Candidate's Guide to the IKECA Certification Exam Is Explained In The Paragraphs Below

(Click Here To Access Printable Versions of the Candidates Guides)

Individuals with questions which are not addressed here are encouraged to contact our association headquarters or send us an email at:  info@ikeca.org.

Who Gets Certified -- Individual versus Company Certification

An individual who passes the IKECA Certification Exam shall be designated as a "Certified Exhaust Cleaning Specialist (CECS)." In addition, if the certified individual is an owner, manager, or full-time employee of an IKECA member company, the company shall be automatically deemed "IKECA Certified."

If the certified individual is not affiliated with an IKECA member company, the company is not automatically recognized as IKECA certified. However, the non- member company may apply to be recognized as IKECA certified. Please contact IKECA Headquarters for more information.

Please note that if a certified individual ceases to be affiliated with a company, and that company has no other certified personnel on staff, that company's certification shall be considered terminated effective the date the individual ceased his or her affiliation with the company.

Who Should Take the Exam / Eligibility Requirements

Any owner, manager, or employee of a company actively engaged in the cleaning of commercial kitchen exhaust systems is eligible to take the IKECA certification exam, provided that:

• The company the individual is affiliated with is a member in good standing of the International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association (IKECA); or,

• The company the individual is affiliated with agrees to comply with IKECA Standards & Practices and meets IKECA membership qualifications.

Fees

The cost to take the IKECA Certification Exam is as follows:

IKECA Member Company Representatives $295

Non-IKECA Member Company Representatives $1500

If a candidate fails the IKECA exam on his or her first attempt, the individual may re-take the exam within a one year period at a cost of $100.

If an individual fails the exam on the second attempt, he or she must wait a period of one full year to take the exam again, and must pay full certification exam fees.

Certification fees are non-refundable.

Duration of Certification

Upon passing the IKECA exam, an individual shall be certified for a period of 1 Year. Certification is renewable on an annual basis by submitting the required CEUs or by re-taking and successfully passing the CECS exam.

IKECA CEU Schedule

• Attending an IKECA Annual Conference - 4 CEUs

• Attending an IKECA Technical Seminar - 4 CEUs

• Attending an approved outside seminar - 2 CEUs

• Writing a technical article that is published in IKECA's Newsletter - 2 CEUs

A total of 4 CEUs must be earned during the period January 1 - December 31, for annual re-certification requirements.

Description of the Examination

IKECA administers a multiple-choice, written examination. The length of the exam is 125 questions. The time provided to complete the exam is 3 hours.

The content of the examination is based primarily on industry codes and standards. A complete list of the codes from which exam questions are derived is printed later in this document. This list should form the basis of your studies.

At the testing location, you will receive an exam booklet with a separate sheet on which to record your answers by filling in a small circle with a pencil. It is a closed book exam -- no notes, books, or calculators will be permitted in the exam room. Pencils will be available, but you are advised to bring two sharp #2 lead pencils. No breaks are scheduled during the 3 hour exam administration.

At the conclusion of the exam, you will be required to return your test booklet and answer sheet to the exam proctor. You will not be permitted to remove a copy of the test booklet from the room.

Exam Scoring and the Pass-Fail Score

Candidate scores are based on the number of correct responses. Each question receives credit if scored correctly, and no credit if incorrect or omitted. Therefore, you should answer each question, even if you must guess. If a candidate marks more than one response for a question, that question will be scored as incorrect.

The pass-fail score for the IKECA exam is 70%. In other words, you must answer a minimum of 100 out of 150 questions correctly in order to pass the exam.

Score Report

Within approximately 2-3 weeks of taking test, you will receive a "score report" by mail. The report will indicate the number of test questions answered correctly and the number answered incorrectly. The report will also indicate whether you passed or failed the exam. If you passed the exam, your score report will be followed by a certificate from IKECA within a few weeks.

Individuals who take the exam will not be provided with a copy of the exam before or after the actual test administration. Some questions on the exam may be re-used on a future exam, and therefore copies of the exam cannot be released for security reasons.

Suggestions for Performing Your Best

Substantial effort is made to ensure that test questions are written in a clear, direct, and straight-forward manner. Candidates with sufficient knowledge of commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning and related codes and standards are likely to score well and pass the test; candidate's with insufficient knowledge are unlikely to attain a passing score.

IKECA recommends these three test-taking strategies to maximize your performance on the exam:

• The test is timed, and proctors must adhere strictly to the time limits. Therefore, you should not spend an excessive amount of time on any one question. Instead, skip such questions temporarily so that easier questions can be answered. Return to the more difficult questions after completing all other questions.

