pikselikuva
High Performance Kitchen - Health

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) is believed to lead to an increase in acute respiratory diseases, SBS symptoms and asthma and allergic exacerbations. These in turn can lead to an increase in absenteeism or a loss of productivity.
How to ensure a healthy kitchen environment?

  • Improved thermal comfort with Integrated Design Approach
  • Technical Solutions
    o Low emissions from materials - natural & tested
    o Cleanability of products
    o  Adjusted supply airflow rates - design method & demand-control ventilation
    o  Ductwork balancing - balancing dampers o  Sufficient fresh air   
  • Process
    o Building process (construction, commissioning, maintenance, audits)
    o Use indoor classification

The range of thermal comfort neutrally acceptable without health impacts has been proposed as running between 17°C (63°F) as the lowest and 31°C (88°F) as the highest acceptable temperature. (Weihe 1987, World Health Organisation 1990)

To maintain sufficient indoor conditions year-round, the air-conditioning system is necessary in the kitchen. Without mechanical cooling, the air temperature in the kitchen will be  over 30ºC (86.5°F) during summer time. These temperatures reduces worker performance.
Symptoms of discomfort and health risks outside this range are indicated. (see table of health risks). If a hood is not able to capture and contain the contaminated air within the kitchen area, both humidity and temperature will increase in the kitchen, while pollutants will spread over the kitchen and potentially to the surrounding dining and shopping areas. High contaminant removal efficiency is particularly critical in where display cooking is done close the customers.
Studies


Published studies demonstrate quite clearly the health risk of cooking. Thiebaud (1995) indicated that the fumes generated by frying pork and beef were mutagenic. Hence, chefs are exposed to relatively high levels of airborne mutagens and carcinogens. Vainiotalo (1993) carried out measurements at eight workplaces. The survey confirmed that cooking fumes contain hazardous components. It also indicated that kitchen workers may be exposed to relatively high concentrations of airborne impurities.

Although cigarette smoking is considered to be the most important cause of lung cancer, smoking behavior cannot fully explain the epidemiological characteristics of lung cancer among Asian women, who rarely smoke but contract lung cancer relatively often. Ng (1993) found that over 97% of the women in Singapore do not smoke. Thus, the presumable sources of indoor air pollution for housewives are passive smoking and cooking. This study indicated that greater relative odds of respiratory symptoms were associated with the weekly frequency of gas cooking. A statistical link with chronic coughs, phlegm and breathlessness on exertion was also found.

These previous studies depict the importance of well-designed ventilation in the kitchen.


 

Back | Print page