City of Hackensack, NJ Chapter 78 Dry-Cleaning Establishments and Laundries

[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hackensack: Article 1, 9-17-1962 as Ord. No. 777; Article II, 10-5-1959 (Ord. No. 717) as Ch. 5, Article XIII, of the 1959 Revised Ordinances. Sections 78-1, 78-2A and C, 78-4A, 78-6 and 78-24 amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Article I. Other amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Building construction — See Ch. 70.

Fire prevention — See Ch. 88.

Licenses and permits — See Ch. 107.

Plumbing — See Ch. 123.

Zoning — See Ch. 175.

Article I Coin-Operated Dry-Cleaning Establishments

[Adopted 9-17-1962 as Ord. No. 777]

§ 78-1 Definitions.

As used in this Article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

COIN-OPERATED DRY CLEANING

The cleaning of textiles, fabrics, garments or other articles by the use of any solvent other than water in a dry-cleaning unit used or designed to be used by the general public. For the purpose of this definition, the term "used by the general public" shall be deemed to refer to the insertion of such textiles, fabrics, garments or other articles into a dry-cleaning unit or the removal of the same from such unit by a person or persons other than an owner, operator or employee of the dry-cleaning establishment.

ENFORCING OFFICIAL

The Fire Department and/or Health Department of the City of Hackensack.

SOLVENT

The cleaning fluid used in the dry-cleaning unit.

§ 78-2 License required; application.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment in the City of Hackensack without first obtaining a license therefor. No other permit or license for the operation of a coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment shall be required under any other ordinance of the City of Hackensack.

B. Application for such license shall be filed with the Fire Department of the City of Hackensack.

C. The application requirements shall be as indicated in § 107-6B of Chapter 107, Licenses and Permits, and in addition the following information shall be provided:

(1) The name, address and authorized officer of the person engaged to install the equipment and the name or names of maintenance personnel and their telephone numbers (the Fire Department shall be notified of changes in the names and telephone numbers of maintenance personnel).

(2) The exact location of the premises and the size thereof.

(3) The number of coin-operated dry-cleaning machines, with make and model numbers, which are to be installed.

D. The application shall have the consent of the owner of the premises attached thereto.

E. No license shall be issued unless the premises comply in all respects with fire, health, plumbing and zoning regulations of the city.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 88, Fire Prevention; Ch. 97, Health and Sanitation; Ch. 123, Plumbing; and Ch. 175, Zoning.

§ 78-3 Plans to accompany application; building standards.

A. When application for a license to operate a coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment is made, such application shall be accompanied by four sets of plans and specifications showing building outline, all equipment to be used and installation details thereof.

B. Such establishments shall be permitted only in a one-story masonry building, which building shall be so constructed that there are no hidden corners or places in the establishment when viewed from the public street. No such establishment will be permitted in any building occupied in part for dwelling purposes.

§ 78-4 Fee; expiration of license.

A. The annual license fee for the full year shall be as set forth in Chapter 107, Licenses and Permits.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: See 88-3 of ch. 88, Fire Prevention, establishes a permit fee for the storage of cleaning fluids.

B. Each license shall expire on December 31 of each year.

§ 78-5 Certificate of occupancy required.

No coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment shall operate without first obtaining a certificate of occupancy from the Department of Building, Housing and Land Use, which Department, prior to issuance of such certificate of occupancy, will ascertain the compliance by the applicant with the terms of this Article and of any other applicable and relevant ordinance, regulation or law.

§ 78-6 Suspensions and revocations.

Any license granted hereunder may be suspended or revoked in accordance with Article VII of Chapter 107, Licenses and Permits.

§ 78-7 Compliance with state and city regulations.

All installations of coin-operated dry-cleaning units must meet the requirements of all state and city regulations.

§ 78-8 Solvents.

The solvent used in said units shall be the cleaning fluid specified by the equipment manufacturer and shall be free of additives to mask the odor. It shall be classified as nonflammable at ordinary temperatures and shall not be more toxic than perchlorethylene.

§ 78-9 Access to machines.

Only the front of the dry-cleaning machine shall extend into the customer area. The remainder of each machine shall be separated from the customer area by solid partition. This partition may be constructed as a non-load-bearing double-faced wall structure to extend from floor to ceiling. Access door to the enclosure back of the machines shall be self-closing, metal clad and locked to prevent access from the customer area.

§ 78-10 Enclosure back of machines; heating equipment.

The enclosure for the machines shall not be interconnected with that of heating devices requiring air for combustion, such as gas dryers, water heaters and boiler-heating plants. This heating equipment must obtain air for combustion from the outside atmosphere.

§ 78-11 Ventilation.

All portions of the coin-operated dry-cleaning establishments shall be adequately ventilated.

§ 78-12 Attendants; age restrictions; use of flammable spotting material.

