Commercial Kitchen Deep Clean SWMS

Commercial kitchen deep cleaning covers the periodic decontamination of exhaust canopies, grease ducts, plenum chambers, ovens, deep fryers, combi-steamers, salamanders and tiled floors using caustic and solvent-based degreasers, pressurised hot water and mechanical agitation. The work is routinely undertaken after trading hours when residual heat from cooking equipment remains above 60°C, surfaces are saturated with carbonised grease, and ducted plenums may meet the definition of a confined space under WHS Regulation 2025 Part 4.3. Because tasks involve hazardous chemicals (Part 7.1), potential confined space entry (Part 4.3), working at height on canopies and roof-mounted fans (Part 4.4) and contact with hot surfaces, a documented Safe Work Method Statement is mandatory before work commences. The PCBU must consult with workers, the kitchen operator and any building controller, then keep the SWMS available for inspection for the duration of the work and for two years after any notifiable incident.

Hazards identified

7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.

1. 1Elimination — Where possible, replace manual duct scraping with steam-injection cleaning systems that remove the need for worker entry into the duct envelope entirely.
2. 2Elimination — Schedule deep clean a minimum of six hours after gas and electrical equipment shutdown so residual surface temperatures fall below 40°C before contact cleaning begins.
3. 3Substitution — Replace sodium hydroxide foaming degreasers (pH 13+) with citrus-terpene or potassium-soap formulations rated pH 11 or lower where soil load permits effective cleaning.
4. 4Substitution — Substitute petrol pressure washers operating indoors with electric hot-water units to eliminate carbon monoxide accumulation in enclosed kitchen spaces.
5. 5Engineering — Install mechanical extraction or portable HEPA-carbon ventilation during chemical application; lock out and tag energy isolation points on all cooking equipment per AS/NZS 4836.
6. 6Engineering — Use bunded chemical decanting stations, drip trays under fryer drain points and anti-slip matting on wet zones to control grease-water runoff across walkways.
7. 7Administrative — Conduct a pre-start SWMS sign-on, confined space risk assessment and atmospheric gas test (O2, LEL, CO) before any duct entry; issue confined space permit valid for the shift only.
8. 8Administrative — Implement a two-person buddy system with a dedicated standby attendant outside any duct or plenum entry, equipped with retrieval line and radio communication.
9. 9PPE — Chemical-splash goggles to AS/NZS 1337.1, full-face shield, nitrile chemical gauntlets to AS/NZS 2161.10.1, alkali-resistant apron and slip-rated R12 footwear to AS/NZS 2210.3.
10. 10PPE — Half-face respirator with ABEK-P3 cartridges to AS/NZS 1716 for caustic mist exposure; upgrade to supplied-air respirator where duct entry occurs or LEV is unavailable.

Applicable Codes of Practice

Worked example

A two-person crew arrives at a 220-seat suburban club kitchen at 11pm for a quarterly deep clean of the cooking line, two exhaust canopies and 6m of grease ducting to the rooftop fan. The supervisor opens the Commercial Kitchen Deep Clean SWMS on a tablet at the pass and runs the pre-start brief. Working through the hazard register, both workers confirm the char-grill was shut down at 9pm but the supervisor uses an infrared thermometer and records a cast iron surface temperature of 78°C — above the 40°C control threshold — so the team reorders the task sequence to start with the fryers and canopies while the grill cools. The SWMS confined space control directs the supervisor to gas-test the duct at the access panel; O2 reads 20.9%, LEL 0%, so a confined space permit is issued for the shift with the second worker assigned as standby attendant on a radio. Both sign on electronically, acknowledging the caustic degreaser SDS and the ABEK-P3 respirator requirement. Mid-task, the standby worker notices the LEV fan tripping intermittently. Following the SWMS during-task adjustment trigger, work stops, the duct entry is evacuated, an electrician is called, and the variation is recorded against the SWMS before recommencement at reduced caustic concentration with portable extraction repositioned at the canopy mouth.

Related legislation

• WHS Act 2011 (model)
• WHS Regulation 2025
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals CoP

Frequently asked questions