Commercial Kitchen Exhaust / Canopy Cleaning SWMS
SWMS template for commercial kitchen exhaust / canopy cleaning. Covers AS 1851 servicing, chemical degreasing, access to ducts.. 8-state AU coverage, CIH-reviewed editable DOCX, available as an instant download.
SWMS variants reference your state’s WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
Commercial kitchen exhaust and canopy cleaning is a high-risk maintenance activity governed by AS 1851-2012 (Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment) and AS/NZS 1668.1/1668.2 for ventilation integrity. Workers degrease canopies, filters, riser ducts and rooftop fans using caustic chemicals at elevated temperatures, frequently working at heights on plant decks and inside restricted duct sections heavily loaded with combustible grease residue. The work meets the WHS Regulation 2011 r291 definition of High Risk Construction Work where it involves work at heights above 2 metres, potential confined space entry into duct runs, and operations adjacent to live gas-fired cooking equipment. A documented SWMS is mandatory under r299 before work commences and must be available for inspection by the PCBU, principal contractor and regulator. This template addresses the AS 1851 servicing interval evidence, hazardous chemical handling under the Hazardous Chemicals schedule, and the energy isolation steps required before any access panel is removed.
Hazards identified
7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Flash fire or duct fire causing severe burns, structure damage and potential fatality under uncontrolled fuel-load conditions
Full-thickness chemical burns, corneal scarring and permanent vision loss from splash or aerosolised contact
Fatal or catastrophic injury from unprotected edges, fragile roof sheeting or unstable ladder placement on greasy surfaces
Asphyxiation, entrapment or chemical vapour overexposure in oxygen-deficient or unventilated atmospheres without rescue provision
Electrocution or arc flash injury when wet cleaning energised equipment without verified isolation and lockout
Contact burns to hands and forearms from cooking surfaces, flue collars and lighting ballasts not adequately cooled
Musculoskeletal injury, fractures or chemical exposure from falls onto contaminated tiled or stainless surfaces
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1Elimination — Schedule cleaning outside kitchen trading hours with all gas appliances cold, isolated at the manual shut-off valve and confirmed dead before any canopy access.
- 2Elimination — Remove combustible grease loading by mechanical scraping before any heat-generating tool is introduced, eliminating the fuel source for ignition.
- 3Substitution — Substitute solvent-based degreasers with lower-hazard alkaline emulsifiers (pH ≤ 12) selected per the SDS and Hazardous Chemicals Schedule.
- 4Substitution — Use telescopic duct cleaning rods and rotary brushes in lieu of body-entry confined space access wherever duct geometry permits.
- 5Engineering — Install bunded catch trays beneath canopies and on rooftop fan bases to capture chemical run-off and prevent migration to electrical equipment.
- 6Engineering — Apply lockout-tagout to fan isolators, gas valves and lighting circuits, verified with a test instrument before access panels are removed.
- 7Administrative — Conduct documented pre-start brief covering this SWMS, AS 1851 service record, confined space permit and emergency egress route with all workers signing on.
- 8Administrative — Maintain a fire watch with a 9 kg dry powder extinguisher and fire blanket positioned at the canopy for the duration of the task and 30 minutes after.
- 9PPE — Issue chemical-splash goggles to AS/NZS 1337.1, face shield, nitrile chemical gauntlets, alkali-resistant apron and slip-rated boots to AS/NZS 2210.3.
- 10PPE — Provide P2 respiratory protection to AS/NZS 1716 when aerosolising degreaser inside duct runs, with fit-test records retained on the worker file.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Mandates inspection frequency, grease deposition measurement and record-keeping for kitchen exhaust hoods, ducts and discharge points.
Triggers fall control duties for rooftop exhaust fan access above 2 metres, including edge protection and fragile roof traversal procedures.
Applies where duct entry exceeds the confined space definition, requiring entry permit, atmospheric testing and standby rescue arrangements.
Governs caustic degreaser storage, SDS register, manifest quantities and worker health monitoring under WHS Regulation Chapter 7.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
Rooftop exhaust fan servicing and canopy access from step platforms routinely exceeds 2 metres with greasy surfaces increasing fall likelihood.
Body entry into horizontal duct runs and risers to remove grease deposits meets the AS 2865 confined space definition.
Wet cleaning adjacent to exhaust fan motors, lighting circuits and gas solenoid valves involves proximity to energised services requiring isolation.
PCBU must prepare, consult workers on and retain this SWMS for the duration of the work plus two years post-incident; penalties for Category 1 breaches are substantial and indexed annually under the prevailing WHS schedule.
Who this is for
- →Commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning contractors and technicians
- →Facilities managers for hospitality and aged-care kitchens
- →Fire safety servicing companies delivering AS 1851 routines
- →Principal contractors coordinating fit-out cleaning subcontractors
What you receive
- ✓Editable DOCX template — Microsoft Word compatible
- ✓State-specific WHS legislation schedule (NSW/VIC/QLD/SA/WA/TAS/NT/ACT)
- ✓Hazard register with risk ratings + hierarchy-of-control mapping
- ✓Worker sign-on register, pre-start checklist, and incident escalation flow
Worked example
At a quarterly service for a 24-hour hospital kitchen, the lead technician arrives at 23:00 once the line is closed. Before tools come off the van, the crew gathers at the canopy for the pre-start brief and opens this SWMS on a tablet. They walk through each hazard row — confirming the gas isolator has been padlocked by the kitchen duty manager, the rooftop fan circuit has been locked out at the switchboard and verified dead, and the duct geometry has been assessed against the confined space threshold (one riser exceeds it, triggering a permit and standby person). Controls are selected against the day's conditions: because the canopy is still warm from a late service, the crew defers chemical application for 40 minutes and uses that time to mechanically scrape grease loading, eliminating the ignition fuel before any heat is introduced. Each worker signs on against the SWMS, acknowledging the caustic degreaser SDS and confirming nitrile gauntlets and AS/NZS 1337.1 goggles are donned. Mid-task, the standby person notes degreaser misting inside the riser and pauses work; the SWMS is reopened, the P2 respirator control is escalated to mandatory for the remaining duct section, and the change is initialled on the document before re-entry. The signed SWMS is filed with the AS 1851 service certificate.
Related legislation
- WHS Act 2011 (model)
- WHS Regulation 2025
- Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces CoP