HIC Air Quality Assessment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A grease trap that is not cleaned regularly can contribute to indoor air quality problems primarily through:
- Increased oxygen consumption
- Emission of hydrogen sulfide and methane (Correct answer)
- UV light absorption
- Dust particle accumulation
Correct answer: Emission of hydrogen sulfide and methane
Decomposing grease in traps produces hydrogen sulfide and methane gases, which are toxic and can create hazardous indoor air conditions.
Question 2: When assessing ventilation in a commercial kitchen, inspectors primarily look for which Air Changes per Hour (ACH) standard?
- 2–4 ACH
- 5–8 ACH
- 15–30 ACH (Correct answer)
- 50–60 ACH
Correct answer: 15–30 ACH
Commercial kitchens typically require 15–30 air changes per hour to effectively remove heat, smoke, grease, and odors.
Question 3: Which pollutant is produced when gas burners in a commercial kitchen operate with insufficient combustion air?
- Nitrogen
- Carbon monoxide (Correct answer)
- Ozone
- Sulfur dioxide
Correct answer: Carbon monoxide
Incomplete combustion of natural gas due to insufficient oxygen produces carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless toxic gas.
Question 4: A negative pressure environment in a food facility is MOST likely to cause:
- Excess humidity indoors
- Infiltration of unfiltered outdoor air through gaps (Correct answer)
- Overheating of cooking equipment
- Rapid cooling of stored foods
Correct answer: Infiltration of unfiltered outdoor air through gaps
Negative pressure draws unconditioned, unfiltered outdoor air through cracks and gaps, potentially introducing contaminants and pests.
Question 5: In indoor air quality investigations, a Draeger tube (colorimetric detector tube) is used to:
- Continuously monitor temperature over 24 hours
- Detect and roughly quantify specific gas concentrations (Correct answer)
- Sample viable airborne bacteria
- Measure total air pressure
Correct answer: Detect and roughly quantify specific gas concentrations
Draeger tubes contain chemical reagents that change color in proportion to the concentration of a targeted gas when air is drawn through.
Question 6: The purpose of hood filters (grease baffles) in commercial kitchen exhaust systems is to:
- Increase airflow velocity
- Remove grease particles before they enter ductwork (Correct answer)
- Humidify supply air
- Filter out carbon dioxide
Correct answer: Remove grease particles before they enter ductwork
Grease baffle filters trap airborne grease droplets before they accumulate in ducts, reducing fire risk and maintaining air quality.
Question 7: Which symptom pattern would MOST suggest sick building syndrome (SBS) related to poor indoor air quality in a food facility?
- Symptoms worsen at home and improve at work
- Symptoms are specific to one worker only
- Multiple workers report symptoms that improve upon leaving the building (Correct answer)
- Workers report symptoms only during summer months
Correct answer: Multiple workers report symptoms that improve upon leaving the building
SBS is characterized by multiple occupants experiencing nonspecific health symptoms that resolve after leaving the affected building.
HIC Air Quality Assessment 3
A grease trap that is not cleaned regularly can contribute to indoor air quality problems primarily through: