6.2.5 describes the temperature nearby
combustible surfaces are allowed to
reach. 

Appendix C defines the approved
types of fire resistant or
non-combustible material various methods
available to protect combustible
surfaces and the specifications of fire
resistant material must meet. For
appliances installed on a combustible
surface such as Timber floors refer
to Clause 6.10.2.4. 

Other aspects of the installation you must 
consider. The clearance between the gas appliances and
the wall behind them is important for
two main reasons. 

First, if the installation is against an unprotected
combustible wall the clearance must meet
the manufacturer's installation
instructions as per Clause 6.2.2,

Secondly clearance is required to avoid
crushing any gas components located
behind the appliance a bumper the same
size or greater than the required
clearance must be installed to maintain
the clearance at all times. This is
required regardless of whether the
appliance is on wheels or casters and
designed to be moved, or if it is on legs.

The minimum clearance between a gas
appliance and the extraction system's
grease filter is specified in Clause
6.10.2.2. This can range from 200
millimeters for a kebab cooker to 1350
millimeters for a Target top Chinese
cooking table griddle barbecue, Char
griller, Broiler or open top flare
griller Broiler. The minimum distance
between different gas appliances and the
grease filter vary depending on the type
of gas Appliance being installed. 

Refer to Clause 6.10.2.2 if you are 
unsure sure of the minimum clearance 

For each Appliance it
is also important to double check the
installation instructions what's
happening behind the appliance before
it's installed. 

There is a standard for every aspect of 
the plumbing fixtures fitted to support 
the appliance's installation. 

Appliance isolation is governed by clause 
6.6.3 and must be accessible and able to
be isolated. If a hose assembly is used
to connect a gas Appliance the isolation
must be located in accordance with
Clause 5.9.6. 

The hose assembly must be
installed forming a u-shape and be free
from any kinks or permanent deformation
in accordance with clause
6.10.2.7. 

In commercial kitchen
installations semi-rigid connectors can
only be used in accordance with clause
6.10.2.8.

In accordance with Clause
5.9.1 the hose must be one continuous
length and the clearance between the
hose assembly's bottom loop and the
floor must be at least 50 millimeters. 

An appliance regulator must be fitted to
each appliance as per Clause 6.6.5. It
must be installed as close as
practicable to the appliance and be
accessible for servicing and adjustment.

In accordance with Clause
6.2.14 a restraint must be fitted if an
appliance is connected by a hose
assembly and it is more than 20
kilograms and fitted with casters
rollers or wheels or can be slid out for
servicing. The restraint which is
attached to the wall must be shorter
than the hose assembly and strong enough
to not break when the appliance is moved.

A bumper must be fitted to ensure the
minimum clearance between the appliance
and the wall behind it is maintained at
all times and to ensure the hose
assembly is not damaged when the
appliance is moved back into position
against the wall. This is a requirement
regardless us of whether the appliance
is on wheels or casters and designed to
be moved or whether it is on legs.

Fittings installed on Appliance is
designed to be moved for cleaning must
meet various standards in accordance
with claws 6.2.13 a hose assembly must
be used to connect an appliance fitted
with casters rollers or Wheels. 

in accordance with clause 6.10.2.6
freestanding commercial catering
equipment with a connection point under
the equipment must not use a hose
assembly to connect to that point.

A gas Appliance designed to be moved can
only be connected to the consumer piping
using a hose assembly as per Clauses
5.3.7, 5.9.5, 5.9.6, 6.10.2.7, 6.2.13 
and 6.2.14.

The clearance between the bottom loop and 
the floor must be at least 50 millimeters. 

If an appliance weighs more than 20 kilograms an
appliance restraint must be fitted . It
must be shorter than the hose assembly
and strong enough to not break when the
appliance is moved as required by clause
6.2.14.

Note the position of the valve
and other components behind the
appliance if the appliance can be moved
this installation will be considered to
be compliant a bumper must be fitted
between the appliance and the wall
behind it to ensure the minimum
clearance is maintained and to make sure
that components behind the assembly are
not bumped kinked or damaged in any way
when the appliance is back against the
wall. 

In accordance with Clause's 6.2.2
6.2.5 and 6.10.2.3 there must be clearances on
either side of the appliance and between
the appliance and any benches or other
appliances installed beside it. Refer to
the manufacturer's installation
instructions. 

Clearances must either 
- meet the manufacturer's installation
instructions
- be sufficient to avoid nearby surfaces 
getting hotter than 65 degrees Celsius or 
- comply with the specifications of clause
6.10.2.3 for minimum clearances around
cooking surface areas. 

Avoiding the use
of combustible materials in benches is a
key requirement in a commercial kitchen
installation. Non-combustible bench
materials enable an efficient use of
space as zero clearances to appliances
are often allowable, depending on the
appliance manufacturer's requirements
and they do not present a fire risk.

Ensuring each stage of a job complies
with the relevant Australian Standard
is the most cost effective approach to a
commercial kitchen installation and the
safest. Rework to meet the standards
compliance requirements will cost you
time and money and you may incur a fine
from Energy Safe Victoria if your work
fails more than one inspection. Even
greater cost may be to your business
when loss of reputation is considered. 

By following these guidelines and improving
your knowledge of the applicable
Australian Standards, your installation
is more likely to be deemed compliant on
first inspection

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