NFPA recently released the 2024 edition of their restaurant fire safety standard, NFPA 96 Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations. The effective date is May 13, 2023, and supersedes all previous editions of the standard. Although the updates and new criteria are not retroactive and do not apply to facilities and equipment that existed or were approved for construction prior to this effective date, you should consider using the latest edition in lieu of the edition that is adopted and enforced in your jurisdiction. That is because the most recent edition contains the “state-of-the-art”, meaning it is the most recent development of the standard, incorporating the newest ideas, and the most up-to-date features. Those new safety improvements will most likely be permissible and embraced by your local AHJ. But check with your AHJ prior to use and implementation.

Although the standard was originally intended for restaurants in buildings, it has been updated from those earlier editions and now also applies to mobile and temporary cooking operations, including food trucks, trailers, and tents. Although previous editions contained repetition to accommodate both stationary operations (restaurants) and the new mobile operations (food trucks), the 2024 edition eliminates that repetition. For example, chapters 4–9 apply to buildings and to mobile and temporary cooking operations. That is because, from a safety standpoint, those minimum requirements apply to hoods, grease filters, exhaust ducts, air movement, and auxiliary equipment that is installed in both buildings and food trucks. The differences in applications for fire-extinguishing equipment can be found in Chapters 10 and 11. Chapter 10 applies to buildings and 11 is for food trucks. Since the inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) for the equipment is the same for both buildings and vehicles, all ITM is covered in Chapter 12. That makes it easy for you and your customers to stay in compliance and not get cited for a violation. Additional safety provisions for food trucks can be found in Chapter 17, Mobile and Temporary Cooking Operations. That chapter has extensive information on LP-Gas (propane), which is used extensively in food trucks. There is also a requirement for carbon monoxide detectors in food trucks (17.10) and sometimes not found in restaurants.

The provisions for food trucks were derived from those necessary for protection of restaurants, but careful thought went into the new criteria for food trucks. Although most restaurants have a wet chemical system in the hood, NFPA 96 allows other systems to be used for restaurants in buildings. But for food trucks, a UL 300 system must be installed in accordance with NFPA 17A (11.2.2)². There are no other options besides pre-engineered wet chemical systems for the protection of mobile and temporary cooking operations. For food trucks, there must be Class K extinguishers, extinguishers for other hazards (complying with NFPA 10), and where there is a generator with engine, there must be a 20-B:C extinguisher installed specifically for that hazard (11.7.5)³. When the hood system operates in a food truck, people in the vicinity must be notified and the fire department must be able to identify the vehicle with the fire. Consequently, food trucks must have at least one audible and visual notification device installed on the outside of the vehicle (11.5.2).

Of significant importance are the new training requirements for food truck workers. Those requirements are extremely important for safety and should not wait for local adoption of the 2024 edition of NFPA 96. Here is an extract for your use and discussions with local vendors and the AHJ.

You should consider sharing your knowledge of these topics and offer training to the local fire inspectors and the owners and operators of food trucks, trailers, and other mobile and temporary cooking operations.

NFPA continually updates and improves safety for commercial cooking operations. It is our job to utilize the most recent editions of the NFPA standards, which contain the newest ideas, up-to-date features, and improvements in safety.

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If you inspect and repair backflow preventers and don’t offer winterizing services for your customer’s irrigation system, here is a quick overview of how to start.

Freeze damage to your customer’s irrigation system is usually very expensive to repair. So, the important message to your customers is “a freeze-up is easily preventable”. The service that our industry calls “winterizing” will prevent freeze-ups and costly damage. That is why you should make sure to schedule winterizing for all your customers with irrigation systems in the fall. Most likely, they will appreciate your efficiency, knowledge, skills, and the reasonable fee you charge to provide this service. But most of all, your customers will have the peace-of-mind that a freeze-up will not occur if their system is winterized correctly. Here are the insights you will need to perform this task effectively.

The first step is to close the main shutoff (supply) valve to the irrigation system. The main shutoff is located indoors, typically right where the irrigation piping comes out of the building. Once you close the main shutoff, you will not have to touch this valve again until the spring, so it is a good idea to tag it “Keep Closed During Winter”, so your customer does not open it accidentally after you leave.

