https://www.thenationalchefsunion.co.uk/articles.html/workplace-issues/cooking-with-asthma-r36/
Cooking with Asthma
Many reading this will be unaware, (as I was) about not only how difficult it can be being a chef
with Asthma, but indeed just how dangerous it can be also.
The tragic death this year of 19-year-old Lauren Reid at work in her kitchen in Glasgow
has
truly shocked all of us into learning more about Asthma and how we can both support our
colleagues’ and raise awareness of this terrible illness.
Of course, there are many causes and facets to Asthma and we are no experts, but we very
much
see Asthma as an increasing illness that seriously effects many Chefs in the UK and so Unichef
has
committed itself to bringing support, education, and awareness to the issue.
Little is known of the effects of cooking with Asthma but a recent
study in Norway has highlighted
the dangers of inhaling Carcinogens and Acrylamides and often much more simple, everyday
substances such as flour can be now considered a dangerous substance for many, and this
research shows a clear increased risk of respiratory problems for chefs and Bakers who
continuously inhale fumes and dust/flour.
Indeed, there have been many study’s in the USA of the increased risks associated
with long term use of Trans Fatty Acids and the effects of breathing hot cooking oil.
We must now look at the long-term practises of frying and grilling which create such
toxic atmospheres and begin to realise the effects they have not just on the closest
worker but all those within the kitchen.
Together with Laurens mum, Elaine Cunningham, we are now, in honour of Lauren,
taking Asthma much more seriously and will now include Asthma in our Chef Wellbeing
programs in the future and discuss the issue with chefs in much the same way as we
do Mental Health and other health subjects.
UK chefs and employers must all now begin to think and behave in a different way to
the toxic environment that kitchens can be and look not only at the causes and effects
of asthma but indeed look at preventing needless deaths such as Lauren Reid’s in the
future by being more aware of the dangers and signs of distress.
There is lots we can all do, and in Laurens name we need to start right now.
---------------
sciencenorway.no/food cooking fumes can create respiratory problems for chefs
Reacties