Final answer:
A proper ventilation system helps maintain indoor air quality by removing grease, steam, smoke, and heat from a foodservice operation, thereby ensuring a safe environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Proper ventilation systems are crucial in maintaining indoor air quality by removing contaminants such as grease, steam, smoke, and excessive heat, especially in a foodservice operation. This helps ensure a safe and comfortable environment for both the staff and the patrons. Indoor pollutants can result in adverse health effects, therefore, the use of mechanical ventilation devices, such as outdoor-vented fans, ensures the removal of air from areas where pollutants are most likely to be generated, like kitchens. Keeping a regular maintenance schedule for these systems, similar to what was implemented for the air conditioning system after the infections, is vital to prevent issues such as the growth of biofilms.