Calgary hood cleaning requirements

Competitors?
 
Thanks for the reply. Your right about the certification issue, that horse was dead a long time ago but gets fresh new whip marks every once in a while.

Do you think most Fire Inspectors would welcome an alert about a restaurant that has a fire hazard in the duct? We get plenty of them here but have never made it known to anyone except the customer. I wouldn't want to bother Chief Eastman unless I thought he wanted to hear about it.
 
Notification

If he is any kind of Fire Inspector who is actually interested in preventing fire then Yes Contact him. I would welcome the opportunity to come there. Let me at em !!!!!!
 
I haven't been doing this nearly as long as Matt or several others on this board, but I have yet to come across a proactive inspector when it comes to restaurant ventilation. And any time I have approached an AHJ they don't seem to have any interest in the input of some greaser.

I ended my efforts in reaching the AHJ's when the Missouri State Fire Marshal showed very little interest in my request for information to contact local AHJ's. I realized this lowly greaser would be wasting his effort to pursue the short lived dream of inspectors and cleaners skipping along merrily hand in hand fixing the corrupt world of kitchen exhaust systems.

We could use more proactives like Stan here in Missouri.
 
Stan,

Got a few questions for you if you don't mind. Here lately, been getting a lot of calls from local eateries to come and give estimates and clean, asap. I wouldn't mind if the the temp was over 18 degrees F, but it ain't.

Ran into this today; an old bar in a 150 year old blding - a new owner - wants to increase the kitchen usage. A former owner had a pizza oven which is gone. It's replaced now with full gas range and 4 commercial french fyers. Down here pizza ovens have type 2 - stove pipe ducting with not a weld in site anywhere. (don't know about Calgary). The stove pipe ducting runs several different directions across and inside the tile ceiling and finally outside to a wall mounted fan. Cleanouts, forget about it. Grease leaks - several. If there is ever a fire it will take a city block of renovated buildings. What's a greaser to do? My gut feeling is to walk away, but knowing the market as I do, it will be probably be done by an IKECA certified company which does a lot of looking the other way. They have become quite successful in the process. How do you handle these situations in your neck of the woods.

Regards
 
Tell Jeff I said hello, tell him to stop by for coffee, or if he has time lunch. Hey you could even come along too...and bring Chris. We could talk war stories about restaurants, and code violations.
 
Indiana Jones

You do have a problem don't you.
I don't know if your city issues business licenses to restaurants, but here we do, this give us the advantage. If Huntington does issue licenses have your AHJ use it as a tool to help enforce compliance.
What we do here is, once there is a NEW OWNER or RENOVATIONS to the existing occupancy, we can make them upgrade to the current standards outlined in NFPA. If we do not give fire approval no business license or liquor license will be issued (no license no business) this has a great effect on there incentive to comply. Like you most our pizza ovens have a type II ducting system, but once a new appliance is introduced IE deep fat fryer, they no longer can use type II ducting it no longer is NFPA Compliant, andthey must have a suppressin sysytem installed. The only sugestion I have is to contact your AHJ and bring this to his attention. If you decide to clean the system, send him ( AHJ ) your after service report stating what you found and why it can't be cleaned. You want to "Cover your A...s " in case of a GOD FORBID a fire. Liability can be an issue ! Regard Stan
 
Stan,


Thanks for the speedy reply. My gut tells me to walk away and I will. This is not local to me but a neighboring university town. I told the bartender last night that in my opinion the system in the kitchen is a fire trap and needed to be reconfigured with the proper welded ductwork. He apparently told the owner some parts of my comments, because the owner called today while I was out apologizing for missing my call and asking for a quote on the cleaning and whatever else I said needed to be done. Maybe, he wants to make things right! So if he gets the ducting redone I might get another call back in 2 or 3 years. I won't hold my breath.

Stan, I'd just like to add my compliments to you for being available to answer our questions and give us an AHJ's perspective. Your being here adds a whole lot more value to this board.

