Treat grease/special exhaust as red-zone work: access panel blocked after ceiling/wall close-up.
High-risk starter answer - treat grease duct, hood exhaust, kitchen exhaust, lab exhaust, and special exhaust as red-zone work. Cleanouts and access points are inspection/maintenance items, not optional pieces to work around.
Ask any time grease/special exhaust involves access, weld, wrap, slope, clearance, penetration, contaminant, or support questions.
Watch out
Do not assume normal galvanized duct rules apply. Do not cover, block, or delete cleanout/access locations.
Check
Confirm whether this is grease duct, kitchen exhaust, lab exhaust, industrial exhaust, or normal exhaust.
Check the approved drawings/spec/submittal.
Look for cleanout/access, clearance, enclosure/wrap, weld/seal, slope/drainage, and inspection requirements.
Check whether access is missing, blocked, too small, or pointed the wrong way before cover.
Steps
Confirm the system is grease, kitchen exhaust, industrial exhaust, dust, or chemical/fume exhaust.
Check approved detail for material, access, cleanouts, joints, wrap, slope, and support.
Identify hot-work or fire-watch requirements.
Focus on the actual issue: access panel blocked after ceiling/wall close-up.
Photograph or mark the condition if someone else needs to approve it.
Say this to your foreman
In Grease Duct, Kitchen Exhaust & Industrial Exhaust, I'm looking at: Access panel blocked after ceiling/wall close-up. What should I verify before I cut, drill, seal, cover, move, or install?