According to the recent University Housing Report compiled by FEMA, 76.5 percent of campus fires start in the kitchen. For that reason, we recommend that you limit the use of your commercial kitchen space to trained professionals.

As we see it, the equipment in the kitchen represents a significant financial expense for the property owner to purchase and maintain. The presumption by the insurance company is that the staff, who work with this commercial equipment, have been trained on the proper use of the equipment. This is the preferable way to protect this investment.

Indiscriminate use by untrained individuals not only puts the equipment at risk but puts the entire facility in harm’s way. Certainly a kitchen can be a high hazard area even for the trained personnel. Other risks include injury to the member while cooking in the kitchen and issues with proper food storage.

Ultimately the property owner must decide the manner under which their kitchen is utilized, taking into consideration other issues that emerge with respect to general chapter operations.