Standards, staff & systems
Degreaser splashes, hot surfaces, working at height on canopies - deep cleaning carries real hazards. The right PPE protects the operative, within a COSHH-assessed system of work.
The short answer
A commercial kitchen deep clean is not light work. It involves strong caustic and alkaline degreasers, hot surfaces, working at height on canopies, sometimes confined access into ductwork, and wet, slippery floors. Each of those is a hazard, and the right personal protective equipment is matched to it - chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, respiratory protection where needed, and safe footwear. But PPE only makes sense inside a proper COSHH assessment, where it is the last line of defence rather than the first thing you reach for.
The kit by hazard
Hands face the most contact. Deep-clean degreasers are aggressive, so gloves must be chemical-resistant and matched to the product - nitrile, neoprene or PVC depending on the chemistry, to the EN 374 standard - not thin disposable food gloves.
Eyes are at risk from splashing when spraying and agitating degreaser overhead on canopies and ducts. Safety glasses are a minimum; goggles that seal, or a face shield, are better where full-face splash is likely, to EN 166.
Skin beyond the hands needs cover - aprons or coveralls against splash and run-off. Lungs need respiratory protection where the work creates mists, fumes or vapours, selected to the substance in the safety data sheet. Feet need non-slip, chemical-resistant footwear for wet, degreaser-covered floors. And because much of the work is overhead, working at height on canopies brings its own controls - stable access and, for some tasks, more than one person.
Where PPE sits
This is the point the HSE is firm about, and it changes how you should think about the kit. Under COSHH, PPE is the last line of defence. Before relying on it you should control the hazard higher up the hierarchy - eliminate or substitute the most aggressive chemical where you can, dilute correctly rather than working with concentrate, ventilate the space, and use methods that reduce splash and misting. PPE catches what those controls do not.
The employer's duties are specific. Identify the hazards from the safety data sheets, assess them, and provide - and pay for - suitable PPE. Make sure it fits, that staff are trained to use, store and maintain it, and that it is in good condition. PPE that is the wrong material for the chemical, does not fit, or is never trained on gives the appearance of protection without the substance of it.
The limit
The right PPE genuinely matters, and it has a limit that is easy to forget under pressure. PPE is necessary but not sufficient, because it protects the operative without reducing the hazard at source - and PPE that does not fit, is not trained on, or is not maintained gives false confidence. It is one control inside a COSHH-assessed safe system of work, not a substitute for controlling the hazard. Assess the substances from the data sheets, control what you can higher up the hierarchy, provide and maintain the right kit, and train the people using it. That is what turns a box of gloves into actual protection.
Questions
Chemical-resistant gloves matched to the degreaser (EN 374), eye protection or a face shield for splash (EN 166), aprons or coveralls, non-slip chemical-resistant footwear, and respiratory protection where mists or fumes arise.
Under COSHH, hazards should be controlled higher up the hierarchy first - eliminate or substitute the chemical, dilute correctly, ventilate. PPE catches the residual risk those controls do not remove.
The employer. Under COSHH the employer must assess the hazards, then provide and pay for suitable PPE, ensure it fits, and train staff to use, store and maintain it.
Caustic and alkaline degreaser splash and skin contact, hot surfaces, working at height on canopies, confined duct access, and slips on wet, degreaser-covered floors.
Yes. Glove material - nitrile, neoprene or PVC - should be matched to the specific degreaser using the safety data sheet, to the EN 374 standard, not a generic disposable glove.
Phoenix Duct Clean · by the numbers
Our teams work to COSHH-assessed methods with the right PPE for degreasers, hot surfaces and work at height. Call or email to arrange a survey of your kitchen.