Tag Archive: Fire Prevention

  1. Attention Restaurant Owners Part 2: How to Judge if Your Exhaust System is Properly Cleaned.

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    Making sure that a kitchen exhaust system is cleaned regularly is the first step to preventing an unexpected grease fire. Many restaurant owners wonder how often they should be assessing their exhaust systems. The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) has the following set of guidelines:

    InpectionSchedule

     

    If your exhaust system is not properly maintained, then you are exposing your business to a potential fire hazard. In fact, most kitchen grease fires spread rapidly because the flames will flare up from a kitchen appliance into a grimy, neglected exhaust system full of built-up grease.

    Invest in the safety you kitchen equipment today by scheduling regular cleaning with an IKECA Certified Professional.

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    Kitchen Horizontal Duct After

    Kitchen Horizontal Duct After Cleaning

  2. Attention Restaurant Owners: The Importance of Grease Filters

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    Grease filters are considered the first lines of defense for restaurant safety, especially because grease is so highly flammable.  Replacing and maintaining a restaurant’s grease filters is an important step in reducing the risk of kitchen grease fires.

    Most people think of grease as a liquid, but grease can travel by vapors and smoke. If the exhaust effluent is properly filtered, a large percentage of the grease is
    removed from the airstream greatly reducing the amount of grease that will stick to the inside of the kitchen exhaust system and reduce the risk of a grease duct fire.

    The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Code 96  is the standard for ventilation control and fire protection of commercial cooking operations. Here are some of their fire safety codes described in NFPA Code 96, specifically for grease filters, or ‘Grease Removal Devices.’

    NFPA 96 Fire Codes for Hood Grease Filters for Grease Removal Devices:

    1. Listed grease filters, listed baffles, or other listed grease removal devices for use with commercial cooking equipment shall be provided.
    2. Listed grease filters and grease removal devices that are removable but not an integral component of a specifically listed exhaust hood shall be listed in accordance with UL 1046.
    3. Mesh filters shall not be used unless evaluated as an integral part of a listed exhaust hood or listed in conjunction with a primary filter in accordance with UL 1046.
    4. Grease filters shall be listed and constructed of steel or listed equivalent material.
    5. Grease filters shall be of rigid construction that will not distort or crush under normal operation, handling, and cleaning conditions.
    6. Grease filters shall be arranged so that all exhaust air passes through the grease filters.
    7. Grease filters shall be easily accessible and removable for cleaning.
    8. Grease filters shall be installed at an angle not less than 45 degrees from the horizontal.

    Invest in the safety of the restaurant and commercial kitchen equipment by scheduling regular cleaning by an IKECA Certified Professional.  Replace your broken, old grease filters from Pressure-Kleen Services.  We offer a variety of commercial hood filters compatible with most kitchen cooking equipment.  Our friendly customer success associates will help you determine the correct size and style for your commercial hoods.

     

     

  3. Understanding NFPA 96 Standards

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    NFPA logo (1)The National Fire Protection Association NFPA 96 has been establishing the standards for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Equipment since 1946.  It provides the minimum fire safety requirements (preventative and operative) related to the design, installation, operation, inspection and maintenance of all public and private cooking operations. (NFPA 96, 1.1)

    We take our responsibility seriously when it comes to inspecting, cleaning and documenting our kitchen exhaust system services.  We educate our staff with the most current codes and guidelines listed in NFPA 96 and we want our customers to be educated as well.  The following table shows the inspection frequency for different cooking types.

    Kitchen Exhaust System Inspection Schedule  

    Excerpt from NFPA 96 11.4
    Systems serving solid fuel cooking operations MONTHLY
    Systems serving high-volume cooking operations, such as 24-hour cooking, charbroiling or wok cooking QUARTERLY
    Systems serving moderate-volume cooking operations SEMI-ANNUALLY
    Systems serving low-volume cooking, such as churches, day camps, seasonal businesses or senior centres ANNUALLY

    11.6.1 Cleaning of Exhaust Systems

    If, upon inspection, the exhaust system is found to be contaminated with deposits from grease-laden vapors, the contaminated portions of the exhaust system shall be cleaned by a properly trained, qualified, and certified person(s) acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.

    Don’t let some fly-by-night cleaning company leave you at risk of fire and liability.  Choose a company with technicians qualified educated in NFPA 96 standards and more than 50 years of expertise in kitchen exhaust cleaning.

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