Max_rob
New Member
Lead by Example
I just wanted to share with everyone my plan and actions to improve the industry in my area. After talking and meeting with the Health Department and the Fire Marshal, I have decided the best way to ensure high standards in my area is to start an organization that establishes and promotes that Health Department and Fire codes are being met when it concerns hood vent and exhaust systems. Now keep in mind that this project is in it's infancy and I am sure there are changes that will take place. I will start with a bit of history that some of you are aware of. I found through doing bids on jobs, that the other hood/exhaust companies where only cleaning the hoods and not the shaft or the fan areas. After much frustration of trying to educate the resturant managers that they were paying for a complete cleaning, but were only getting 1/3 of it actually done, I decided to look into the fire and food codes for my state. I noticed that the codes were clear on what cleaning meant and what the inspectors would look for. I called the fire marshal's office and they told me that there were 2 inspectors to cover 12 counties, so needless to say they couldn't physically go to all of the resturants in thier area. The fire marshal directed me to the health department and there I expressed my concerns in a meeting with the inspectors. They were surprised to find out that the cleaning was not being done, although they did not check behind the vents/baffles unless there was an obvious problem. I expressed that both the resturants and the cleaning companies knew that they didn't check the system so they weren't worried about it. So... I provided them pictures of resturants that I found in horrible shape, which was about all of them, and provided them with pictures of my work. They stated that sometimes it is hard to check the systems as well as time consuming. I suggested to them that we should work together to devise some sort of system so that they would know if the system was being cleaned properly. After a few more meetings with both the health dept. and the fire marshal, this is what we came up with. Keep in mind this is what I was doing as a regular practice.
provide an inspection for the resturant with a check list of what the codes are. example, hood and exhaust shall be free from forigen debris.
take pictures of before and after a job
document recommended cleaning cycle with customers requested cleaning cycle.
provide inspection of system by independant source.
These are the things I was providing as part of my service to begin with.
These are the things that the health department and fire marshal said they would like to see.
documentation of inspection (with a dated picture)
documentation of recommended cleaning and actual cleaning cycle.
submittal of documentation to health and fire marshal of service provided.
They also suggested that it would help them out if this information was posted at the client so that the customer would have first hand knowledge of the service that was being performed. This is because the health department holds the resturant responsible for cleaning and being in code.
After much thought and concideration I have decided the best way to go about making a change is to lead by example through an organization. Therefore I thought it would be a good idea to establish the Association of Hood and Exhaust Professionals. This organization would be dedicated working with resturants and the health and fire athorities to establish stadards that make sure the cleaning companies are doing quality work. I have taken the standards that I already use, and the suggestions from the health and fire authorities and established a base of standards.
These standards are based on the codes that are written and combined with the actions taken by the cleaning comapnies and authorities. Basically saying that communication is a must for the system to work and establishing a way to provide this communication that benefits the industry and the authorities.
Like I said this is still in it's infancy, but the ground work and communication of ideas have been open. My goal in this is to provide a way of educating established business as well as new business in what the codes are and a direction for them to take on techniques that will accomplish the proper cleaning to ensure the clients of members are getting services that ensure codes are being met.
What will this organization will not do
The organization would not dictate the way cleaning should be done, but rather give guidenance. I realize that my way may not be the best way. And therefore the direction would include the way that I clean along with other techniques. I feel that this way someone starting a company can feel free to express ideas and techniques that they have come up with. Keeping in mind that the end result is that the hood and exhaust meet code.
Charge a high fee to join. The fee would be nominal so that no one that wants to join would be unable because of the fee. In fact I am also liking the idea of volenteering time and resources in exchange for membership fee's. The whole idea is education and help for suppling a superior service to the industry.
Let me know what you think about this and please feel free to suggest new ideas. And please keep in mind, this effort is to raise the standard of the industry in my area. Not to just get business.
I just wanted to share with everyone my plan and actions to improve the industry in my area. After talking and meeting with the Health Department and the Fire Marshal, I have decided the best way to ensure high standards in my area is to start an organization that establishes and promotes that Health Department and Fire codes are being met when it concerns hood vent and exhaust systems. Now keep in mind that this project is in it's infancy and I am sure there are changes that will take place. I will start with a bit of history that some of you are aware of. I found through doing bids on jobs, that the other hood/exhaust companies where only cleaning the hoods and not the shaft or the fan areas. After much frustration of trying to educate the resturant managers that they were paying for a complete cleaning, but were only getting 1/3 of it actually done, I decided to look into the fire and food codes for my state. I noticed that the codes were clear on what cleaning meant and what the inspectors would look for. I called the fire marshal's office and they told me that there were 2 inspectors to cover 12 counties, so needless to say they couldn't physically go to all of the resturants in thier area. The fire marshal directed me to the health department and there I expressed my concerns in a meeting with the inspectors. They were surprised to find out that the cleaning was not being done, although they did not check behind the vents/baffles unless there was an obvious problem. I expressed that both the resturants and the cleaning companies knew that they didn't check the system so they weren't worried about it. So... I provided them pictures of resturants that I found in horrible shape, which was about all of them, and provided them with pictures of my work. They stated that sometimes it is hard to check the systems as well as time consuming. I suggested to them that we should work together to devise some sort of system so that they would know if the system was being cleaned properly. After a few more meetings with both the health dept. and the fire marshal, this is what we came up with. Keep in mind this is what I was doing as a regular practice.
provide an inspection for the resturant with a check list of what the codes are. example, hood and exhaust shall be free from forigen debris.
take pictures of before and after a job
document recommended cleaning cycle with customers requested cleaning cycle.
provide inspection of system by independant source.
These are the things I was providing as part of my service to begin with.
These are the things that the health department and fire marshal said they would like to see.
documentation of inspection (with a dated picture)
documentation of recommended cleaning and actual cleaning cycle.
submittal of documentation to health and fire marshal of service provided.
They also suggested that it would help them out if this information was posted at the client so that the customer would have first hand knowledge of the service that was being performed. This is because the health department holds the resturant responsible for cleaning and being in code.
After much thought and concideration I have decided the best way to go about making a change is to lead by example through an organization. Therefore I thought it would be a good idea to establish the Association of Hood and Exhaust Professionals. This organization would be dedicated working with resturants and the health and fire athorities to establish stadards that make sure the cleaning companies are doing quality work. I have taken the standards that I already use, and the suggestions from the health and fire authorities and established a base of standards.
These standards are based on the codes that are written and combined with the actions taken by the cleaning comapnies and authorities. Basically saying that communication is a must for the system to work and establishing a way to provide this communication that benefits the industry and the authorities.
Like I said this is still in it's infancy, but the ground work and communication of ideas have been open. My goal in this is to provide a way of educating established business as well as new business in what the codes are and a direction for them to take on techniques that will accomplish the proper cleaning to ensure the clients of members are getting services that ensure codes are being met.
What will this organization will not do
The organization would not dictate the way cleaning should be done, but rather give guidenance. I realize that my way may not be the best way. And therefore the direction would include the way that I clean along with other techniques. I feel that this way someone starting a company can feel free to express ideas and techniques that they have come up with. Keeping in mind that the end result is that the hood and exhaust meet code.
Charge a high fee to join. The fee would be nominal so that no one that wants to join would be unable because of the fee. In fact I am also liking the idea of volenteering time and resources in exchange for membership fee's. The whole idea is education and help for suppling a superior service to the industry.
Let me know what you think about this and please feel free to suggest new ideas. And please keep in mind, this effort is to raise the standard of the industry in my area. Not to just get business.
