Every restaurant owner should know fire code guidelines for their commercial kitchen, especially when it comes to their exhaust system (range hoods). If these are not properly cleaned and inspected on a regular basis, this can result in a serious fire, damaging your entire kitchen and restaurant. If you do not know your state’s commercial kitchen fire codes, just read below (click on the link at the end of the summary to read about it in more detail).

Type I hood must be installed at or above all commercial and domestic cooking appliances used for commercial purposes that produce grease vapors.

Type I hood must not be required for an electric cooking appliance where an approved testing agency provides documentation that the appliance effluent contains the appropriate amount of grease when tested at an exhaust flow rate.

Ventilation system: The hoods ventilation system must be operated at the required rate of air movement, and classified grease filters must be in place when equipment under a hood is used.

Grease extractors: Where grease extractors are, they must be operated when the commercial-type cooking equipment is used.

Inspection& Cleaning: Hoods, grease-removal devices, fans, and ducts must be cleaned and inspected at intervals specified. Inspections shall be completed by qualified individuals.

COMMERCIAL COOKING SYSTEM INSPECTION FREQUENCY

(3 months): High-volume cooking operations such as 24-hour cooking, charbroiling or wok cooking.

(12 months): Low-volume cooking operations.

(1 month): Cooking operations utilizing solid fuel-burning cooking appliances.

(6 months): All other cooking operations.

Grease accumulation: If hoods, grease-removal devices, fans, or ducts have an accumulation of grease during inspection, they must be cleaned in accordance

Records: Inspection records must state the who, what, when and where of the inspection. Records for cleanings must state the same information. These records must be completed after each inspection or cleaning and maintained.

When a commercial kitchen hood or duct system is inspected, a tag containing the service provider name, address, telephone number and date of service must be provided. Remove prior tags.

Extinguishing system service: Automatic fire-extinguishing systems protecting commercial cooking systems need to be serviced as required.

Gas-fired commercial cooking appliances installed on appliances used for cleaning and sanitation purposes must be connected to the piping system with an appliance connector listed.

https://assets.lawrenceks.org/assets/fire-medical/files/2015%20IFC%20SECTION%20609.pdf