This year, Omni Containment Systems is bringing back the case studies. It’s been a while since our last case study, but as we wrote in 2019, we enjoy working shoulder to shoulder with our team of distributors to bring commercial kitchens the best in kitchen exhaust equipment. Sometimes, we get pictures like the one below!

This rooftop is a disaster! It’s breaking several NFPA 96 codes by not having a hinge or grease catch. The NFPA 96 states, “7.8.2.1 Rooftop termination shall be arranged with or provided with the following: (4) The ability to drain grease out of any traps or low points formed in the fan or duct near the termination of the system into a collection container that is noncombustible, closed, rainproof, and structurally sound for the service to which it is applied and that will not sustain combustion.” The above fan does not have a closed, rainproof, or structurally sound design.

The NFPA 96 also states, “7.8.2.1 Rooftop termination shall be arranged with or provided with the following: (8) A hinged upblast fan supplied with flexible weatherproof electrical cable and service hold-open retainer to permit inspection and cleaning that is listed for commercial cooking equipment.” The fan above doesn’t have any hinge whatsoever. Hinges should cover at least 60% of the fan base to be considered safe for service personnel. These fans weigh anywhere from 80 – 400 lbs, so if they were to crash down on someone while they were cleaning it could be deadly.

What this hood needs is a triple threat of solutions! First, Omni Containment System’s product, Grease Away, can be sprinkled on the rooftop to dissolve and clear away the grease in as little as 24 hours. Grease Away is a safe to use product that can clear away even the toughest and most caked on grease. It just needs a little time to absorb (72 hours is average) and then to be rinsed away with a hose or by the next rainfall. It’s safe to go down the storm drains.

Second, this fan could be equipped with either our Grease Box, Grease Gutter Sidekick, or High Capacity Grease Gutter. The Grease Box is perfect for commercial kitchens that need a little extra support. It has three tiers of our hydrophobic filters and is in a closed receptacle, so it is also wind and weatherproof. The Grease Gutter Sidekick is the perfect solution for normal commercial kitchens with average output, again utilizing our hydrophobic filters. The High Capacity Grease Gutter surrounds the fan 360 degrees around the base, making it perfect for capturing higher amounts of grease output.

Third, this fan needs a hinge. Our patented Super Hinge is the only NFPA 96 compliant hinge on the market. We offer different sizes to provide fans of varying lengths the proper amount of coverage. As stated earlier, hinges should span across at least 60% of the fan base to be considered safe enough for service personnel to clean. This is not an NFPA 96 requirement; the 60% is what Omni Containment Systems has found to be the best and safest length.

Keeping commercial rooftops safe and free of grease is imperative to preventing grease fires from spreading through restaurants and any potentially attached businesses. Leaving rooftops without a hinge and inadequate grease containment receptacle, like the one above, is only a disaster waiting to happen. Between fines from the EPA, grease fires, and rooftops deteriorating/caving in, leaving a mess like this is not an option. Omni Containment Systems and our over 900 distributors across the United States want to keep commercial kitchens safe. Contact us today to learn how we can help prevent fires in your commercial kitchen!