Catering Hygiene Specialists Ltd

Catering Hygiene Specialists: duct cleaning and equipment for commercial kitchens

Catering Hygiene Specialists Ltd is a British company that has been operating since 1993 and serves commercial kitchens across the UK. Its activity is organised into three areas: duct and kitchen cleaning, sale of catering equipment and manufacture and installation of fly screens and PVC curtains. The company states that it operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with office hours from Monday to Friday.

Duct and kitchen cleaning: regulatory compliance

The extraction duct cleaning service is presented as part of the kitchen's risk reduction strategy. The company points out that the British Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires regular duct cleaning to be included in the risk assessment, since most kitchen fires start inside the ductwork. Likewise, air duct cleaning is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which require regular maintenance of all mechanical air supply and extract systems.

The company is a corporate member of CHAS, Construction Line and BICSc, and undergoes external audits for health, safety and industry compliance. According to its presentation, staff receive thorough training to ensure that extraction system cleaning meets the client's requirements.

The cleaning services are broken down into:

• Extraction cleaning
• Kitchen cleaning
• Laundry duct cleaning
• Air duct cleaning

Catering equipment

The company sells commercial catering equipment and is part of the UK's largest catering equipment buying consortium, which allows it to purchase at the best rates and offer, it says, consistent value for money. It also notes that savings are increased by sharing overheads between divisions. With more than 25 years in the sector, the company states that it understands the needs of the commercial restaurateur and maintains a stable, specialised team. Among the brands it sells are Tefcold, Classeq, Polar and Blizzard.

Fly screens and PVC curtains

The British Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 establish that windows and doors that can be opened to the outside must be fitted with insect-proof fly screens. Catering Hygiene Specialists manufactures and installs made-to-measure fly screens and PVC curtains in a mobile workshop that travels to the client's premises. The products are designed to withstand commercial use, but are also suitable for domestic environments. The company assures that all its fly screens and PVC curtains comply with applicable legislation and that fly screen doors comply with fire regulations.

The catalogue of fly screens and curtains includes:

• Fly screens
• PVC curtains
• Standard screen doors
• Heavy duty screen doors
• Hinged screens
• Sliding screens
• Chain link curtains
• Perforated PVC curtains
• Retractable screens
• Patio door fly screens
• Chain winder screens
• Canopy box screens
• Centre pivot screens

It also supplies DIY fly screens, mesh curtains, chain link curtains, PVC rolls and component parts.

Industry guides and resources

The company publishes industry-oriented guides on extraction duct cleaning, deep cleaning of commercial kitchens, laundry duct cleaning and choosing, installing and maintaining fly screens. These guides cover purchasing, regulatory compliance and installation aspects.

Contact and customer service

The company provides assistance by telephone and email, and offers a live chat service available seven days a week. Outside office hours, assistance is provided by James, an artificial intelligence agent. Office hours are Monday to Friday, from 8:30 to 16:30.