The next step is to open the main drain valve, but make sure to place a bucket beneath the drain valve prior to opening it. Once the drain valve is open, go outside and open the pressure vacuum breaker (PVB) outlet drain valve and all test cocks (typically two cocks) on the PVB. The inlet and outlet shutoffs for the PVB should already be open, since the irrigation system was operational during the spring, summer, and early fall. If not, make sure to open these valves. You can now go back inside and check the bucket beneath the drain valve at the main shutoff valve. The bucket will have a small amount of water that drained back from opening the test cocks and outlet drain valve. Take the bucket with you and empty it outside and head over to the PVB again.

Pressure Vacuum Breaker with Shutoff Valves

Next, you will need to close the outlet shutoff valve prior to blowing out the irrigation piping with your compressor. Make sure to always close this shutoff valve to protect the internal component of the PVB. Now you can connect your compressor hose to the outlet drain valve. Leave this valve open and begin blowing out the irrigation piping. Remember to never blow out the irrigation piping using the test cocks, as this could damage the internal components of the PVB. For large irrigation systems, you will be blowing out each zone, one at a time. By sequentially blowing out each sprinkler zone, you can observe the operation of sprinklers and visually spot any obvious issues that need attention. Once you have blown out the irrigation piping system with compressed air, disconnect the air hose from the outlet drain valve for the PVB.

Once the system has been blown out and water completely evacuated from the system, the final step is to partially open the two drain valves, all test cocks, and the inlet and outlet valves to the PVB. The industry practice is to leave these valves at a 45-degree angle, which will approximately be at the half-open/half-closed position. The main shutoff valve remains closed until recommissioning the system in the spring. For areas where there might be people present during the cold months, you will definitely want to tag this valve with a message that it is to remain closed during the winter to prevent filling of the empty piping system.

Your job is now done for the winter. You will be back in the early spring to recommission the system. Recommissioning the system is the easy part. You will be closing the test cocks and outlet drain valve at the PVB. Then go inside and close the main drain valve. Then open the main shutoff and do not forget to remove the tag and take it with you. You do not want to leave behind an erroneous tag that can cause confusion. Next go back outside and open the inlet shutoff valve to the PVB. You will hear a “pop” as the PVB seals shut. Now slowly open the outlet shutoff valve for the PVB. This action keeps pressure on the PVB while allowing the sprinkler piping to fill with water. Once the piping is filled with water, it needs to be fully opened. The system in now in an operational condition for the warm-weather months of irrigation.

Make sure all your customers with irrigation systems are on your schedule for winterizing service. The nominal fee you will charge to prevent freeze damage is a fraction of the cost for repairs if they were to have a freeze-up.

Valve Positions During Winter Shutdown

Washinton State is in the early stages of updating their state fire code. The Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) formed a Fire Code Technical Advisory Committee (TAG) to provide advice on potential updates. The Fire Equipment Manufacturers Association (FEMA), Government Relations Committee (GRC) met in August and reviewed the proposed updates. Of particular concern are the updates to licensing of fire protection systems technicians, which deviate from the national norms. The GRC submitted comments to the TAG that will be reviewed in the fall of 2023. The GRC is pushing for a return to the requirements of the 2018 State Fire Code for pre-engineered systems, which matches most other states.

Virginia is also in the early stages of updating their fire code. FEMA GRC is engaging with the Virginia Building Code Officials Association (VBCOA) and other groups to improve safety in buildings by requiring extinguisher installation throughout buildings in accordance with the national model codes, including the ICC International Fire Code (IFC). Currently the Virginia Fire Code allows a reduction in safety for certain buildings with regards to portable fire extinguishers, which deviates from most other states. FEMA is pushing for adoption of the latest edition of the IFC, which requires extinguishers throughout buildings.

NFPA has announced the next revision of NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers. NFPA set a deadline of June 1 for Public Input and received well over 100 proposed changes. The NFPA Technical Committee is scheduled to meet October 31 – November 2, 2023. The committee will review the proposals and develop a draft revision of the standard. The next edition of NFPA 10 will be the 2026 edition. Brooks has members on the committee and will participate in the revision process.