Certifications and Organizations.

[Scott Stone]

Today I saw this on the Delco board. Message Detail Page
The text is as follows...
Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Certification
Restaurant Hood Cleaners Association
Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Certification

The RHCA is an organization that offers affordable kitchen exhaust cleaning certification to any qualified and trained kitchen exhaust cleaner.

You must be certified to clean kitchen exhaust systems
NFPA 96 states that you must be certified to clean kitchen exhaust systems.
Our certification is affordable
Starting at $25 for online certification*, we are the most affordable kitchen exhaust cleaning certification association in the United States.
Once you pass the online test, you will receive your certification to clean kitchen exhaust systems per NFPA 96.
Just wondering what your feelings on it are...

[mohadeeb]

I have been trying to contact the RHCA with no avail. does anyone know if they are still certifying? If so is there a new site/contact info,

Thanks

Nam
Dirty Jobs Unlimited, LLC

[Ron Musgraves]

Will the insurance company accept the certification?

The national insurance assoiciation has some crazy thing on place for many trades. KEC is going to be a new one.

Its funny that and auto glass installer needs certifcation in order to be insured by the big guys. Not KEC yet

[Alexy]

What standard of profeciency are they training to? Not saying more expensive is better but what quality controls are there to say this guy knows what he is doing and more importantly.
What standard are they cleaning YOUR system too. A simple set of before and after pics and a cert of insurance is going to go alot farther than some $25 cert that says you took a test.

If you were to fast forward 3 years and you are sitting in a deposition for a civil suit because some place you cleaned caught fire and they are trying to hold you liable, what would you feel more comfortable with?
yes sir I am cerificed by "X" I was certified on June 10th 2008 after paying $25.00 and taking an online test from the listed organization that you can also not get ahold of. or would you feel in a better position of you could say you learned the NFPA 98 standard after attending training and then practicing what was learned , here are pictures of my work that show that I can and do clean to NFPA98 on systems here are the pictures of your insured establishment that were taken on "X" Also note this deficency report that was done as well at that time and your insured was made aware of the following deficiencies.
The certification is just a hollow tree trunk the proof you do a good job is in your work we all earn our rep every job we do

[possumface]

certified by whom ? anyone with a printer, any organization with a printer ? who makes them qualified to certify anything you better check on how many hoods they have cleaned to become such experts

[statewidehoodcleaning]

Originally Posted by Alexy

What standard of profeciency are they training to? Not saying more expensive is better but what quality controls are there to say this guy knows what he is doing and more importantly.
What standard are they cleaning YOUR system too. A simple set of before and after pics and a cert of insurance is going to go alot farther than some $25 cert that says you took a test.

If you were to fast forward 3 years and you are sitting in a deposition for a civil suit because some place you cleaned caught fire and they are trying to hold you liable, what would you feel more comfortable with?
yes sir I am cerificed by "X" I was certified on June 10th 2008 after paying $25.00 and taking an online test from the listed organization that you can also not get ahold of. or would you feel in a better position of you could say you learned the NFPA 98 standard after attending training and then practicing what was learned , here are pictures of my work that show that I can and do clean to NFPA98 on systems here are the pictures of your insured establishment that were taken on "X" Also note this deficency report that was done as well at that time and your insured was made aware of the following deficiencies.
The certification is just a hollow tree trunk the proof you do a good job is in your work we all earn our rep every job we do

i believe the same thing

[newlook]

Originally Posted by Alexy

What standard of profeciency are they training to? Not saying more expensive is better but what quality controls are there to say this guy knows what he is doing and more importantly.
What standard are they cleaning YOUR system too. A simple set of before and after pics and a cert of insurance is going to go alot farther than some $25 cert that says you took a test.

If you were to fast forward 3 years and you are sitting in a deposition for a civil suit because some place you cleaned caught fire and they are trying to hold you liable, what would you feel more comfortable with?
yes sir I am cerificed by "X" I was certified on June 10th 2008 after paying $25.00 and taking an online test from the listed organization that you can also not get ahold of. or would you feel in a better position of you could say you learned the NFPA 98 standard after attending training and then practicing what was learned , here are pictures of my work that show that I can and do clean to NFPA98 on systems here are the pictures of your insured establishment that were taken on "X" Also note this deficency report that was done as well at that time and your insured was made aware of the following deficiencies.
The certification is just a hollow tree trunk the proof you do a good job is in your work we all earn our rep every job we do

I don't do hoods but the comment above is a solid ~ straightforward and honest statement!

[Tegrey]

Wonder how many DRs. are licensed by mail order? They use to buy brides through the mail. I'd have to go through an actual certification which has a physical test as well as written. Paying $25. for any kind of certification is ? The company that will certify by collecting money through the mail has to be questioned. Where is the validity? Who gave them the authority to certify? How did they become certified? These answers have to be questioned, unless you are looking for a $25.00 piece of paper. Just my opinion. Thank You.

[BUNN]

Originally Posted by Tegrey

The company that will certify by collecting money through the mail has to be questioned. Where is the validity? Who gave them the authority to certify? How did they become certified?

IKECA is without question the biggest name in KEC certification, and even they certify "through the mail". Even though I see that as a problem, the biggest problem I see is in the way they handle complaints against one of their members. They will ONLY review complaints filed by a customer of one of their members. It is in their bylaws that they will NOT investigate a complaint against one of their members, no matter how much evidence another KEC professional presents. If they were to change that policy, I would send in my application.