TM/HM101-THCO1

RISK MANAGEMENT AS APPLIED TO SAFETY, SECURITY AND SANITATION

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY HAZARDS IN FOOD SERVICE OPERATIONS

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is increasingly recognized by governments and international organizations as an
important part of public health. People spend one-third or more of each day at work, so working conditions necessarily
have a strong effect on their health.

Occupational Safety Hazards are risks present in certain workplaces. Millions of workers are at risk from exposure to
natural, civil, political, technological, biological, or physical hazards, sometimes, even a combination of them.

Occupational Health Risks can be described as the possibility of suffering death impairments from exposure to a hazard
that originates in the working environment.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), the primary federal law establishing safety standards in the
workplace, requires employers to provide a safe workplace by informing employees about potential hazards, training
them to deal with hazards, and recording workplace injuries.

Reasons for Occupational Safety and Health Standards:

1. Moral
It is the idea that no one should have to risk their health for the sake of work, and that any risks at work can be
reduced or eradicated altogether.

2. Economic
If someone is injured at work, then it can cost the whole of society a great deal of money. Primarily, it can cost
the taxpayer a lot of money because of medical costs associated with any injury. Many realize that poor occupational
safety and health performance results in extra costs such as social security payments to the incapacitated, costs for
medical treatment, and loss of working capacity of the worker. Private companies also sustain costs in the event of an
incident at work such as legal fees, fines, compensatory damages, investigation time, lost production, and lost goodwill
from the workforce, customers, and the wider community.

3. Legal
Firms are legally required to invest in occupational health and safety in order that they never face legal
proceedings resulting from an injury in the workplace. If they take precautions to prevent any injuries, then the
likelihood of them being prosecuted is greatly reduced.

Solutions for Hazards in Food Service:

1. equipment solutions
2. work practice solutions
Types of Hazards and the Kinds of Solutions experts recommend:

1. unnatural or awkward postures

These include benching, reaching, kneeling, squatting, lifting, lowering and carrying. Sometimes, you need to
hold a pot, pan, container, vat, case of liquid, or keg in an uncomfortable way. There are many things that restaurant
owners, managers and workers can do to reduce the strain from awkward postures on their joints, muscles, tendons,
ligaments and verves all over their bodies.

Recommendations:

✓ use countertops and cutting surfaces that can be adjusted to the right height for different workers
✓ install sinks that are the height of most workers’ hips
✓ make sure that all in equipment, utensils, pots and pans needed in the kitchens are within the height of the
shortest workers
✓ store heavy and frequently used items on racks that are no lower than hip height and no higher than chest
height
✓ limit very low and overhead storage to items not often used
✓ use tools with longer handles
✓ organize work to reduce reaching, bending and squatting
✓ use an elevated work platform for high work
✓ remove obstacle that get in the way of work processes and work flow

2. repetitive motions
These can lead to injuries when a task forces you to do the same movements over and over again.

Recommendations:

✓ spread repetitive tasks over the day and between workers

✓ change hands to spread out repetitive movement, see if you can use your right hand half of the time
✓ take frequent rest breaks from the repetitive activity

3. standing in the same place for a long time

This increases strain on the muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves in the lower back, hips, legs and feet.

Recommendations:

✓ buy and install thick rubber mat to make standing more comfortable
✓ buy stools or low small benches to allow workers to change their position and rest one leg and foot
✓ workers should take breaks from standing still by walking around to increase blood flow
4. heavy loads
Those that are unstable (enclosed weight that moves such as bottles of liquid) increase strain on the muscles,
tendons, ligaments and nerves in the neck, upper back, arms, lower back and pelvis.

Recommendations:

✓ use carts to move food production in and trash out

✓ use equipment to assist with pours
✓ store heavy loads between hips and chest
✓ store much lighter loads between chest and shoulders
✓ organize work to reduce reaching, bending, pulling and squatting
✓ get help from co-workers when handling bulky or heavy loads, if the load feels too heavy for two people then
find a way to break up the load
✓ clear your walking path of objects and debris when handling heavy materials
✓ make sure the walking path is not slippery
✓ bring the load you are carrying as close as possible to your body
✓ keep your head and torso up
✓ free your fingers and toes from underneath a box or load before placing it down

5. forceful use of your hand muscles

This can result in injuries in back, shoulders, arms, wrists and fingers.

Recommendations:

✓ use large rubber coated handles of knives, spoons, ladles and forks to increase friction
✓ use carts or hand trucks, buy lighter tools that allow workers to keep their wrists straight
✓ grip objects, tools, equipment and knives with the whole hand, not just a few fingers
✓ pick up smaller loads keeping wrists straight
✓ pick up items from the bottom using the whole hand, avoid using only a few fingers
✓ make the handles thicker on small tools, put tool down when not in use, attach

6. slips, trips and falls

Injuries from these may be due to poor traction (low friction), bad lighting, inadequate handrails, oily and
slippery floors, grease spills and poor “housekeeping”.

Recommendations:

✓ increase traction on stairways and walkways

✓ install handrails on both sides of stairways
✓ buy and install rubber mats
✓ buy slips-resistant shoes with low heels
✓ install bright lights on stairways and walkways
✓ replace worn-out torn carpet and rugs, fix rough and uneven floor surfaces
✓ maintain a housekeeping schedule to keep walkway and surfaces clear
✓ mop slippery, wet floors and spills right away
✓ keep floors and stairs clean and dry
✓ move slowly and carefully near corner and when handling objects such as pots, pans, containers, vats and food
✓ beware of blind spots rips in carpets or rugs and rough and uneven floor surfaces, make frequent requests to
get these repaired
7. burns
Injuries from these may be due to hot surfaces (grills, stoves), hot oil and grease.

