AS1851 Kitchen Exhaust Compliance Checklist

1. Did the clean cover the whole system?

A compliance certificate cannot be issued for a partial clean. Every one of these must be done.

Canopy and hood cleaned — inside and out, back toward bare metal where the system allows
Grease baffle filters cleaned or exchanged — all filters present and correctly fitted afterwards
Plenum behind the filters cleaned — commonly missed by a wipe-down
Internal ductwork cleaned — including vertical runs, not just the horizontal section reachable from a ladder
External ductwork cleaned
Exhaust fan cleaned — housing, impeller and surrounds; roof plant is the most commonly skipped item
Anything that could not be accessed or cleaned is written down, with the reason

2. Are you cleaning often enough?

AS/NZS 1851-2012 sets frequency by how hard the kitchen works, not by a fixed date. Tick the one that matches your kitchen.

Monthly — heavy use: solid fuel, char grills, wok ranges, high-volume deep frying, 7-day trade
Quarterly — moderate use: typical restaurants, hotel kitchens, pubs and bistros
Every 6 months — light use: cafes, sandwich bars, reheat-only kitchens, low-volume catering
Ductwork inspected quarterly — and cleaned once grease passes 2mm on horizontal or 5mm on vertical surfaces
Frequency reviewed after any menu change — adding a fryer or grill changes the interval immediately

3. Does your certificate hold up?

A certificate is a statement that the system meets the standard — not a receipt. Check that yours records:

Date of service
Name of the technician who carried out the work
Exactly which components were cleaned — not just "kitchen exhaust"
The standard the work was performed to — AS/NZS 1851
Any parts that could not be accessed or brought to standard, and why
Before-and-after photographs of each component

4. Ready for an EHO inspection?

No visible grease build-up on the canopy, filters or surrounding surfaces
All grease baffle filters present and correctly fitted
Exhaust drawing properly — weak extraction is usually the first sign of blocked filters or loaded ductwork
Current compliance certificate kept on site — not only in an email inbox
Service records for previous cleans kept with it

5. Before the cleaners arrive

Staff on duty know the booking time and will let the team in
Burners and pilot lights off at least 2 hours beforehand — surfaces too hot to work on can mean a wasted visit
Automatic fire suppression system isolated — arranged by the venue before arrival
Cooktops and benches cleared; anything that can't be moved is covered
Duct riser anchor points have a current test certificate

Red flags in a cheap quote

Quotes for the same kitchen can differ by a factor of three, and the difference is almost always scope. Ask directly whether the price includes the exhaust fan and the full duct run — and whether you'll receive photographs. No photos means very little evidence for an insurer after an incident.

The detail behind each item is on our AS1851 compliance guide.

Sign-off

Venue

Date checked

Checked by

Next clean due