A. No coin-operated dry-cleaning machine shall be used by the general public unless under the continual direct supervision of a competent attendant. The attendant shall be not less than 21 years of age.

B. No coin-operated dry-cleaning machine shall be used by any person who is less than 17 years of age. A suitable sign warning of such age restriction shall be prominently posted.

C. No person shall use spotting equipment containing flammable material in a coin-operated or self-service dry-cleaning establishment.

§ 78-13 Safety locking devices.

All coin-operated dry-cleaning machines shall be fitted with a device which would prevent the opening of the door of any such machine while such machine is in operation and until all solvent vapors have been removed from any textile, fabric, garment or other article being cleaned and from the drum in which the same is placed.

§ 78-14 Installation of heat-producing devices.

All heat-producing devices must be installed in accordance with the Fire Prevention Code of the City of Hackensack.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 88, Fire Prevention.

§ 78-15 Drain tank; provisions for emergency drainage of solvents.

A. No coin-operated dry-cleaning machine shall be used unless directly behind any such machine there shall be quick-opening valves and pipes leading to a buried drain tank outside of the building of sufficient size to accept all solvent contained in all coin-operated dry-cleaning machines in the establishment. The quick-opening valves and pipes shall be so arranged as to cause solvent to drain into such tank by means of gravity flow.

B. The machines shall be installed on a concrete base around the edge of which there shall be a four-inch dike, making a reservoir to contain any liquids that may leak out of the machines. The reservoir shall drain directly to the pipes leading into the buried drain tank above referred to.

§ 78-16 Accessibility of solvent storage tanks and power boxes.

In any coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment, solvent storage tanks, vaporproof power box or boxes and other sources of danger shall be so situated as to be inaccessible to the general public.

§ 78-17 Exits.

All coin-operated dry-cleaning establishments shall have two exits which shall be at least 25 feet apart from each other and shall lead directly into the street or to an area outside of the building leading to the street.

§ 78-18 Disposal of residue; respirators.

A. Filter residue and other residues containing solvent shall be disposed of so as not to create a health hazard or nuisance. A locked, covered metal container shall be used for temporary storage in a covered shed of noncombustible construction outside the building.

B. A respirator approved by the United States Bureau of Mines as affording protection against organic solvent vapors shall be provided for and used by maintenance personnel during the correction of leakages, cleaning of the system, removal of lint and muck bags and at all times when the odor of solvent is noticeable.

§ 78-19 Exhaust facilities.

A. All exhausts shall be under positive pressure.

B. The terminal of any exhaust shall be at least 10 feet from any window or ventilating window if said ventilating window or ventilating opening lies on the same plane as the exhaust terminal. When the ventilating window or other ventilating openings lie on a plane which faces in the direction of the exhaust terminal, such terminal shall be at least 10 feet away from the same.

C. All direct equipment exhausts or vents shall be provided with mesh lint arresters which shall be kept clean unless lint traps are provided on the dry-cleaning unit.

D. The total exhaust capability of all exhaust devices used shall have a minimum capacity of 400 cubic feet per minute per machine for normal use and 1,000 cubic feet per minute for emergency use. The rated capacities of the exhaust fans shall appear on the equipment or its nameplate.

§ 78-20 Provisions for customer use; illumination.

Each coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment shall provide the following:

A. A men's and women's restroom, each with toilet facilities for customer use.

B. A coin-operated telephone booth located on the premises.

C. All lights in the interior of the building shall be so arranged as to cause no glare on adjoining property.

D. All outside illuminated signs shall be so controlled as to not be lighted between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

§ 78-21 Hours and days of operation.

No such dry-cleaning establishment shall permit the placing of articles to be cleaned in any machine before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. All such establishments shall be closed on Sundays.

§ 78-22 Warning signs; instruction list.

A. Each coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment shall contain indoor signs, prominently displayed, warning the customers of excessive solvent inhalation and skin irritation from the unevaporated dry-cleaning solvent.

B. A step-by-step readily legible instruction list for operation of the machines shall be posted in a conspicuous location near the machine in the customer area. These instructions shall include a list of items not to be dry-cleaned in coin-operated or self-service dry-cleaning machines, such as those made partly or completely of plastic, rubber, leather, paper, fur, angora or urethane.

§ 78-23 Maintenance of premises and machines; property conditions.

A. The entire premises of such establishment and all machines used therein shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition. Each machine shall be inspected each day it is in operation and kept in good repair by maintenance personnel. A record shall be kept in the maintenance area of all inspections and repairs made.

B. The floor shall be kept clean and dry. The premises shall be adequately ventilated and provided with sufficient natural or artificial light. The walls of said premises shall be covered with nonabsorbent paint, cement or other impervious material. The floor covering in the customer area shall be made of a material resistant to the solvents used in the machines.

