Oct. 21, 2008 — DENVER, COLORADO — It seems there is an exception to nearly every rule, and the codes that govern kitchen hood installation are no different.

These codes are designed to promote health and safety. Most governmental building inspectors establish and enforce code requirements for their state and/or city.

Having this sort of “book knowledge” is good, but “real world” knowledge also is necessary to adequately enforce the code, said Massoud Farazandeh, general manager of American Professional Services (APS-Hoods), a company that offers Colorado kitchen hood sales and cleaning services.

That lack of real world experience often prompts plan examiners to go against the intent of the code- to ensure health and safety- while attempting to follow the letter of the code.

“Some plan examiners need to pay more attention to the safety tips the contractors are proposing and consider that we are doing what we can to comply with the code,” Farazandeh said.

For example, Farazandeh recently was contracted to install a kitchen hood system in a new building in Denver. The code required that the system be installed 10 feet from the edge of the roof. However, doing that would have made future cleaning, repairs and services difficult and dangerous for workers, because of a nearby hedge and a slope on the building.

“Sometimes when you comply with the code, real safety and practicality are being ignored just to meet the code,” Farazandeh said. “The concept of practicality has always been an issue as far as I’m concerned.”

The Process
When APS-Hoods is hired to install a hood system, Farazandeh must submit drawings to the appropriate plan examiner for the city. In some cities, this is a person who has a background in the field and engineering and/or design knowledge.

“In those cases, I don’t have much of a problem,” he said. “They look at real life and the practicality of the code compliance, as opposed to only looking at what the code dictates.”

Sometimes the plan inspector is someone who may possess the book knowledge, but they’ve never worked in the field and don’t realize that following the code actually decreases safety in some cases.

“Basically, they just read from the code book,” Farazandeh said. “If the code says to put in 10 access panels, that’s what they expect, even if doing so would mean that some of those panels aren’t accessible. That is not practical, nor does it make good sense.”

In situations where Farazandeh recommends an alternative to strictly adhering to the code, he takes his idea to the city and explains the situation. If he believes that putting an exhaust fan five feet from a building’s edge because at 10 feet, there is a slope that would make cleaning and servicing the fan more dangerous, he tells the examiner.

“In that case meeting the code causes more danger,” he said.

Once the examiner approves the alteration, they include an explanation on the drawing that explains why the code won’t be followed in that situation.

Thankfully, examiners who insist on following the code without exception are few.

“This happens seldom,” Farazandeh said. “Most planning examiners are pretty reasonable, knowledgeable guys. They understand what’s out there, and they know when the guy in the field is telling them something different from the code, it’s because there is a safer way, not because he’s trying to make the work easier.”

The danger in having these “strictly by the book” examiners is that is breeds apathy over time and contractors begin to stop considering the long-term consequences of their work.

Contractors should put personal care into their work. They should consider safety in everything they do and work to ensure there are no flaws, Farazandeh said. But because there are “pencil pushers” who enforce the code without any external considerations, many contractors today just build according to code and don’t consider the consequences.

“The code is designed to protect people and promote safety,” he said. “We don’t want to get around the code, we just want to make sure we follow the spirit of the code and the intention behind it.”

Learn More
For more information about the professional hood, duct and fan cleaning, servicing and installation services provided by APS-Hoods, call (303) 639-9399, or visit the company’s Web site: www.aps-hoods.com.

About APS-Hoods
APS-Hoods is a full-service restaurant fire protection business that installs, services, repairs and performs routine inspections and cleaning for hood and fire suppression systems. Founded by Chief Executive Officer Massoud Farazandeh in 1989, APS-Hoods has grown into a national leader in hood cleaning and fire protection for restaurants and facilities. APS provides superior service, a quality guarantee and maintains a highly qualified and dependable staff. All crew members are professionally trained to comply with the National Fire Prevention Association Standards and state and local codes. APS-Hoods is fully insured and bonded. They are licensed in the mechanical and electrical fields, as well as fire protection contracting. APH-Hoods is affiliated with the National Fire Protection Agency and the Colorado Division of Fire Safety Fire Suppression Program.

© 2008 Sinai Marketing and APS-Hoods. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this article is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
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