Fifty years of answering the same questions on the same routes. What the codes actually require, what fails inspection, and what we see on the wall every week across Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois.
Opening a Restaurant in Wisconsin or Iowa: The Fire Protection Checklist
Suppression system, hood cleaning, extinguishers, CO₂ and training — the five pieces the fire inspector will ask about before you open, in the order to do them.
After the Extinguisher Is Used: Recharge, Replace and the Six-Year Clock
Why there is no such thing as a partially used extinguisher, what a real recharge involves, and when replacing beats recharging.
What the Fire Inspector Checks: Wisconsin’s Six-Month Rule and Iowa’s New Fire Code
Where the inspector’s authority comes from, what is on the clipboard for extinguishers, kitchens and booths, and how to be the ten-minute building.
CO₂ Safety for Bars, Breweries and Restaurants: Cylinder Dates, Leaks and the 100-Pound Rule
The DOT test date on the shoulder, why CO₂ pools in basements, and the fire code’s gas-detection rule for beverage systems over 100 pounds.
Paint Booth Fire Suppression: NFPA 33, OSHA 1910.107 and the Semiannual Service
Why spray booths have their own fire code, what a booth suppression system does, and what the semiannual NFPA 17 service actually checks.
OSHA Fire Extinguisher Training Requirements: What 1910.157(g) Asks of Employers
Federal law requires extinguisher education at hire and every year after. What OSHA 1910.157(g) requires, who it covers in Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois, and what a compliant class looks like.
Which Fire Extinguisher Goes Where: Choosing the Right Class for Every Room
ABC, CO₂, Class K, clean agent, Purple K: what each one does, what each one costs you, and which belongs in the kitchen, the server room, the shop and the booth.
UL 300 and Your Kitchen Fire Suppression System: Why Old Systems Fail Inspection
Vegetable oils and efficient fryers changed the kitchen fire. UL 300 changed the systems. How to tell what is above your line and what replacement involves.
How Often Does a Restaurant Hood Need Cleaning? The NFPA 96 Schedule
NFPA 96 sets a real schedule for exhaust hood inspection and cleaning based on what you cook. Here is the table, what bare-metal cleaning involves, and why the fan matters.
How Often Do Fire Extinguishers Need to Be Inspected? The NFPA 10 Schedule, Explained
Monthly, annually, six years, twelve years: the full NFPA 10 fire extinguisher schedule in plain language, and what each interval actually involves.