All our kitchen cabinets are manufactured from rust-resistant treated steel and manufactured with non-toxic fire-resistant foam for insulation and acoustic effect. The door fascias are also manufactured from other non-combustible materials such as glass and neolith stone to remove any fire risks associated with cooking in the kitchen.
These are not just restricted to naked gas flames and combustible foodstuffs in a kitchen environment. There are also risks associated with electrical appliances and wiring fitted within or alongside the cabinets. We at Life Kitchens believe the risks must be identified and managed, to minimise the chances of a fire starting and to limit the impact of such a fire, should it occur, being able to continue to combust and fuel on materials that are highly flammable such as MDF, MFC, timber and chipboard, all materials commonly found within every fitted kitchen.
At Life Kitchens we have identified and eliminated risks associated with cooking processes and the equipment associated with them. These include the overheating of cooking fats and oils leading to ignition, spillage of fats and oils onto hot equipment, cooking left unattended, cooking equipment not fitted correctly, the lack of PAT testing in domestic kitchens, dangers occurring from a lack of servicing and maintenance, inadequate cleaning of the kitchen/cooking areas and the equipment associated with them – for example, inadequate cleaning regimes for cooking appliances and extraction equipment leading to the build-up of grease and oil deposits which may be flammable, cooking equipment and thermostats broken or not functioning properly, faulty equipment (including electrical faults) and spontaneous combustion of oil-soaked cloths and towels.
Revolution not evolution
Mr J. Stead Managing Director, Life Kitchens, said: ‘The story began in June 2017, as I, like many other people sat and watched in horror as the devastating images on television showed the Grenfell Tower burning out of control, as the emergency services struggled to control it.
‘Seventy-two people lost their lives that day, and it was the moment I realised that I could help by designing and manufacturing a “non-combustible kitchen” that would withstand electrical appliance failures and hob cooking accidents, not allowing the spread of fire, and that one day it could help save someone’s life.’
Going back to go forward
We went back to the drawing board, and harnessing a combined 50 years in the kitchen and engineering industries, we set about designing material selection and prototyping all the elements required in the manufacture of a fully functional, solidly engineered, non-combustible kitchen. Along the way we ‘value engineered’ our product, enabling us to keep our costs competitive, and utilised state-of-the-art technology to produce the high level of precision required to achieve our goal. Having achieved our aim we now had a product that we were happy to go into production with. It is precision and highly engineered, cost effective, durable, hygienic and resistant to penetration by oils and fats used in kitchens. All the surfaces in our kitchens are resistant to the cultivation of micro bacteria and, with the inclusion of our acoustic insulation, are also anti-condensing.
Having now completed the re-engineering phase of our product development, we now had the opportunity to be creative. Having a range of materials to work with, including temperature colour coated finishes, stainless steel, ionised toughened safety glass and neolith stone fascias, we created our own unique pallet of colours and designs, drawing influence from art, culture, science and the automotive industry.
We could ‘dare to be different’ and produce bold designs, taking inspiration from Banksy to the Beatles and Andy Warhol, providing finish options not previously available in the kitchen industry.
And so, as we prepare to embark on the next chapter of our story post Covid and post Brexit, we are confident that we can bring to the market a product not only to be proud of but one we can truly say is ‘Made in Britain’.
For more information, go to www.lifekitchens.co.uk
