TR19 Grease inspection and certification

TR19 Grease is an industry specification for managing grease accumulation in kitchen extraction systems. It supports fire-risk management and is frequently referenced by insurers, property teams and risk assessors. It is not itself an Act of Parliament, so claims should distinguish the specification from the legal duties it helps operators manage.

The complete system includes the canopy, filter bank, plenum, ductwork, fan and discharge. Evidence should state what was inspected and cleaned, rather than using a certificate to imply inaccessible sections were completed.

Keep the report with fire-safety and maintenance records, and provide it when an insurer, landlord or auditor asks for evidence. Check that the site, date and system are identifiable and that the photographs correspond to the route shown.

The next-clean date is based on the system's use and condition, not a universal certificate lifetime. Operators should also check policy wording because insurers can specify their own frequency, contractor and evidence requirements.

Every project begins with a survey of the complete extract route. The survey records the canopy, filters, plenum, duct direction, access points, fan position and discharge. It also identifies sections that cannot be reached safely with the existing access. That matters because a clean-looking canopy does not prove that hidden ductwork is free from grease.

The written quote defines the included surfaces, access assumptions and any remedial work before the visit. On the day, the kitchen and nearby equipment are protected, grease is contained, and the system is cleaned in sections. After cleaning, the team records the condition with photographs and deposit readings at repeatable points so the next visit can be compared with the last one.

Useful evidence is more than a one-line receipt. It should identify the site and system, state the date and scope, show representative before-and-after photographs, record inaccessible areas and explain any follow-up action. A dated hygiene certificate supports the report, but the supporting detail is what helps a facilities team, fire-risk assessor or insurer understand what was actually completed.

Records should be retained with the fire-risk assessment and maintenance file. Cleaning frequency is reviewed against cooking hours, cooking method, observed deposit levels and any insurer-specific condition. There is no universal certificate expiry period: the relevant date is the next clean established for that system and accepted under the operator's own risk and insurance arrangements.