Email to the nfpa

**HOODPRO** · Jan 21st, 10, 08:32 PM

This is a copy of an email I sent to the NFPA.

I have been in the grease exhaust system cleaning business in Massachusetts for 22 years. This year the MA Dept of Fire Services mandated that hood cleaners be licensed by the state. This licensing brought on more open lines of communication between hood cleaners and the Fire Marshals than ever before. We came upon an issue which it was recommended by the Fire Marshals, that it be brought to the NFPA's attention.

Regarding filters. It seems that most hood cleaners on various forums are in agreement that aluminum baffle filters do not meet the codes. They only meet one, they are ul listed. UL standards require that the filter be able to condense airborne grease and run it off. No testing for strength or resistance to a fire! As for being made of an equivalent material to steel, no. As to holding up to the rough treatment common in the industry. no. Additionally each time we clean the filters they degrade, actually very quickly. If the restaurant runs them thru the dishwasher where the chemical strength is very high they fall apart even quicker. With the combination of being a weak metal at the start and constant degradation from cleaning they become much to thin to offer much resistance to a fire. In conjunction the filter is usually held together with aluminum rivets which are weakened even more quickly than the filter itself.
After doing some research I found that filter companys will offer the fact that galvanized filters can stand up to 450 degrees and stainless steel 900. Aluminum....... not a word. The temperature at which aluminum breaks down in conspicuously omitted. Everywhere, not a word. Could it be the temperature is lower than the average fire ? Imagine the reduction in effectiveness after several cleanings. Baffles much thinner than when they were initially purchased.
Another concern I thought you might consider is, say a fire breaks out in a hood. All the personnel evacuate and the firemen come in. The aluminum filters, when they break down and burn emit toxic fumes that can kill. The only people exposed to these fumes will be the firefighters. Not a good thing. Their job is dangerous enough without this oversight.

Hopefully you will take this into consideration during the next NFPA 96 codes meeting.

**Douglas Hicks** · Jan 22nd, 10, 04:38 AM

Good letter Ed. The only 2 suggestions I can offer is to get others in the trade, nation-wide, to write letters in support of this proposal. At the front of the NFPA 96-2008 is a list of those on the committee. At the back is the form to be used in making proposals. If you do not have a copy of NFPA 96-2008, I can fax that information to you. The other suggestion is to put your post on the other boards.

**HOODPRO** · Jan 22nd, 10, 07:11 AM

Thanks Doug,
I will get the info from my copy of the NFPA. As I am sure you know I am not the most popular poster on other boards. If your would like to copy my letter and add your input and post it elsewhere , feel free. Thanks again for the positive input.

**Douglas Hicks** · Jan 22nd, 10, 11:26 AM

I posted your letter to GP. When yuou get an address and other info, I will post that. Changing NFPA standards is a long and difficult process.

**Alexy** · Jan 22nd, 10, 11:31 AM

Good job Ed,
I hope it goes somewhere.

**HotShot** · Jan 22nd, 10, 01:29 PM

I am in complete agreement. I would like your permission to put this on my Hood Cleaning Helper site?

Also, Doug, if you want to email me that info of the committee members or whatever, I will put that up as well.

**HOODPRO** · Jan 22nd, 10, 03:15 PM

Hot, go for it.

**HOODPRO** · Jan 22nd, 10, 03:22 PM

I mailed a copy to : NFPA
Attn: Secretary, Standards Council NFPA
1 Batterymarch Park
P.O. BOX 9101
Quincy, MA 02269-9101

And I was asked by Carolyn Cronin of the NFPA send it emai to; proposals_comments@nfpa.org which I did.
She sent me a email an it seemed to say, as most codes do, that the next codes have already been set for 2011 but this could be put on the agenda for the following revisions.

**HotShot** · Jan 22nd, 10, 05:53 PM

Here is the link to your email about the aluminum hood filters, Ed.

**HOODPRO** · Jan 22nd, 10, 07:13 PM

Nice. Hopefully we can get other hood cleaners to email and or write to the NFPA.

**JohnB** · Jan 23rd, 10, 03:54 PM

I agree .. However the crazy thing is the NFPA code is only as good as the AHJ's that enforce it. There are some AHJ's in certian towns that do not enforce the rules to a strict T . I have account where they do not have any filters in the hood,, Towns that only require fire systems to be inspected once a year... and so on... With out any enforcement on the fire equipment end of the business or the hood cleaning end of the business we must remember that we are mere salesman.. We can suggest, offer , and supply info, but we can't enforce

**HOODPRO** · Jan 23rd, 10, 06:48 PM

Well Doug, I am beginning to see what you mean by a long and difficult process. A second person from NFPA has emailed me with more instructions for submitting my comments. Nancy Walker nwalker@nfpa.org 800-344-3555. She sent me forms I had to download and send to the NFPA. Ahhh bureauocracy. Nothing like it to take the wind out of your sails.

I agree John but now that there has been a tragedy involving firefighters, the Marshals are tightening the reigns here in Massachusetts. With a push from them and some help from us we may be able to change a few of the obviously flawed codes.The only thing here now is that we must be licensed by the state fire marshals office. Yes a test and also some experience in the work. Now we have to report non compliance issues to the Marshals within 48 hours. The Marshals have been pressing the issue , shutting down some restaurants and revoking the licenses of hood cleaners that are not doing their jobs correctly. The one thing that stinks is that we have to inspect the system and report non compliance. We are the rats, turning in our customers. Do you think they will have us do the work after we turn them in? We are between a rock and a hard place now.

**HoodsPlus** · Jan 24th, 10, 09:13 AM

Great move in the right direction Ed and I appreciate your efforts. There are a lot of companies popping up out there manufacturing filters with no listings at all. They can sell a cheaply made Stainless steel filter cheaper than I can sell a lited filter that will serve the purpose better and hold up. If enacted and enforced, it would level one more playing feild for us.

**Douglas Hicks** · Jan 24th, 10, 10:02 AM

Now that you have made the initial contact, how can the rest of us help? Would individual letters help? Or a group letter? If NFPA thinks that only one person is concerned, they will blow it off. If a number of us, from different areas write, they should take it more seriously.