Evacuation Diagrams for Bakeries and Cafes in Australia

Bakeries and cafes are among the most common small businesses in Australia. From suburban strip shops to inner-city laneways, they share a consistent set of fire and safety hazards: commercial ovens, gas cooking appliances, hot oil (for doughnuts, fryers), flour dust, crowded seating areas, and limited floor space. Despite these risks, many bakery and cafe owners have never had an evacuation diagram prepared for their premises.

Under AS 3745:2010, Planning for Emergencies in Facilities, every bakery and cafe needs an Emergency Management Plan and compliant evacuation diagrams. The requirement applies regardless of the size of the business. A single-person espresso bar in a 20 square metre tenancy has the same obligation as a large production bakery with 50 staff.

Fire Risks in Commercial Bakeries

The primary fire risk in a bakery is the combination of high-temperature equipment and combustible materials. Deck ovens, rack ovens, and rotary ovens operate at temperatures between 180 and 300 degrees Celsius. Proofers generate heat and humidity. These appliances are often running for 12 to 18 hours per day in production bakeries, and equipment fatigue is a real concern.

Flour dust is a recognised explosion hazard. While the risk is more significant in large-scale milling operations, even a small bakery that handles bulk flour can generate airborne dust concentrations during mixing and pouring. In a confined space with a nearby ignition source (oven pilot light, electrical fault), this can create a flash fire.

Cooking oils used in bakeries (for deep frying, greasing pans, and finishing products) are another ignition risk. A grease fire on a stovetop or in a deep fryer can escalate rapidly. The bakery should have a fire blanket and a dry chemical extinguisher rated for Class F (cooking oil) fires. The evacuation diagram should show the locations of all firefighting equipment.

• Commercial ovens operate at 180 to 300 degrees Celsius for extended periods
• Flour dust is a recognised explosion hazard in confined spaces
• Cooking oils present Class F fire risk; appropriate extinguishers must be indicated on diagrams
• Gas appliances require isolation points shown on the evacuation diagram
• Proofers and steam injection ovens produce heat and moisture, affecting visibility during a fire

Gas Appliance Isolation

Most commercial bakeries and many cafes use natural gas or LPG for cooking. Gas cooktops, combi ovens, pizza ovens, and deep fryers all create a risk of gas leaks. A gas leak in an enclosed kitchen, combined with the multiple ignition sources present (oven pilots, electrical switches, toasters), is a serious explosion risk.

The evacuation diagram must show the location of the main gas isolation valve for the premises. This is typically located near the gas meter, which may be outside the building or in a service corridor. Staff should be trained to isolate the gas supply as part of the evacuation procedure, but only if it is safe to do so and does not delay their own evacuation.

For premises with LPG cylinders (common in areas without natural gas supply), the diagram should show the cylinder storage location. LPG cylinders must be stored in a well-ventilated area, typically outside the building. The diagram should indicate the route from the kitchen to the LPG storage area, as this route must remain clear for both cylinder changeover and emergency isolation.

Cafe Seating and Customer Evacuation

Cafes present a distinct challenge because of the number of customers present relative to the size of the premises. A 50 square metre cafe might seat 30 customers, plus have 5 staff behind the counter. During a morning rush, the premises can be crowded, with customers standing in queues, children in prams, and mobility aids in the aisles.

The evacuation diagram should show a clear route from the seating area to the exit. It should also show the accessible route, which may be different from the main route if there are steps involved. Outdoor seating (footpath dining, courtyards) adds another layer: customers seated outside may not hear an alarm and may not know they need to move to the assembly area.

For cafes with outdoor seating, the Emergency Management Plan should include a procedure for staff to alert outdoor customers. The evacuation diagram posted inside the cafe should show the outdoor seating area and indicate the direction of travel to the assembly point.

Early Morning and After-Hours Operations

Production bakeries operate on schedules that differ from most businesses. Bakers typically start work between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM, well before the retail shopfront opens. During these early morning hours, the bakery may have only one or two staff on site, the building may be otherwise unoccupied, and emergency services response times may be slower.

The Emergency Management Plan should address these early morning hours specifically. If a baker is working alone and suffers a burn injury or is overcome by smoke, there is no one else to call for help. The plan should include check-in procedures, personal duress alarms, or at minimum, a mobile phone kept within reach at all times.

The evacuation diagram for the production area should account for the fact that a lone baker needs to be able to evacuate without assistance. All exits must be usable from the inside without a key (this is a National Construction Code requirement for fire exits, but compliance in small bakeries is inconsistent). The diagram should show all available exits, including any delivery door or rear access that can serve as an emergency exit.

Shared Tenancy and Shopping Centre Bakeries

Many bakeries and cafes operate within larger buildings: shopping centres, food courts, heritage arcades, and mixed-use developments. In these settings, the bakery or cafe is one tenancy within a larger emergency management framework. The tenancy diagram must be consistent with the building-wide Emergency Management Plan.

The assembly area for a shopping centre bakery will be the centre's designated assembly point. The tenancy evacuation diagram should show the route from the tenancy to the nearest centre exit, not just to the tenancy door. In a food court setting, the bakery may not have a separate tenancy door at all, and the diagram will show the route through the food court to the centre exit.

Bakery and cafe tenants in shared buildings should coordinate with the building manager to ensure their Emergency Management Plan and evacuation diagrams are compatible with the building-wide plan. Any changes to the building (new exits, changed assembly areas, altered egress corridors) should trigger a review and update of the tenancy evacuation diagram.

Get Evacuation Diagrams for Your Bakery or Cafe

EvacPath creates AS 3745-compliant evacuation diagrams for bakeries, cafes, patisseries, food trucks (where a permanent base is maintained), and production bakeries across Australia. We understand commercial kitchen layouts, gas appliance isolation requirements, and the customer flow challenges that are typical in food service businesses.

Send us your floor plan and we will deliver print-ready PDFs in 3 to 5 business days. No site visit required. Pricing starts at A$70 per diagram. Basic Package A$280 for up to 4 diagrams, Standard Package A$420 for up to 8 diagrams.