Air pollution in the workplace: making shish kebab is an overlooked occupational hazard.

Background: Meat grilled with wood charcoal is the most popular meal in Central Asia, but little is known about the grillers' occupational exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) in fumes.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to provide a quantitative analysis of occupational exposure to fine PM in grillers in the workplace.

Methods: We assessed exposure to PM from barbecue fumes using SidePak AM520 in six popular cafes in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Grillers wore devices for 8 h of work shift for 7 days in each place. Within- and between-place variances of PM mass concentrations were calculated using analysis of variance, and we also calculated the fold range of the 95% variance within (R) and between places (R), as well as exceedance (γ) and the probability of overexposure (θ).

Results: Two modes of exposure were identified, including intermittent and continuous. The median of daily geometric mean PM concentrations was 0.143 (interquartile range (IQR): 0.213) and 0.404 (IQR: 0.243) mg/m, accordingly. R was very large (20.2), but R was even greater (47.8), illustrating extremely high fluctuations in PM concentrations; γ was 0.116, and θ was 0.095.

Significance: Very high occupational exposure to barbecue fumes in grillers is overlooked and likely causes elevated health risks.