FDNY Inspection – New FDNY Tag Laws for Fire Extinguishers and Exhaust Systems

New Regulation for Proof of FDNY Fire Extinguisher Tag Compliance

The New York City Fire Code (3 RCNY Section 115-02) requires the periodic inspection and servicing of portable fire extinguishers and commercial cooking exhaust systems. A rash of unscrupulous companies providing bogus services had led to fires and significant injuries and loss of property.
These senseless and preventable fires triggered a change in the New York City Fire Code, which now authorizes only approved companies to provide the sale and service of portable fire extinguishers and the cleaning and servicing of commercial cooking exhaust systems. To prevent fraud, and as an added measure of proof of compliance, the approved companies will use specifically numbered tags and decals issued by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).

Only companies (like Chase Fire) that meet New York City licensing standards are eligible to purchase FDNY-issued decals and tags, and only FDNY-issued decals and tags will be acceptable proof of inspection, cleaning and/or servicing. Decals and tags that meet FDNY standards are designed with various security measures to prevent counterfeiting.

To learn more about this new rule, view the FDNY Official document:
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/business/tag-decal-program.pdf

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) have added a new rule regulating the decals and tags that serve as proof of compliance with New York City Fire Code requirements for fire extinguishers and cooking exhaust systems.

Existing Regulation of Commercial Cooking Exhaust Systems

The New York City Fire Code requires the periodic inspection and cleaning of exhaust systems for restaurant and other commercial cooking equipment that generate grease-laden vapors.  Grease accumulations in exhaust systems are the source of numerous fires, which the exhaust ducts can spread throughout the building. The residue generated by wood-burning cooking equipment compounds the risk of a fire.

Restaurant owners and others have been targeted over the years by unscrupulous businesses that charge for cleaning the commercial cooking exhaust system but fail to perform a proper cleaning.  To help prevent this, companies that clean commercial cooking exhaust systems must be licensed by the Fire Department, which requires businesses performing the cleaning to obtain a company certificate and their cleaning technicians a certificate of fitness.

The cleaning companies are required to attach a decal to the commercial cooking equipment to document that the exhaust system has been cleaned, as well as by what company and technician, and when the cleaning was performed.  Currently, cleaning companies print their own decals as proof of compliance with Fire Code requirements. Recent investigations by the New York City Department of Investigation revealed that unlicensed businesses unlawfully conducting such cleanings fraudulently placed decals identifying other, licensed companies as having done the work.

Existing Regulation of Portable Fire Extinguishers & Suppression System Tags

The New York City Fire Code requires the periodic inspection and servicing of portable fire extinguishers where such extinguishers are required.  An annual inspection must be conducted by a licensed portable fire extinguisher servicing company to ensure that the portable fire extinguishers are functional and to repair or recharge them if necessary.  A tag must be attached to the portable fire extinguisher to document the inspection and/or servicing.

It is difficult for business owners to assess whether the companies they have hired to service portable fire extinguishers are properly servicing them. The Fire Department itself may not be able to evaluate the adequacy of the services provided when it inspects the premises weeks or months later. There is a history of unscrupulous companies charging businesses inflated fees for these services, and then failing to perform necessary servicing. Most recently, the New York City Department of Investigation discovered several such companies attaching an inspection tag bearing the name of another company, jeopardizing the other company’s business reputation.

As a result, companies that sell or service portable fire extinguishers are required to be licensed by the Fire Department. The companies must obtain a company certificate and their technicians must obtain a Fire Department certificate of fitness.

Chase Fire and it’s technicians have obtained full Portable Fire Extinguisher certifications and are fully insured.

New Regulation of Proof of Compliance for Fire Extinguisher Tags

The Fire Department adopts this rule to regulate the decals and tags that serve as proof of compliance with Fire Code requirements.

Section 115-02 requires commercial cooking exhaust system cleaning companies to use Fire Department-issued, numbered decals as proof of compliance with Fire Code inspection and cleaning requirements. It also requires portable fire extinguisher sales and servicing companies to use Fire Department-issued, numbered tags as proof of compliance with Fire Code inspection, testing and servicing requirements. Only licensed companies are eligible to purchase the Fire Department-issued decals and tags, and only the Fire Department-issued decals and tags will be acceptable proof of the inspection, cleaning and/or servicing. The decals and tags will be designed with various security measures to prevent counterfeiting.

This will help ensure that only licensed businesses perform the required fire safety inspections, cleaning and servicing; promote proper performance by preventing misidentification of the company that performed the work; and make it more difficult for unqualified and unlicensed businesses to engage in fraudulent practices.

Unauthorized use of Fire Department-issued proof of compliance by an unlicensed company or individual, or misuse by a licensed company or one of its technicians, constitutes a violation of the applicable Fire Code requirements for commercial cooking exhaust systems or portable fire extinguishers and will subject the violator to a civil or criminal penalty. It can also result in denial, suspension, revocation or non-renewal of a Fire Department certificate.

In accordance with existing Fire Code requirements (as set forth in Section FC107.7), records of all inspections, cleaning and/or servicing of equipment, and the names and Certificate of Fitness numbers of all company personnel who performed the work, must be maintained for a period not less than three (3) years.

source: http://rules.cityofnewyork.us/agency/fdny