Having a proper service hold open retainer on your restaurant’s kitchen exhaust fan is required by NFPA 96 standards. Some restaurants will try to use inadequate substitutions such as a chain instead of a proper service hold open retainer. Chains are not an acceptable service hold open retainer and do not comply with NFPA 96 standards. These chains cannot securely hold the fan open without the fan moving. There is also a significant risk of the chain or other improper service hold open retainers breaking or failing. This leads to significant safety issues, not to mention being out of compliance to the standards set in NFPA 96.

Additionally, chains will not keep the fan from tipping over or slamming shut, which could potentially injure maintenance technicians or cause damage to your roof. A proper service hold open retainer like those included in the Super Hinge will prevent the fan from falling. Having the proper service hold open retainer on the hinge on your kitchen exhaust fan is not optional but a requirement according to the NFPA 96 standards 8.1.1.1; having a NFPA 96 compliant hinge will help ensure the safety of your Hood Cleaning Technicians and maintenance professionals working on the fan.

The patented Super HingeTM not only helps commercial cooking operations meet NFPA 96 standards, it also helps protect your rooftop from damage. It does this by locking the fan in place at  45 and 90 degrees, thus not allowing the fan to swing open and impact your roof. This increases the longevity of kitchen exhaust fans.  The Super Hinge is designed specifically to meet or exceed an NFPA 96 compliant kitchen exhaust system. To explore our other NFPA 96 Mechanical Solutions and Off the Roof grease containment systems, check out our products above!

Here at Omni Containment Systems, we have a sincere desire to work side by side with our distributors, educate restaurant owners about grease containment, and provide a product that fits your needs! For more information on our great products, subscribe to our Newsletter and follow our LinkedIn page!