NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations

Help Prevent Property Damage Caused by Commercial Kitchen Fires.

Thousands of fires happen each year in commercial kitchens around the world, causing significant financial and life loss. NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, provides broad-based preventive and operative fire safety requirements for the design, installation, operation, inspection, and maintenance of commercial cooking equipment.

The standard covers requirements for all types of cooking equipment in public and private kitchens, including fans, stove exhaust hoods, grease removal devices, cooking exhaust systems, fire-suppression systems, and clearance to combustibles. 

Major updates to the 2024 edition include:

• Mobile and temporary cooking operations expansion
• Requirements related to liquefied petroleum gas
• Requirements for the use, inspection, testing, and maintenance of labels
• Requirements regarding the responsibility of inspection, testing, maintenance, and cleanliness of commercial cooking operations

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1 Administration

1.1 Scope.
1.2 Purpose.
1.3 Application.
1.4 Retroactivity.
1.5 Equivalency.

Chapter 2 Referenced Publications

2.1 General.
2.2 NFPA Publications.
2.3 Other Publications.
2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections.

Chapter 3 Definitions

3.1 General.
3.2 NFPA Official Definitions.
3.3 General Definitions.

Chapter 4 General Requirements for Cooking Operations in Buildings and Mobile and Temporary Cooking Operations

4.1 General.
4.2 Clearance.
4.3 Field-Applied and Factory-Built Grease Duct Enclosures.
4.4 Duct Contact.
4.5 Duct Clearances to Enclosures.
4.6 Drawings.
4.7 Authority Having Jurisdiction Notification.
4.8 Materials.
4.9 Grease-Contaminated Cloths.

Chapter 5 Hoods

5.1 Construction.
5.2 Hood Size.
5.3 Exhaust Hood Assemblies with Integrated Supply Air Plenums.
5.4 Listed Hood Assemblies.
5.5 Listed Ultraviolet Hoods.
5.6 Listed Ventilated Ceiling Technology.

Chapter 6 Grease Removal Devices in Hoods

6.1 Grease Removal Devices.
6.2 Installation.

Chapter 7 Exhaust Duct Systems

7.1 General.
7.2 Clearance.
7.3 Openings.
7.4 Openings in Ducts.
7.5 Other Grease Ducts.
7.6 Exterior Installations.
7.7 Interior Installations.
7.8 Termination of Exhaust System.

Chapter 8 Air Movement

8.1 Exhaust Fans for Commercial Cooking Operations.
8.2 Airflow.
8.3 Replacement Air.
8.4 Common Duct (Manifold) Systems.

Chapter 9 Auxiliary Equipment

9.1 Dampers.
9.2 Electrical Equipment.
9.3 Other Equipment.

Chapter 10 Fire-Extinguishing Equipment for Cooking Operations in Buildings

10.1 General Requirements.
10.2 Types of Equipment.
10.3 Simultaneous Operation.
10.4 Fuel and Electric Power Shutoff.
10.5 Manual Actuation.
10.6 System Annunciation.
10.7 Special Design and Application.
10.8 Review and Certification.
10.9 Portable Fire Extinguishers.

Chapter 11 Fire-Extinguishing Equipment for Mobile and Temporary Cooking Operations

11.1 General Requirements.
11.2 Types of Equipment.
11.3 Fuel and Electric Power Shutoff.
11.4 Manual Actuation.
11.5 System Annunciation.
11.6 Review and Certification.
11.7 Portable Fire Extinguishers.

Chapter 12 Procedures for the Use, Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Equipment

12.1 Operating Procedures.
12.2 Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Fire-Extinguishing Systems.
12.3 Inspection of Fire Dampers.
12.4 Inspection for Grease Buildup.
12.5 Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Listed Hoods Containing Mechanical, Water Spray, or Ultraviolet Devices.
12.6 Cleaning of Exhaust Systems.
12.7 Cooking Equipment Maintenance.

Chapter 13 Minimum Safety Requirements for Cooking Equipment

13.1 Cooking Equipment.
13.2 Operating Controls.

Chapter 14 Cooking Operations in Buildings That Utilize Recirculating Systems

14.1 General Requirements.
14.2 Design Restrictions.
14.3 Interlocks.
14.4 Location and Application Restrictions.
14.5 Additional Fire Safety Requirements.
14.6 Use and Maintenance.

Chapter 15 Solid Fuel Cooking Operations

15.1 Venting Application.
15.2 Location of Appliances.
15.3 Hoods for Solid Fuel Cooking.
15.4 Exhaust for Solid Fuel Cooking.
15.5 Grease Removal Devices for Solid Fuel Cooking.
15.6 Air Movement for Solid Fuel Cooking.
15.7 Fire-Extinguishing Equipment for Solid Fuel Cooking.
15.8 Procedures for Inspection, Cleaning, and Maintenance for Solid Fuel Cooking.
15.9 Minimum Safety Requirements: Fuel Storage, Handling, and Ash Removal for Solid Fuel Cooking.

Chapter 16 Cooking Operations in Buildings That Utilize Downdraft Appliance Ventilation Systems

16.1 General Requirements.
16.2 Fire-Extinguishing Equipment.
16.3 Airflow Switch or Transducer.
16.4 Surface Materials.

Chapter 17 Mobile and Temporary Cooking Operations

17.1 General.
17.2 Location of Mobile and Temporary Cooking Operations.
17.3 Tents.
17.4 Appliance Installation on Vehicles.
17.5 LP-Gas Cooking Appliances.
17.6 Internal Combustion Engine Power Sources.
17.7 Vehicle-Mounted Generators.
17.8 LP-Gas Systems.
17.9 Electrical Wiring.
17.10 Carbon Monoxide Detectors.
17.11 Training.
17.12 Parking, Servicing, and Repair.
17.13 Records.

Annex A Explanatory Material
Annex B Informational References

2024 (9781455930531)

2021 (9781455926336)

2017 (9781455916061)

2014 (NFPA96-14)