Thanks again.
 
Last post

Gentalmen
I have been assigned other duties. I will check the BBL occasionaly but do not expect immediate answers to any questions. I am, P....ed Off, to say the least. It has been a pleasure working with you I do hope to rejoin the ranks in the spring. If I can be of assistance please feel free to email me. stan.sauve@calgary.ca

Merry Christmas to "y all" and have a super New Year eh!!
Your Canadian AHJ
Stan
 
Stan are they putting you back on the floor? or in plan check?
 
Isn't that what happens, we get a person who can make a difference, a person who we can educate and can educate us, & the white hats move him someplace else! No wonder I get so upset with the Fire Service.

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc
 
Ten Four!!
 
Support Thank you

I have been assigned to go back as a district inspector. We have numerous retirements and others taking hoildays thus we are very short of man poewr, I hope that I can return when we hire more inspectors and get them trained. I will still be available to you so dont give up hope just yet.

Stan
 
Does this mean that this pilot attempt to require certification has been aborted?
Richard
 
I had thought about looking into a position at the Health Dept or Code Enforcement at one time. Wonder what the qualifications for such a job would be? What schooling and or training is involved?
I guess this question is directed more towards Stan or anyone who knows what the qualifications are for a Healt Dept. Inspector are.
Im shure they varry from place to place.
 
I'm lost - where does it say everyone needs to be Phil Ackland Certified?

I apologize for the delay in my response - but it seems this board has a few "glitches" when it comes to newbies signing up.

Rusty - I’m sorry to ruin your tirade with the facts, but here goes.

Phil Ackland is doesn’t promote your organization – just like he doesn’t promote other competitors, like IKECA and ASTT. He can’t guarantee the quality of work you do, so why would he put his reputation on the line promoting you?

Phil Ackland has offered and still offers his certification protocol FREE to AHJs and other governing bodies to use (without the PAC branding).

Phil Ackland does not sue vent cleaners. He works as an expert witness in cases involving kitchen exhaust fires. Sometimes he is on the side of the competent vent cleaners who are doing the work right, and other times he is working against the cleaners who were cheating the restaurants by not doing their job.

The standards that Vancouver and Alberta have adopted are based on NFPA’s standards – not Phil’s. Phil is mentioned as an option to attain certification, right along side Phil’s competitors – IKECA and ASTT (which is also in Canada). Just because they did not recognize you, Rusty, as a viable place to receive certification does not mean they only recognize Phil.

Even though you are strongly against Phil Ackland – your website still says that you are using Phil Ackland’s Manuals in your class… I do not remember processing an order from you to purchase our manuals. Does this mean you are photocopying them against the copyright?

Phil Ackland believes that all cleaners should be certified – just as all fire suppression service providers are. It sets the standard. However, Phil Ackland recognizes that there are more than one way to achieve this certification.

You, Rusty, are not the only alternative to Phil Ackland Certification.
 
Of course he offers his training for free. It is similar to Sears and Kenmore "giving away" appliances on tv shows and game shows. It is overall for the good of the needy homeless family, or thrill seeking gameshow contestant. However, if they were asked to remove all logos from the appliances and new cars, I seriously doubt they would have much to "give away". The training might not cost the AHJ a penny, but I'm sure they will be dreaming of that Phil Ackland logo for days after their course.
 
Grant said:
Tell Jeff I said hello, tell him to stop by for coffee, or if he has time lunch. Hey you could even come along too...and bring Chris. We could talk war stories about restaurants, and code violations.
Click to expand...

LOL I was just pulling your leg man, I wanted to see if you would catch that, nice catch!

I don't see what the big deal is with Phil pushing his program to Fire Inspectors. Wouldn't any of us do the same thing if we were in that position?

One of my mentors used to tell me how when people asked him what business he was in he would say "I'm in the money making business." We all do whatever it is we do but ultimately we are in business to make money.
 
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