BCAB #1496 - Ventilation of cooking equipment in an Abbeyfield House, NFPA 96, Sentences 9.10.1.4. (1) & 6.2.2.6.(1)

November 17, 1999

BCAB #1496

Re: Ventilation of cooking equipment in an Abbeyfield House, NFPA 96, Sentences 9.10.1.4. (1) & 6.2.2.6.(1)

Project Description

The project in question is an Abbeyfield House residence for ten seniors. The house provides ten bedrooms for the residents, one for the assistant manager and a one bedroom suite for the manager. There is a common room dining room and a residential sized kitchen where meals are prepared for the residents.

Reason for Appeal

Sentence 9.32.1.1.(2) requires ventilation systems other than self-contained systems serving a single dwelling unit to conform to Part 6. Sentence 6.2.2.6.(1) requires systems for the ventilation of commercial cooking equipment to be "designed constructed and installed to conform to NFPA 96, "Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations."

Appellant's Position

The appellant contends that the kitchen is similar in operation to one in a single family dwelling and will not produce substantially more grease-laden vapours than normal residential kitchen. The kitchen should not be considered as a commercial operation as it only produces food for the residents.

Building Official's Position

The building official, the fire chief and the Office of the Fire Commissioner have determined that the kitchen requires a ventilation system conforming to NFPA 96 as stated in A-3.3.1.2.(2).

Appeal Board Decision #1496

It is the determination of the Board that the kitchen in this facility is unlikely to produce quantities of grease laden vapours exceeding that produced in a single dwelling. Therefore, a ventilation system conforming to NFPA 96 is not required.

George R. Humphrey, Chair