Restaurant Hood, Duct and Fan Cleaning Regulations Need Enforcement

August 10, 2007, Denver, Colo. – An estimated 7,100 restaurant fires were responsible for 108 civilian fire injuries and $116 million in property loss. These figures, detailed in a 2002 study by the National Fire Protection Association, make it clear how a single kitchen fire can devastate a business owner.

The leading igniters of grease and oil were the leading igniters caused 64.2 percent of all structural fires. Many fires can easily be prevented with regular hood cleaning and maintenance of restaurant hoods, ducts and fans. Massoud Farazandeh, CEO of the Denver-based APS-Hoods, promotes cleaning as the single most effective method of reducing fires, according to “Fire departments and government inspectors rarely enforce the codes that do exist,” said Farazandeh. APS-Hoods is an industry leader in restaurant fire systems, and kitchen and hood cleaning/installation.

“There are no fines, no enforcement. At the most, inspectors write notes to restaurant owners, reminding them to clean their hood systems. Even insurance companies don’t require regular cleaning as a prerequisite for coverage. It’s difficult to understand this lack of concern as insurance companies stand to lose a great deal.”

Farazandeh regularly reports many restaurants to regulators for failure to maintain clean standards. Yet he has received less than a 5 percent response.

Farazandeh offers several suggestions, including attaching certification to the regulations to maintain a restaurant’s food and beverage licenses. He recommends owners should be allowed two 10-day warnings, after which they should be fined or have their licenses revoked.

A $60 licensing fee should cover costs, according to Farazandeh. He estimates it would take inspectors roughly one-hour per restaurant, per year to ensure compliance.

“It’s not something that’s costly. It’s just that no one is following up.”

He proposed each state require insurance companies monitor compliance. The simplest tracking method would be to require restaurant owners fax their cleaning company’s paperwork to the regulating agency.

“The insurance companies are the ones paying out the big bucks. Why aren’t they enforcing this? It’s not just a matter of money, however. Regulation will reduce the risk to fire fighters, restaurant staff and their customers. It’s a no-brainer.”

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Massoud Farazandeh founded Denver-based APS-Hoods in 1989, growing it over the next 20 years into a national leader in restaurant fire suppression systems, as well as kitchen and hood installation and cleaning.

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