When a steel or tempered grease baffle plate is installed with a minimum height of 8 inches between the surface flames, the 16-inch space requirement shall:

• A. No Distance Requirement
• B. 16 Inches
• C. 18 Inches
• D. 8 Inches

Answer: (A)

The rule relies on an exemption: when a steel or tempered grease baffle plate is installed and there is at least 8 inches of vertical separation between the flames and the plate, the usual 16-inch space requirement is waived. The baffle plate acts as a protective barrier, reducing heat and flame exposure to the hood area, so the extra clearance isn’t required to meet fire safety goals. In practice, meeting that 8-inch clearance means you don’t have to maintain the 16-inch distance. The other options would keep or modify the standard requirement, which isn’t needed here because the exemption applies.