The design, installation, operation, inspection, and maintenance of all public and private commercial cooking equipment shall comply with this chapter and NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations.
This chapter shall apply to residential cooking equipment used for commercial cooking operations. [96:1.1.2]
This chapter shall not apply to cooking equipment located in a single dwelling unit. [96:1.1.3]
This chapter shall not apply to facilities where all of the following are met:
- Only residential equipment is being used.
- Fire extinguishers are located in all kitchen areas in accordance with Section 13.6.
- The facility is not an assembly occupancy.
- The AHJ has approved the installation. [96:1.1.4]
The listing evaluation of cooking equipment covered by 50.2.1.1.1 shall demonstrate that the grease discharge at the exhaust duct of a test hood placed over the appliance shall not exceed 0.00018 oz/ft3 (5 mg/m3) when operated with a total airflow of 500 cfm (0.236 m3/s). [96:4.1.1.2]
All such equipment and its performance shall be maintained in accordance with the requirements of this chapter during all periods of operation of the cooking equipment. [96:4.1.2]
The following equipment shall be kept in working condition:
- Cooking equipment
- Hoods
- Ducts (if applicable)
- Fans
- Fire-extinguishing equipment
- Special effluent or energy control equipment [96:4.1.3]
Maintenance and repairs shall be performed on all components at intervals necessary to maintain good working condition. [96:4.1.3.1]
The responsibility for inspection, testing, maintenance, and cleanliness of the ventilation control and fire protection of the commercial cooking operations shall ultimately be that of the owner of the system, provided that this responsibility has not been transferred in written form to a management company, tenant, or other party. [96:4.1.5]
All solid fuel cooking equipment are required to comply with the requirements of Chapter 14 of NFPA 96. [96:4.1.6]
Multi-tenant applications shall require the concerted cooperation of design, installation, operation, and maintenance responsibilities by tenants and by the building owner. [96:4.1.7]
All interior surfaces of the exhaust system shall be accessible for cleaning and inspection purposes. [96:4.1.8]
Where enclosures are not required, hoods, grease removal devices, exhaust fans, and ducts shall have a clearance of at least 18 in. (457 mm) to combustible material, 3 in. (76 mm) to limited-combustible material, and 0 in. (0 mm) to noncombustible material. [96:4.2.1]
Where a clearance reduction system consisting of 0.013 in. (0.33 mm) (28 gauge) sheet metal spaced out 1 in. (25 mm) on noncombustible spacers is provided, there shall be a minimum of 9 in. (229 mm) clearance to combustible material. [96:4.2.3.1]
Where a clearance reduction system consisting of 0.027 in. (0.69 mm) (22 gauge) sheet metal on 1 in. (25 mm) mineral wool batts or ceramic fiber blanket reinforced with wire mesh or equivalent spaced 1 in. (25 mm) on noncombustible spacers is provided, there shall be a minimum of 3 in. (76 mm) clearance to combustible material. [96:4.2.3.2]
Where a clearance reduction system consisting of a listed and labeled field-applied grease duct enclosure material, system, product, or method of construction specifically evaluated for such purpose in accordance with ASTM E 2336, the required clearance shall be in accordance with the listing. [96:4.2.3.3]
Zero clearance to limited-combustible materials shall be permitted where protected by one of the following:,
- Metal lath and plaster
- Ceramic tile
- Quarry tile
- Other noncombustible materials or assembly of noncombustible materials that are listed for the purpose of reducing clearance
- Other materials and products that are listed for the purpose of reducing clearance [96:4.2.3.4]
Measures shall be taken to prevent physical damage to any covering or enclosure material. [96:7.7.3.1]
Any damage to the covering or enclosure shall be repaired, and the covering or enclosure shall be restored to meet its intended listing and fire resistance rating and to be acceptable to the AHJ. [96:7.7.3.2]
In the event of a fire within a kitchen exhaust system, the duct, the enclosure, and the covering directly applied to the duct shall be inspected by qualified personnel to determine whether the duct, the enclosure, and the covering directly applied to the duct are structurally sound, capable of maintaining their fire protection functions, suitable for continued operation, and acceptable to the AHJ. [96:7.7.3.3]
Listed grease ducts shall be installed in accordance with the terms of the listing and the manufacturer's instructions. [96:7.7.3.4]
Upcodes Diagrams
Prior to installation of any fire-extinguishing system, construction documents shall be reviewed and approved by the AHJ.
