Have you ever been injured at work? Workplace injuries are a lot more common than you might think and decided to identify the hazards and provide some timely tips on how to improve kitchen safety.
Workplace safety is of paramount importance. Hazards exist in all workplaces in every industry, risk assessments and hazard management is designed to lower those workplace risks. How we manage those risks as business owners or employees dramatically impacts on the overall safety within our workplace.
You are watching: Kitchen Safety – Reduce Workplace Hazards & Injuries
The foodservice industry, like other industries, are required to meet compliance guidelines set by Safework to ensure workplace safety for both employees and the customers we serve.
Commercial kitchens have numerous hazards which, when not managed correctly result in severe injury or loss of life. Safework Australia reports that 6% of all workplace injuries occur in cafes, restaurants, pubs, taverns and bars.
Although risks impact on all age groups, young workers, in particular, are at risk. Common injuries amongst workers include musculoskeletal, open wounds and burns, followed by contusion/internal injury, fractures and injury from an external foreign body.
Whether you are a chef, kitchen hand, waiter or waitress, kitchen hazards are real. Let’s take a look at those risks in more detail.
With over 500,000 workplace injuries occurring annually in Australia and 6% within the foodservice industry, knowing the potential hazards and how to avoid them could save you or one of your colleagues from unnecessary harm.
Here are the top 10 injuries you’ll want to avoid which plague commercial kitchens, they are:
According to Safework knife injuries account for 3% of all injuries. Injuries to hands and fingers are most common in the commercial kitchens and occur during the food preparation process while cutting, slicing and dicing vegetables and boning meat.
Most injuries are often the result of using the wrong knife for the job or a dull blade; we recommend watching this timely video on how to prevent knife cuts.
Some highlights from the video and the Safework website include:
The above safety tips are the easiest way of avoiding knife injuries.
Burn hazards are an undeniable threat in the kitchen. Hot surfaces, direct flame and working with hot oils, handling hot pots, pans and trays all provide an opportunity to inflict serious injury.
Burns occur with direct contact with flames, electricity and chemicals. Scalding results from direct contact with hot liquids like boiling water, steam and oils used for cooking.
Protective clothing is essential to guard against the ever-present threat of injury, eyewear and heat-resistant gloves and aprons are the best protection against injury from oil splatter.
Read more : How to Reset Your Garbage Disposal Quickly and Safely
A qualified medical practitioner should access all burns. Below are the three degrees of burns;
Note: Steam can reach temperatures over 400°F. Steam burns tend to be far more intense than scalding from boiling water.
For more information on burn severity and measures you can take to guard against burns, check-out the injury prevention and safety tips on the Workcover or Safework websites.
Simple ways you can minimise accident risks;
Approximately 4% of all injuries are attributed to contact with a chemical or substance. Working with chemicals is a daily part of keeping your kitchen clean and sanitised. Businesses in the foodservice industry are obligated to comply with the strict guidelines for the handling and preparation of food. The Food Authority hands out severe penalties for companies who fail to adhere to the act and publicly names offenders on their shame list.
It is essential to understand the different use-cases of certain types of chemicals and sanitisers and the dangers if not used correctly. Check with your supplier as to any limitations or handling hazards and ensure;
I suggest reading our in-depth guide on the cleaning and sanitising commercial kitchens. We discuss the dangers of food poisoning and cross-contamination through poor sanitation habits and provide insights on how to clean and sanitise your kitchen more effectively.
Did you know that 3% of all workplace injuries occur from cutting, slicing and sawing? Working with machines has its associated risks, but there are steps you can take to lower those risks and avoid unnecessary injuries, they are;
Trips and falls account for 16% of all workplace injuries within the foodservice industry and occur on the same level.
The majority of accidents appear to be mostly preventable with most injuries resulting from liquid spills, wet or overly polished floors and uneven surfaces.
Common causes of trips, slips and falls are;
Simple safety measures to avoid accidental falls;
Head injuries account for 11% of all injuries amongst male and female workers across all industries. Interestingly enough, the majority of head injuries occur through overhanging shelves or accessing tight, confined places such as reaching for items on shelves or walk-in fridges.
Another alarming statistic is that eye injuries count for six per cent of all head injuries, most of which are the result of splatter from hot oil, steam or water.
Some simple preventative steps would help reduce the occurrence of injury by;
Read more : 7 Reasons Why Water Is Rising Through Your Floor—And How to Fix Them
Accordingly, to Worksafe statistics, 8% of all workplace injuries result from hitting a stationary object such as trolleys, equipment, fittings and fixtures. Often, overcrowding in the workplace is to blame and increases the risk of spills, slips and falls in the kitchen.
Ensure walkways are kept clear at all times and do not hurry from one task to another, running increases the chance of slipping and the severity of the injury. Ensure you have sufficient workspace in the kitchen for chefs and kitchen hands and limit the need for serving staff to enter the kitchen if possible.
Handling of stock and deliveries, lifting and moving crates of food, wash trays are all in a day’s work in the foodservice industry. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 24% of all workplace injuries are attributed to lifting, pushing, pulling or bending.
Muscle strains and musculoskeletal damage can occur at any time; injuries often happen due to;
The best injury prevention is to know your limits, keep correct posture, use a step ladder to avoid overreaching and where possible use equipment to limit the risk of overexertion.
Worksafe provides a guide on manual tasks and how you can reduce sprains and strains at your workplace.
Commercial kitchens are host to a variety of hazardous fuels, flammable liquids and gases which can cause catastrophic damage, severe injury and death. It is essential to identify risks to eliminate the potential of accidentally igniting fuel sources.
Primary fire hazards in commercial kitchens are;
Accidents often occur due to inadequate supervision, training or mismanagement, some examples are;
The best way to avoid injury is to carry out periodic inspections of all equipment for signs of premature wear and tear and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning and maintenance of all equipment.
A paper on commercial kitchen fires you might find beneficial reading is “Lessons learned from commercial kitchen fire investigations“.
Electric shocks are a genuine hazard in commercial kitchens due to the number of appliances in use. Faulty equipment or wiring, improper use or exposure of the machine or it’s connectors to liquids, moisture or heat can create a shock hazard.
Staff should be aware;
Report any potential workplace safety issues immediately to WHS officer.
As you can see, the complexity and operation of modern equipment have the potential to cause injury – especially when factoring the human element, which is to err. Fortunately, by educating yourself and others of the risks will go a long way in reducing workplace accidents and ensure you and your colleagues return home safely after every shift.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens
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