Finger Lakes Building Officials, Inc.

An Affiliated Member of the New York State Building Officials Conference

5/28/2003 The latest Technical Bulletin from the Codes Division.

PLEASE NOTE: In days of yore, we had issued an interpretation which said that the old dry powder hood systems were "pre-existing, non-conforming". Pay special note to the following excerpt:

How does the FCNYS handle dry-chemical Systems?

Dry-chemical Systems that were listed under the UL-300 test standard prior to 1996 and still remain can continue to be inspected and maintained in certain situations. Two situations that would require the installation of a new System would be:

1. The use of a dry-chemical System to protect a deep fryer that uses a cooking media other that animal fat, including partial blends or changes.

2. The use of a dry-chemical System to protect appliances that have been added or replaced since the adoption of the FCNYS (January 1, 2003)

NFPA 17 Chapter 9-3– Inspection, performed at least semiannually, shall include verifying that the hazard has not changed. [A change from animal fat to vegetable oil or other cooking media is a change of hazard.] This would render the System non-compliant by the System inspector.

This is a MAJOR change to our former stand. BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR FAT!!!!!!

Here is the whole technical paper.

Dick Thomson

Finger Lakes Building Officials Association, Inc.
3100 Atlantic Ave.
Penfield, NY 14526