• Scores are based only on the number of correct answers. Therefore, you should answer each question, even if you must guess.

• All answers must be recorded on the answer sheet. Candidates are responsible for recording their answers in the appropriate spaces on the form. If a question is skipped, the corresponding space on the answer sheet should also be skipped.

Examination Conduct and Irregularities

Candidates are not permitted to bring food or beverages into the test room, unless special dietary needs have been documented, and permission granted. Smoking is not permitted in the test room at any time, and candidates may not exit the room for "smoking breaks" in the middle of the exam.

Collaboration and other disruptive conduct during the test are prohibited. Any violation of this regulation shall result in a score of zero for the test, and possible prohibition from sitting for future IKECA certification tests.

IKECA reserves the right to cancel any test score if, in the association's sole opinion, there is adequate reason to challenge its validity. IKECA also reserves the right to delete from scoring any question which is determined to have been exposed before the test administration, or is determined to be flawed. Similarly, IKECA reserves the right to cancel a test administration if it has been determined that the security of the test was violated prior to its administration.

Occasionally, an administrative irregularity may unwittingly exert a detrimental effect on candidate performance. Examples would include poor lighting or distractions from loud noises in the test room. Candidates who experience extraordinary disturbances or distractions during an IKECA test that may detrimentally or materially affect their performance should contact the IKECA office to file a complaint and appeal. Such a complaint or appeal must be filed within 7 days of the administration of the test, and must describe the nature and effects of the disturbance or distraction. Complaints or appeals submitted after seven days, or the release of score reports, shall not be considered.

Test Critique Procedures

IKECA uses a formal procedure to allow and encourage all candidates to challenge the content of specific test questions or the overall test. Under this procedure, candidates receive a special critique form during the test that they may complete anonymously, noting possibly vague or ambiguous aspects of questions, or other test quality issues. These forms should be completed during the administration of the test, but after the candidate has completed all examination questions. The critiques are used by IKECA in its post administration, quality control review of the test.

Recommended Reading

Questions on the IKECA CECS examination are derived primarily from documents produced by two code-setting bodies: 

• The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 

This publication is available through IKECA for member companies.
The cost is $35 (includes S&H). Click here to order.

• The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

Studying the materials cited below will assist candidates in preparing for the examination. 

NFPA Standards

NFPA Standard 96, Removal of Smoke and Grease Laden Vapors from Commercial Cooking Equipment

IMPORTANT: Questions on the exam may have been derived from any section of NFPA Standard 1996, including all chapters and appendixes. You are advised to study the standard from cover to cover.

To order a copy NFPA 96, email IKECA Headquarters
 or call us at 301-230-0099 .

OSHA Standards

1. Hazardous Communication

2. Confined Space Entry

3. Control of Hazardous Energy (Lock-out / Tag-out)

4. Respiratory Protection

5. Personal Protective Equipment

6. Ladders

All six (6) OSHA standards listed above are available from IKECA in a bound set for a cost of $25. This fee represents an administrative handling and reproduction fee. 

Send check or money order to:

IKECA, 12339 Carroll Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852 or  E-mail: info@ikeca.org.
Specify the item being purchased with your check. Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

Specific References for OSHA Questions

Shown below are the specific sections of the 6 OSHA standards listed above from which questions were developed for the IKECA examination. Candidates are advised to focus their studies of OSHA materials on these areas when preparing to take the exam.

Hazard Communication

Ref: 29 CFR 1910.1200 (c)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.1200 (d) and (g)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.1200 (e)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.1200 (f)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.1200 (h)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.1200 (I)(2)

Confined Space

Ref: 29 CFR 1910.146 (b)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.146 (c)(5)(c)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.146 (c)(7)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.146 (c)(8)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.146 (d)(6)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.146 (e)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.146 (g)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.146 (h)(I)(j)

Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

Ref: 29 CFR 1910.147 (a)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.147 (c)(6)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.147 (c)(7)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.147 (d)(5)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.147 (d)(6)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.147 (e)(3)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.147 (f)(2)

Respiratory Protection

Ref: 29 CFR 1910.134 (a)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.134 (b)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.134 (c)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.134 (d)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.134 (e)

Personal Protective Equipment

Ref: 29 CFR 1910.132 (d)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.132 (f)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.133 (a)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.133 (a)(3)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.133 (b)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.135 (a)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.136 (a)
Ref: 29 CFR 1910.138 (a)

Ladders

Ref: 29 CFR 1926.1053 (a)
Ref: 29 CFR 1926.1053 (b)

For More Information

For more information about the IKECA Certification program, please contact us.