Safety Tips for Restaurant Operations

Accidents and injuries are very common in the restaurant industry. These injuries usually range from serious to low-risk, but one-third of most cases requires at least one day off for recovery.

Compared to other fields in the industry, restaurant operators face rather unique challenges. However, there are precautions they can take to protect their employees from hazards.

Common kitchen hazards

The first step into taking precautions is to identify the most common kitchen hazards. Ensuring your employees are aware and properly educated will decrease risks of injuries. 

Typical types of injuries include slips, trips, and falls, which are usually caused by unattended hazards. For example:

• Unattended cooking

• Wet or oily floors

• Obstructions left on the floor like boxes or baskets

• Accumulation of gas or vapor clouds

• Uneven and loose floors

Commercial kitchens have an abundance of flammables like oils, flours, and towels. Because of that, fires and explosions are key hazards for every staff member.

Avoiding hazards in restaurants

#1 Safety precautions

Reduce trips and falls by applying mats and anti-slip floor coatings in the most common slip-risk areas like the sinks. Encourage all employees to wear slip-resistant shoes and make sure no obstructions like boxes and crates are in the way.

Fires and explosions can be prevented by improving the kitchen’s ventilation. Install enough gas detectors so that your staff can be alerted when gas concentration levels are at a high. Remember to also consistently check and replace any old equipment.

#2 Strategize a method for incident reporting

Make sure there is an accessible way for your employees to report of any accidents that may happen in the kitchen. Encourage an open line of communication between all levels of employees.

#3 Employee education

Educate them what to do if an emergency should happen and give them proper training on equipment use. It’s also best to inaugurate a dress code that will help prevent burns, cuts, and slips. 

Any guest would expect that their food and drinks are made in a clean and healthy environment. This means that safe food preparation and food safety procedures should come hand-in-hand. The procedures should include washing the hands often, using gloves when handling ingredients, and avoiding work when the employee has a case or vomiting, diarrhea, or other illnesses that can be passed through food.