Compliance
Victorian kitchen operators often ask what the law actually requires. Here is how essential safety measures, AS 1851, the National Construction Code and food safety rules fit together.
· 7 min read
Compliance
AS 1851 and Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning: What Melbourne Businesses Should Know
AS 1851 exhaust cleaning questions come up often. AS 1851, AS 1668, insurance conditions and lease terms can all affect your kitchen exhaust maintenance. Here is a plain-English overview of how they fit together and the records worth keeping.
By Apex Commercial Exhaust · · 6 min read
Key takeaways
- AS 1851 covers routine servicing of fire protection systems and equipment, with provisions relevant to certain kitchen exhaust maintenance activities.
- The AS 1668 series deals mainly with mechanical ventilation and smoke-control design and installation, not a cleaning schedule.
- Lease terms, insurance conditions and building obligations can also set maintenance requirements.
- Good records (dates, scope, photos, inaccessible areas, recommendations) help you show what was done.
- A cleaning report is not, on its own, formal certification or full regulatory compliance.
Kitchen operators often hear that their exhaust needs to be cleaned “to AS 1851”. This guide gives a plain-English overview of the standards and obligations that can apply, and where professional cleaning fits. It is general information, not legal advice: requirements depend on your building, your system and the edition of each standard that applies.
What is AS 1851?
AS 1851 (Standards Australia) is the Australian Standard for the routine service of fire protection systems and equipment. It includes provisions relevant to certain commercial kitchen exhaust inspection and maintenance activities. How it applies to a particular kitchen depends on the edition referenced for the building, the system installed and the building’s obligations.
Where AS 1668 fits
Relevant parts of the AS 1668 series address mechanical ventilation and smoke-control design and installation, including kitchen exhaust systems. The Australian Building Codes Board’s NCC guide to F6D12 notes that, under the Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions, kitchen exhaust hoods are required to comply with both AS 1668.1 and AS 1668.2. These standards are different from routine maintenance requirements and should not be treated as a universal cleaning schedule.
Other obligations that can apply
Read about leases, insurance and building obligations
- Building requirements (Victoria): under Part 15 of the Building Regulations 2018, owners of buildings other than houses must maintain essential safety measures, prepare an annual essential safety measures report and keep maintenance records available on request. For buildings built or altered since 1 July 1994, the list of measures comes with the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection (Building and Plumbing Commission). Check whether your kitchen exhaust is listed.
- Insurance conditions: some policies include conditions about exhaust inspection, cleaning frequency and records. Confirm these directly with your insurer or broker.
- Lease terms: your lease may set who is responsible for the exhaust system and shared ductwork.
- Equipment specifications: manufacturers’ instructions for canopies, filters and fans.
- Workplace safety: maintenance should sit alongside your workplace safety procedures and fire protection servicing.
Who is responsible for kitchen exhaust cleaning?
Responsibility can sit with the business operator, property owner, landlord, tenant or facility manager, depending on the lease, building arrangements and legal obligations. Responsibility for shared ductwork, common in food courts and multi-tenant buildings, should be clarified before cleaning.
Records worth keeping for AS 1851 exhaust cleaning
- Inspection and cleaning dates
- Equipment cleaned and the agreed service scope
- Grease observations and any areas that could not be accessed
- Before-and-after photographs
- Visible equipment concerns and recommended future maintenance
Apex can include photographic documentation and a service summary in the agreed scope. Within that scope, we clean all accessible and reachable areas of the kitchen exhaust system and record what was done.
What a cleaning report is, and is not
A cleaning service and its report support routine maintenance and record keeping. They do not, by themselves, constitute formal fire safety certification, insurance approval or full regulatory compliance. Specialist inspections and certifications must be completed by appropriately qualified or authorised parties where required.
Frequently asked questions
Is commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning mandatory in Australia?
Operators may have cleaning and maintenance obligations from applicable standards, building requirements, fire safety arrangements, insurance policies and workplace responsibilities. No single schedule applies identically to every kitchen.
Does AS 1668 set a cleaning schedule?
Relevant parts of the AS 1668 series address ventilation and smoke-control design and installation. They are distinct from routine maintenance requirements and should not be treated as a cleaning schedule.
Do I need an exhaust cleaning certificate?
Some property managers, insurers or site procedures may ask for certificates, reports or service records. What is needed depends on the site and its contractual or regulatory obligations.
References & further reading
Government, regulator and Standards sources mentioned in this guide (links checked November 2026; requirements can change, so check the current version):
- Standards Australia, AS 1851-2012 Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment
- Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS), Australian Government, Australian Standard AS 1851-2012 Routine Service of Fire Protection Systems and Equipment – Victoria
- Victorian Building Authority (now the Building and Plumbing Commission), Amendment to AS 1851 Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment
- Victorian Legislation, Building Regulations 2018 (Vic), Part 15: Maintenance of essential safety measures
- Building and Plumbing Commission, Victoria (formerly the Victorian Building Authority), Essential safety measures (building owner guide)
- City of Monash (Victorian local council), Essential Safety Measures
- Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), NCC guide: F6D12 Kitchen local exhaust ventilation
- Standards Australia, AS 1668.1-2015 The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings, Part 1: Fire and smoke control in buildings
- Standards Australia, AS 1668.2-2024 The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings, Part 2: Mechanical ventilation in buildings
- Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH), Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Special Technical Group
Need help with your kitchen exhaust? Apex Commercial Exhaust cleans canopies, exhaust ducts, rooftop fans and grease filters for commercial kitchens across Melbourne and Victoria.
This article is general information only and is not legal, insurance or compliance advice. Requirements for your kitchen depend on your system, building and obligations.
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