Permits, where required, shall comply with Section 1.12.
A placard shall be conspicuously placed near each extinguisher that states that the fire protection system shall be activated prior to using the fire extinguisher. [96:10.2.2]
In existing dry or wet chemical systems not in compliance with ANSI/UL 300, the fire-extinguishing system shall be made to comply with 50.4.4.3 when any of the following occurs:
- The cooking medium is changed from animal oils and fats to vegetable oils.
- The positioning of the cooking equipment is changed.
- Cooking equipment is replaced.
- The equipment is no longer supported by the manufacturer. [96:10.2.3.1]
Grease removal devices, hood exhaust plenums, exhaust ducts, and cooking equipment that are not addressed in ANSI/UL 300 or other equivalent test standards shall be protected with an automatic fire-extinguishing system (s) in accordance with the applicable NFPA standard(s), all local building and fire codes, and the fire extinguishing system's manufacturer's recommendations and shall be approved by the AHJ. [96:10.2.4]
Any abandoned pipe or conduit from a previous installation shall be removed from within the hood, plenum, and exhaust duct. [96:10.2.7.1]
Penetrations and holes resulting from the removal of conduit or piping shall be sealed with listed or equivalent liquidtight sealing devices. [96:10.2.7.2]
The addition of obstructions to spray patterns from the cooking appliance nozzle (s) such as baffle plates, shelves, or any modification shall not be permitted. [96:10.2.7.3]
Grease removal devices, hood exhaust plenums, and exhaust ducts requiring protection in accordance with 50.4.3.1 shall be permitted to be protected by a listed fixed baffle hood containing a constant or fire-actuated water-wash system that is listed and in compliance with ANSI/UL 300 or other equivalent standards and shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of their listing. [96:10.2.8.1]
The water for listed fixed baffle hood assemblies shall be permitted to be supplied from the domestic water supply when the minimum water pressure and flow are provided in accordance with the terms of the listing. [96:10.2.8.3]
The water supply shall be controlled by a supervised water supply control valve. [96:10.2.8.4]
The water wash in a fixed baffle hood specifically listed to extinguish a fire shall be activated by the cooking equipment extinguishing system. [96:10.2.8.5]
A water-wash system approved to be used for protection of the grease removal device(s), hood exhaust plenum (s), exhaust duct(s), or combination thereof shall include instructions and appropriate electrical interface for simultaneous activation of the water-wash system from an automatic fire-extinguishing system, where the automatic fire-extinguishing system is used for cooking equipment protection only. [96:10.2.8.6]
Where the fire-extinguishing system provides protection for the cooking equipment, hood, and duct, activation of the water wash shall not be required. [96:10.2.8.7]
Where the automatic fire extinguishing system in accordance with NFPA 17A provides protection for the hood and duct in a fixed baffle hood containing a water-wash system, the water-wash system shall be made inoperable or delayed for a minimum of 60 seconds upon operation of the automatic fire-extinguishing system. [96:10.2.8.7.1]
The water required for listed automatic fire-extinguishing systems shall be permitted to be supplied from the domestic water supply where the minimum water pressure and flow are provided in accordance with the terms of the listing. The water supply shall be controlled by a supervised water supply control valve. [96:10.2.9.1]
Hoods installed end to end, back to back, or both, or sharing a common ductwork, and having a grease-producing appliance (s) located under one or more of the hoods shall be considered a single hazard area requiring simultaneous automatic fire protection in all hoods and ducts. [96:10.3.1.1]
Hoods installed end to end, back to back, or both that do not share a common exhaust and are separated by a wall(s) or other means to ensure that grease-laden vapors exhausted under one hood cannot propagate to the other hoods or exhaust systems shall not be required to comply with 50.4.5.1.1. [96:10.3.1.2]
Steam supplied from an external source shall not be required to automatically shut off. [96:10.4.2]
Shutoff devices shall require manual reset. [96:10.4.4]
