Thermal Protection and Thermal Comfort: An Evaluation of the Fabrics used in Chef’s Uniforms against Thermal Hazards in the Kitchen

摘要

Burn injuries in kitchens are prevalent, as well chefs are exposed to high heat and humidity. Limited research has been performed on safety issues related to chef’s uniforms regarding thermal protective performance towards common kitchen thermal hazards (i.e., flames, hot liquids, steam and hot surfaces) and the thermal comfort within commercial kitchens. The purpose of this research was to characterize the thermal protective performance properties of textiles used in chef’s uniforms in order to understand how protective they are against all these thermal hazards in such environment. Selected thermal performance tests (i.e., flammability and ease of ignition, hot water and oil splash and steam testing under low pressure, and hot surface contact tests) were applied to predict the time to second-degree burn. Different fabric layers combinations (e.g., impermeable/semipermeable apron and two or more layers of cotton fabrics) were applied to determine the most effective way to wear chef’s uniforms. In addition, thermal and water vapour resistance were compared among different fabric systems in term of thermal comfort. Based on the obtained data from bench scale tests, recommendations were made to improve the thermal protection and thermal comfort of fabrics used in chef’s uniforms and the safety within commercial kitchens.