C. All plumbing work shall at all times conform to the provisions of the Plumbing Code of the City of Hackensack,[1] and all electrical installations shall conform to the requirements of the National Electrical Code,[2] as published by the National Fire Protection Association, and shall always be kept in a good condition and state of repair.

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 166, Uniform Construction Code Enforcement.

[2] Editor's Note: See Ch. 166, Uniform Construction Code Enforcement

D. The customer area shall be equipped with a fire extinguisher approved for use against electrical or oil fires by the National Board of Fire Underwriters.

Article II Commercial Laundries and Dry-Cleaning Plants [1]

[Adopted 10-5-1959 (Ord. No. 717) as Ch. 5, Article XIII, of the 1959 Revised Ordinances]

[1] Editor's Note: Article 10 of the BOCA Basic Fire Prevention Code, adopted by Ch. 88, Fire Prevention, of this Code, also contains regulations concerning dry-cleaning plants.

§ 78-24 License required; application; fee; expiration.

A. No person shall operate or conduct any laundry, launderette, dry-cleaning, cleaning or dyeing establishment or installation where articles are processed in or upon any premises in the city, unless he has first secured a license therefor from the Fire Department in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 107, Licenses and Permits. This section shall not apply to such establishments or installations wherein no washing, cleaning or dyeing is done on the premises, nor shall it apply to establishments which are required to obtain licenses under Article I of this chapter.

[Amended 8-15-1983 by Ord. No. 22-83]

B. In addition to the requirements for application as specified in § 107-6B of said Chapter 107, each application for a license issued under this Article must include a detailed description of the structure or premises wherein such operations are to be carried on and must bear the written certification of the Building Inspector and the Health Department that said establishment satisfactorily passed inspection and meets the minimum requirements under regulations and laws enforced respectively by them and their departments.

C. The fee for such license shall be as set forth in Chapter 107, Licenses and Permits, said license to expire on March 1 of each year.

§ 78-25 Hours of operation.

The operation of an laundry, launderette, dry-cleaning, cleaning or dyeing establishment shall commence not earlier than 7:00 a.m. and shall not continue after 10:00 p.m., prevailing time.

§ 78-26 Noise and vibration.

No laundry, launderette, dry-cleaning, cleaning or dyeing establishment shall be operated in such a manner as to create any noises or vibrations to the detriment of any surrounding neighborhood.

§ 78-27 Businesses in residential buildings.

[Amended 8-15-1983 by Ord. No. 22-83]

No laundry, launderette, dry-cleaning, cleaning or dyeing establishment shall be conducted in any building devoted exclusively to residential occupancy or in any residential portion of a building; provided, however, that there may be established in any such building one or more washing or laundry facilities which shall be used solely by and for the convenience and service of the residents of the residential building, and such washing and laundering facilities shall be constructed and operated in accordance with the regulations and conditions set forth under the provisions of this Article.

§ 78-28 General sanitary regulations.

A. All places and spaces used for laundries, launderettes, dry-cleaning, cleaning or dyeing establishments or installations shall be sufficiently and properly covered with nonabsorbent paint or cement or other impervious material. There shall be an adequate supply of water available for flushing and cleaning purposes, and flooring shall be properly graded to a trapped inlet having direct connection with the house drain. Any room, building or washing or laundering facility used in the operation of laundry, launderettes, dry-cleaning, cleaning or dyeing establishments shall be equipped, installed and maintained in accordance with the provisions and requirements of Chapter 70, Building Construction, of this Code. Sufficient toilet facilities for male and female employees of such establishments shall be provided.

B. Machines used for washing, laundering, cleaning or dyeing shall be kept clean at all times.

C. The water used shall be heated to a temperature of not less than 180° F. and shall be maintained at that temperature during the cleaning process.

D. The rooms in which any washing or laundering facilities are located shall be adequately ventilated and shall have a sufficient amount of natural and artificial light as required by the Health Department.

§ 78-29 Clothes from quarantined houses.

No household washing, garments, bedclothes or other article received for washing, laundering, cleaning or dyeing, shall be accepted by or in any laundry, launderette, dry-cleaning, cleaning or dyeing establishment or installation from persons or occupants of any house under quarantine by reason of communicable disease. Where the articles to be processed are delivered to the licensed establishment or installation, inquiry shall be made by the licensee or his agent of the person making delivery thereto or using the facilities thereof, whether or not the articles to be processed have come from a person or premises under quarantine for a communicable disease. No such articles shall be accepted for processing if they do so originate; provided, however, that laundry from premises where a contagious disease exists may be handled in a public laundry or launderette if the householder presents, with the laundry, a certificate of approval issued for that particular household by the Health Department. All processors and all collectors, route men, employees, agents and agencies of processors or receivers of articles to be processed shall comply with the requirements of this section.