A readily accessible means for manual activation shall be located between 42 in. and 48 in. (1067 mm and 1219 mm) above the floor, be accessible in the event of a fire, be located in a path of egress, and clearly identify the hazard protected. [96:10.5.1]
At least one manual actuation device shall be located a minimum of 10 ft (3 m) and a maximum of 20 ft (6 m) from the protected hood exhaust system (s) within the path of egress or at an alternative location acceptable to the AHJ. [96:10.5.1.1]
Manual activation using a cable-operated pull station shall not require more than 40 lb (178 N) of force, with a pull movement not to exceed 14 in. (356 mm) to activate the automatic fire-extinguishing equipment. [96:10.5.1.2]
Instruction shall be provided to employees regarding the proper use of portable fire extinguishers and the manual activation of fire-extinguishing equipment. [96:10.5.7]
System supervision shall not be required where a fire-extinguishing system(s) is interconnected or interlocked with the cooking equipment power source(s) so that if the fire-extinguishing system becomes inoperable due to power failure, all sources of fuel or electrical power that produce heat to all cooking equipment serviced by that hood shall automatically shut off. [96:10.7.3]
Where required, complete drawings of the system installation, including the hood(s), exhaust duct(s), and appliances, along with the interface of the fire-extinguishing system detectors, piping, nozzles, fuel and electric power shutoff devices, agent storage container(s), and manual actuation device (s), shall be submitted to the AHJ. [96:10.9.1]
Portable fire extinguishers shall be selected and installed in kitchen cooking areas in accordance with Section 13.6 and shall be specifically listed for such use. [96:10.10.1]
Class K fire extinguishers shall be provided for cooking appliance hazards that involve combustible cooking media (vegetable oils and animal oils and fats). [96:10.10.2]
Portable fire extinguishers shall be provided for other hazards in kitchen areas and shall be selected and installed in accordance with Section 13.6. [96:10.10.3]
Portable fire extinguishers shall be maintained in accordance with Section 13.6. [96:10.10.4]
Listed exhaust hoods shall be operated in accordance with the terms of their listings and the manufacturer's instructions. [96:11.1.5]
Secondary filtration and pollution control equipment shall be operated in accordance with the terms of its listing and the manufacturer's recommendations. [96:11.1.7]
Maintenance of the fire-extinguishing systems and listed exhaust hoods containing a constant or fire-activated water system that is listed to extinguish a fire in the grease removal devices, hood exhaust plenums, and exhaust ducts shall be made by properly trained, qualified, and certified person (s) acceptable to the AHJ at least every 6 months. [96:11.2.1]
All actuation and control components, including remote manual pull stations, mechanical or electrical devices, detectors, and actuators, shall be tested for proper operation during the inspection in accordance with the manufacturer's procedures. [96:11.2.2]
The year of manufacture and the date of installation of the fusible links shall be marked on the system inspection tag. [96:11.2.5]
The tag shall be signed or initialed by the installer. [96:11.2.5.1]
The fusible links shall be destroyed when removed. [96:11.2.5.2]
Detection devices that are bulb-type automatic sprinklers and fusible links other than the metal alloy type shall be examined and cleaned or replaced annually. [96:11.2.6]
Fixed temperature-sensing elements other than the fusible metal alloy type shall be permitted to remain continuously in service, provided they are inspected and cleaned or replaced if necessary in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, every 12 months or more frequently to ensure proper operation of the system. [96:11.2.7]
Actuation components for fire dampers shall be inspected for proper operation in accordance with the manufacturer's listed procedures. [96:11.3.1]
Fusible links on fire damper assemblies shall be replaced at least semiannually or more frequently as necessary. [96:11.3.2.1]
Replacement shall be made by a certified person acceptable to the AHJ. [96:11.3.2.2]
The year of manufacture and the date of installation of the fusible links shall be documented. [96:11.3.3.1]
The tag shall be signed or initialed by the installer. [96:11.3.3.2]
The entire exhaust system shall be inspected for grease buildup by a properly trained, qualified, and certified person(s) acceptable to the AHJ and in accordance with Table 50.5.4. [96:11.4]
