Chleo

How Worker Protection Standards Can Shield Food Service Employees From the Heat | Eater

"Owners Hope and Charles Mathews closed their small Kingston restaurant for a week to install an HVAC upgrade after their previous system funneled outside makeup air into a kitchen with wood-fired grills that can reach about 1,000°F, which offered little relief on hot days. They considered a year-round replacement that was estimated at over $60,000 but instead invested in more affordable split units to cool the hottest spaces, a costly decision that raises anxiety about higher utility bills (already over $2,000 a month) and illustrates the financial trade-offs small operators face when prioritizing worker and customer safety during heat waves." - Amy McCarthy