Study: Restaurant workers exposed to dangerous heat and pollution from gas stoves
A new study comparing air quality and temperatures in commercial kitchens found that gas stoves expose workers to harmful pollution and dangerously high heat levels exceeding safety guidelines.
Restaurant workers face exposure to harmful air pollution and dangerously high temperatures from gas stove use, according to a new study by PSE Healthy Energy, Stanford University, and New York University. The research found that these conditions often exceed safety guidelines.
The study measured pollution levels and temperatures in 27 commercial kitchens across California, Pennsylvania, and New York. Over two-thirds of kitchens with gas appliances exceeded the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) proposed high heat trigger of 90°F. Approximately 70% of gas kitchens also exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) outdoor standard for nitrogen dioxide.
"This is what workers are breathing in," said Drew Michanowicz, a principal scientist at PSE Healthy Energy and study co-author. Pollutant concentrations were highest near the stoves, before ventilation systems could clear the air. Some gas kitchens also recorded levels of carbon monoxide and benzene exceeding California's guidelines.
Researchers also observed that pollution levels in gas kitchens remained elevated overnight due to pilot lights, even with ventilation systems off. In contrast, all-electric kitchens were found to be "strikingly cleaner and cooler." The study highlights the occupational health hazards associated with gas appliances, including increased risks for respiratory illnesses and heat-related conditions.