Yeah. Solved. 
Rather redundant, the fan grill - considering you would have to yank the vent hose off of the machine and stick your fingers in the “unguarded” fan of the running machine for it to be a hazard.
The grill effectively restricts the airflow and creates turbulence in the exhaust.
Its existence is a reflection of having to judge the liability of a manufacturer’s product in the hands of incompetence.