COMMERCIAL COOKING

EQUIPMENT FIRE SAFETY

FOR INSPECTORS
NFPA 96 Compliance Perspective

By: Mehboob Shaikh

M tech.(ISFT) | B. Eng. | AMIE | CFPS | CFI

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4 Components of Fire Protection

Prevention
Confinement
Detection
Extinguishment
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4 Components to Examine
1. Equipment's / Arrangements
2. Ventilation
Hood
Duct
Fan
3. Protection
Automatic
Manual
4. Operation & Maintenance

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POINTS TO BE REVIEWED/INSPECTED

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#1
• Except where an enclosure is required, are the hood, grease removal devices, exhaust fan, and ductwork provide
with a clearance of at least 18 in. ( 457 mm) to combustible material or at least 3 in. (76 mm) to limited
combustible material? If this distance is not provided, check to see if an option for reduced clearance is being
used.

• 18” to Combustible Materials

• 3” to Limited Combustible Materials

• 0” to Non-Combustible Materials

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 Clearance Reduction Option- 01

Where 28 Gauge Sheet metal is spaced out 1

inch on noncombustible Spacers off of
combustibles material is provided there shall be
a minimum 9” clearance to combustible material
is allowed.

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 Clearance Reduction Option- 02

OR OR

AND

Where 22 Gauge Sheet metal on 1 inch mineral

wool bats or ceramic fibre blanket reinforced
with wire mesh spaced out 1 inch on non
combustible spacers is provided a min. of 3”
clearance to combustible is allowed.

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Types of Construction Assemblies Containing Noncombustible, Limited-
Combustible, and Combustible Materials

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#2
• Is the hood a minimum No. 18 MSG (Manufacturers' Standard Gauge) steel or minimum No. 20 MSG stainless
steel

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#3
• Is a fire-actuated damper are listed for such use, installed in the supply air plenum at each point where a
supply air duct inlet or a supply air outlet penetrates the continuously welded shell of the hood assembly?

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#4
• Are proposed filters listed as grease filters? There are filters available that are listed, but not as grease filters.
They are typically used for heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, or other applications, and they could be of
the mesh type. To be acceptable for commercial cooking use; they must be specifically listed for use as grease
filters

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#5
• Is ductwork a minimum of either No. 16 .MSG steel or No. 18 MSG stainless steel?

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#6
• Do ducts pass through firewalls or fire partitions? Generally, such an arrangement is not permitted. They are
to lead, as direct as practicable, to the exterior of the building.

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 #7
• On horizontal ducts, is there at least one opening that is 20 in. x 20 in. (SI 51 cm) or greater? To better
facilitate cleaning, are openings shown at the sides or top of the duct at the following locations: at all changes
of direction; at 12-ft (3.7-m) intervals on horizontal ducts; and within 3 ft (0.9 m) of each side of the fan
where the ductwork is connected to both sides of the fan?

A sign shall be placed on all access panels stating

the following

ACCESS PANELS DO NOT

OBSTRUCT

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#8
• ls the edge of openings at least 1½ in. (38 mm) from the outside edges of the duct or seam?

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#9
• In multistory buildings, are interior duct installation enclosed in a 1-hour rated enclosure or a 2-hour rated
enclosure if the building is four or more stories in height?

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#10
• If the duct terminates at the roof( is the outlet a minimum of 10 ft (3 m) from adjacent Buildings, property
lines, and air intakes? If this is not physically possible, is the outlet at least 3 ft (0.9 in) above any air intake
located within 10 ft (3 m) horizontally
10’

Air Intake

40’’
18’’
To Property line, building 10’
or Electric Service

Building

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#11
• Is the exhaust flow directed up and away from the surface of the roof and a minimum of 40 in. ( l mt.) above
the roof surface?

10’

Air Intake

40’’
18’’
To Property line, building 10’
or Electric Service

Building

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#12
• If the duct terminates through a wall, is the outlet a minimum of 10 ft (3 m) to adjacent buildings, property
lines, grade level, combustible construction, or electrical equipment or lines, and is the closest point of any air
intake or operable door or window at or below the plane of the exhaust termination?

Improper Clearance to
Combustibles

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 #13
• If any air intake or operable door or window is above the plane of the exhaust outlet, is it a minimum distance
of 10 ft (3 m) plus¼ ft (7.6 cm) for each degree from horizontal

Improper Clearance to Combustibles, Wires and Window

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#14
• Is the air velocity through any duct not less than 500 fpm?

An Anemometer can be used to Measure air velocity

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#15
• Is automatic fire extinguishing equipment provided for the grease removal devices, hood exhaust plenums,
exhaust duct systems, and all cooking equipment that produces grease-laden vapours?

Fire Extinguishing Agent – Primary

Portable Fire Extinguishers – Secondary

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#16
• Where a listed fixed baffle hood assembly is involved, is the domestic water supply for the assembly
monitored?
Shall be
Monitored

A Listed Water
Wash fire
Extinguishing
System

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 What is Hood with Fixed Baffles ?

A listed unitary exhaust hood design

where the grease removal device is a
non-removable assembly that contains
an integral fire-activated water wash
fire system listed for this purpose

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#17
• Does the activation of the automatic fire extinguishing system shut off all sources of fuel or electric power
that provide heat to the cooking equipment that requires protection by the system?

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#18
• Does the activation of the automatic fire extinguishing system shut off all sources of fuel to gas appliances not
requiring protection but located under the same ventilating equipment?

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#19
• Are required fuel/power shut-off devices provided with a manual reset feature?

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#20
• Is a readily accessible means for manual activation of the automatic fire extinguishing system located between
42 and 48 in. ( I 07 and 122 cm) above the floor? is it located in an egress path at least 10 ft (3 m) from the
protected kitchen appliances but not more than 20 ft (6 m) away?

• UL Allow only 40 lbs of

pull or push to trip the
system

• UL Allow for a min. ½” of

travel or a

• Maximum of 14” of travel.

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#21
• When there is more than one system provided with a means of manual activation, is it clearly indicated what
hazard a system is protecting?

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#22
• If the facility is (or will be) protected by a fire alarm system, is the activation of the automatic fire
extinguishing system arranged to cause an alarm signal?

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#23
• Are all deep fat fryers installed at least 16 in. (41 cm) from surface flames of other cooking equipment? If not,
is a noncombustible baffle, a minimum of 8 in. (20 cm) in height, installed between the fryer and the surface
flames of an adjacent appliance?

Shows a situation where the fryer is

located within 406 mm (16 in ) of the
other cooking equipment. However,
because the other cooking equipment is
electric and does not produce a flame,
this separation requirement does not
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apply
#24
Are welds on seams and joints of the hood liquid-tight, continuous, and on the exterior of the hood?

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#25
• Is the filter bank equipped with a drip tray beneath its lower edge pitched to drain into a metal container
limited to a maximum l gal (3.8 L) in size?

Filter

• The tray shall be kept to min.

size to collect grease &

• Shall be pitched to drain into an

enclosed metal container an
enclosed container having a
capacity not exceeding 1 gallon

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#26
Are duct systems not interconnected with any other building ventilation or exhaust system?

• Duct Systems shall not be

connected to any other building
ventilation system or exhaust
system

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#27
Are ducts installed without forming dips or traps that might collect residues?

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THANK YOU

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