Recommendations:

✓ use splashguards around hot surfaces

✓ use materials handling devices such as rolling carts with handles for moving vats
✓ use dry potholders and mitts
✓ use pour assist devices
✓ have burn fast aid kits
✓ dry food before placing in hot oil
✓ never leave hot oil unattended
✓ cool oil and grease before handling
✓ use lids and covers
✓ fill fryers baskets no more than half full
✓ keep liquids away from fryers
✓ turn off stove when not in use
✓ keep pot and pan handles away from hot burners
✓ place food in boiling water slowly to reduce splash
✓ make sure pot handles do not stick out over the edge of a range or stove
✓ adjust burner flames to only cover the bottom of the pan
✓ use long oven gloves or mitts for deep ovens
✓ do not open cookers and steam oven when they are under pressure
✓ open lids away from you
✓ get help when handling heavy containers of hot liquid

8. cuts and lacerations

These can be caused by knives and unguarded machines.

Recommendations:

✓ make sure that machine guards are installed on all meat slicers, mixers, baking machines, and similar types of
equipment
✓ never remove machine guards when in use
✓ never operate any machine unless you are trained in its use
✓ never cut meat in a slicer once it becomes too thin, use a knife to complete the cutting
✓ never wear jewelry or loose clothing which can get stuck in a machine
✓ cut and slice away from the body
✓ keep knives sharpened daily
✓ store knives properly in knife racks, not metal or plastic containers
✓ not let knives soak in soap or dirty water
✓ use the correct knife for the appropriate activity
✓ use a damp cloth under cutting board to reduce movement of the board
✓ do not place knives near the edge of the countertop
✓ carry knives by handle with the cutting edge angled down and away from you
✓ never hand knife to a co-worker, place it on a surface and let the co-worker pick it up
✓ separate broken glass from trash
FIRE HAZARD

Cooking fires are the primary cause of home fires and home fire injuries. The majority of cooking equipment
fires start with the ignition of common household items such as wall coverings, paper or plastic bags, curtains, etc.

Causes of Kitchen Fires:

1. leaving cooking food unattended

2. placing combustibles too close to the heat source
3. unintentionally turning on or not turning off the equipment

Kitchen Fire Prevention Tips:

✓ keep appliances serviced, clean, and in good repair

✓ unplug electric appliances when not in use
✓ install a smoke detector near but not in the kitchen
✓ use caution when lighting the pilot light or burner on a gas stove
✓ don’t use metal in the microwave
✓ don’t overfill pots or pans with oil or grease
✓ wipe up spills and don’t cook on a dirty stove
✓ always roll up long sleeves and tie back long hair when cooking
✓ never leave cooking food unattended
✓ keep dish towels, pot holders, and paper towels away from the stove

Restaurant Kitchen Fire Prevention Tips:

✓ inspect solid fuel cooking appliances on a monthly basis

✓ have cooking appliances in low-volume kitchens inspected quarterly
✓ have cooking appliances in moderate-volume kitchens inspected twice a year
✓ have cooking appliances in high-volume kitchens inspected quarterly
✓ equip cooking appliances with non-combustible grease filters
✓ place only non-combustible easily cleaned racks, trays, spacers and containers inside ovens
✓ vent cooking appliances to the exterior of the building
✓ empty all grease containers at least once a day
✓ install appliances at an adequate distance from other surfaces
✓ train all kitchen staff on the hazards of fuel-air combustion, explosive materials, and ignition sources as well as
how to operate equipment properly

Ergonomics – the science of designing the workplace to fit to the worker, rather than expecting a worker to fit into
the job that has not been designed correctly
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Workplace Violence – any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening
disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site
- ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide
- can affect and involve employees, clients, customers and visitors

Protection of Employees against Workplace Violence

Identify areas of risk Develop procedures Train to minimize Implement system for reporting,
to minimize risks potential for violence investigating, and following-up
potential for robbery review safe cash handling train managers, supervisors, report incidents and take corrective
procedures and post as and employees so they are action to minimize recurrences
necessary aware of potential hazards in
the workplace
use posters, employee ask employees to consult a physician
newsletter, and staff for treatment or referral if they need
meetings promote to a safe incident trauma counselling
working alone and make security provisions, environment
employee access escort employees out at ensure that employees conduct monthly inspections to
during off-hours the end of their shifts understand they must carry review the equipment and to ensure
out specific procedures as that safe work practices are in place
outlined in their job and followed
description – shortcuts may
lead to an accident
hold regular health and safety
unruly guests or managers or supervisors ensure that all servers have meetings and inspections to review
alcohol-related guest are always available if an “Serving It Right” and assess opportunities for
incidents employee needs help improvement
with an aggressive guest train servers to deal with training records are current and
difficult guests maintained

Healthier Work Guidelines and Policies:

✓ adequate rest breaks, less overtime, paid sick days and vacation days which reduce the amount of time the
employees are exposed to the health hazard to give employees more time for their bodies to heal
✓ better staffing which reduce how much employees have to get done to lower the time pressure and help
employees work at safer speed as this is very important for preventing strains and sprains
✓ fair and equal opportunities for promotion which help workers to move up to better jobs over time as higher
paying jobs often have less injury hazards