Table 50.5.4 Schedule of Inspection for Grease Buildup
| Type or Volume of Cooking | Inspection Frequency |
|---|---|
| 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 | Semiannually |
| Systems serving low-volume cooking operations, such as churches, day camps, seasonal businesses, or senior centers | Annually |
[96: Table 11.4]
Listed hoods containing mechanical or fire-actuated dampers, internal washing components, or other mechanically operated devices shall be inspected and tested by properly trained, qualified, and certified persons every 6 months or at frequencies recommended by the manufacturer in accordance with their listings. [96:11.5]
Hoods, grease removal devices, fans, ducts, and other appurtenances shall be cleaned to remove combustible contaminants prior to surfaces becoming heavily contaminated with grease or oily sludge. [96:11.6.2]
At the start of the cleaning process, electrical switches that could be activated accidentally shall be locked out. [96:11.6.3]
Components of the fire suppression system shall not be rendered inoperable during the cleaning process. [96:11.6.4]
Fire-extinguishing systems shall be permitted to be rendered inoperable during the cleaning process where serviced by properly trained and qualified persons. [96:11.6.5]
Flammable solvents or other flammable cleaning aids shall not be used. [96:11.6.6]
Cleaning chemicals shall not be applied on fusible links or other detection devices of the automatic extinguishing system. [96:11.6.7]
After the exhaust system is cleaned, it shall not be coated with powder or other substance. [96:11.6.8]
When cleaning procedures are completed, all access panels (doors) and cover plates shall be restored to their normal operational condition. [96:11.6.9]
When an access panel is removed, a service company label or tag preprinted with the name of the company and giving the date of inspection or cleaning shall be affixed near the affected access panels. [96:11.6.10]
Dampers and diffusers shall be positioned for proper airflow. [96:11.6.11]
When cleaning procedures are completed, all electrical switches and system components shall be returned to an operable state. [96:11.6.12]
When an exhaust cleaning service is used, a certificate showing the name of the servicing company, the name of the person performing the work, and the date of inspection or cleaning shall be maintained on the premises. [96:11.6.13]
After cleaning or inspection is completed, the exhaust cleaning company and the person performing the work at the location shall provide the owner of the system with a written report that also specifies areas that were inaccessible or not cleaned. [96:11.6.14]
Inspection and servicing of the cooking equipment shall be made at least annually by properly trained and qualified persons. [96:11.7.1]
Cooking equipment that collects grease below the surface, behind the equipment, or in cooking equipment flue gas exhaust, such as griddles or charbroilers, shall be inspected and, if found with grease accumulation, cleaned by a properly trained, qualified, and certified person acceptable to the AHJ. [96:11.7.2]
All listed appliances shall be installed in accordance with the terms of their listings and the manufacturer's instructions. [96:12.1.2.1]
The fire-extinguishing system shall not require re-evaluation where the cooking appliances are moved for the purposes of maintenance and cleaning, provided the appliances are returned to approved design location prior to cooking operations, and any disconnected fire-extinguishing system nozzles attached to the appliances are reconnected in accordance with the manufacturer's listed design manual. [96:12.1.2.3]
All deep-fat fryers shall be installed with at least a 16 in. (406 mm) space between the fryer and surface flames from adjacent cooking equipment. [96:12.1.2.4]
Where a steel or tempered glass baffle plate is installed at a minimum 8 in. (203 mm) in height between the fryer and surface flames of the adjacent appliance, the requirement for a 16 in. (406 mm) space shall not apply. [96:12.1.2.5]
If the fryer and the surface flames are at different horizontal planes, the minimum height of 8 in. (203 mm) shall be measured from the higher of the two. [96:12.1.2.5.1]
Deep-fat fryers shall be equipped with a separate high-limit control in addition to the adjustable operating control (thermostat) to shut off fuel or energy when the fat temperature reaches 475°F (246°C) at 1 in. (25.4 mm) below the surface. [96:12.2]