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Philadelphia — March 10, 2016 — The International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association (IKECA) announced the availability of a new American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard. IKECA is an international non-profit trade organization committed to fire prevention and safety by promoting kitchen exhaust cleaning to a higher standard.
The ANSI/IKECA-I10-2015 Standard for the Methodology for Inspection of Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Systems is the second of three standards. It is targeted toward owners and managers of facilities, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), insurance loss control specialists, and those who have an interest in industry-accepted processes and procedures for the cleaning, inspection, and maintenance of commercial kitchen exhaust systems.
ANSI I10 represents a major commitment to advancing the kitchen exhaust cleaning profession. It brings greater attention to the vital use of proper methodology for inspecting systems. All standards are designed to complement and augment NFPA 96: Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, which identifies the minimum fire safety requirements related to the design, installation, operation, inspection, and maintenance of all public and private cooking operations.
Commercial kitchen exhaust systems remove smoke, soot, and grease-laden vapor that result from cooking and create a fire safety hazard for workers, patrons, other building occupants, and property. Reducing the likelihood of this hazard requires periodic inspection and cleaning.
"Since the founding of IKECA in 1989, we have long strived to establish that the work performed by trained, qualified, and certified persons saves lives and protects property. The approval of this inspection standard, and the education and adoption process that continues with the introduction of the cleaning standard, are significant benchmarks for our profession," said Bernard Besal, the chair of the IKECA Standards Development Committee's ANSI Consensus Body, which develops and maintains the three standards.
"Inspecting exhaust systems of commercial kitchens has been regarded by some cleaning companies and restaurant owners as an inexact science. It is not. Doing it properly and safely is vital. The standard is clear on what must be done before, during, and after a cleaning, including complying with the requirements of the authority having jurisdiction and providing reports to the owner of the system" said Nelson Dilg, the vice chair of the ANSI Consensus Body, alternate on NFPA 96's technical committee, and a fellow co-founder of the association.
IKECA I10 will soon be available. To purchase a copy, visit the online store on IKECA's website: www.ikeca.org.
