Health and safety practices and procedures

Safe work practices

Safe work practices (SWPs) are ways of doing your work safely.
The main safe work practices you should know about and follow are:
1. Use correct manual handling techniques.

2. Use safe posture and movements. Use ergonomically sound furniture and workstations (designed
to keep your body comfortable).

3. Avoid getting tired by taking breaks and rotating (swapping around) tasks.

4. Use hazardous (dangerous) equipment safely e.g. sharp knives, hot surfaces, electrical appliances.

5. Handle hazardous substances safely.

6. Pay attention to safety signs.

7. Use personal protective equipment as required.

8. Identify and remove or control hazards from your own work area.

Each workplace has its own set of procedures which describe how everyone must do their work tasks.
These procedures include the relevant safe work practices. When people start in a new job they
should get ongoing training about these safe work practices and procedures

1. Correct manual handling

Manual handling is when you use force to physically move something or someone. It includes pushing,
lifting, pulling, lowering, holding and carrying. Almost half of the injuries in the hospitality industry
involve manual handling

1. Plan the lift

Assess the load – how heavy or awkward is it? How low is it?

Do you need help – a team lift? Could you use equipment?

Plan the path – where is the load going to? Can you make the distance shorter? Are there things
in the way?

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2. Get in position
Place your feet slightly apart so your posture is stable, no wider than your shoulders.

Bend your knees not your back.

Get a firm hold on the load.

Keep the load close to your body,

Straighten your legs to lift and use your leg muscles, not your back.

Move smoothly, avoid jerky movements.

Hold the load around waist level.

3. Carry the load

Turn by moving your feet, not by twisting your body.

Keep your shoulders level and facing the same direction as your hips.

Look ahead, not down, so you can see where you are going.

To put the load down, bend your knees and keep your back straight.

Reduce the risks of manual handling

Push rather than pull.

Ask for help – do a team lift.

Use a trolley or forklift.

Break a big load down into smaller lots.

Change the package size of heavy items.

Store loads close to where they will be used.

Store heavy items around waist height, not high or low.

Don’t lift heavy items while you're sitting down.

2. Safe posture

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Posture means the way you hold your body. Good posture protects your back and neck. Movements
like sitting, stretching, pushing, pulling and bending can strain your muscles and joints if you are
slouching, slumping, twisting, hunched or standing off-balance while you do them.
There are many different tasks in hospitality work where it protects you if you use safe posture.

Ergonomically sound furniture and equipment

Well-designed furniture and equipment helps you use good posture and movements. For example:
a laundry trolley with a rising base so you don’t have to reach down into it

a computer table set at a height so your hands aren’t strained

shelves at a height so that you don’t have to reach up or bend down to get things.

3. Avoid getting tired

In hospitality work, people can get tired because of shift work, long hours or being physically active.
It is easier to make mistakes and get injured when you are tired.
There are two ways of avoiding this.
Rotate jobs (change from one to another) Do a heavy task, then change to a lighter task for a
while. Or change from a boring or repetitive task (doing the same thing over and over).This means
you use different muscles or use them in different ways so they have a chance to recover.

Take breaks This also helps your muscles recover. More frequent, shorter rest breaks are better
for recovery than fewer, longer breaks.

4. Safe use of equipment

In hospitality workplaces you often have to work with hazardous equipment such as electrical
equipment and sharp blades. These things can cause serious injury or even death if not used correctly.
Don’t use equipment unless you have been instruction in how to use it correctly.
To prevent injury from electrical appliances:
always unplug electrical equipment before cleaning it

do not use a piece of equipment if the electrical cord is frayed

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electrical leads should not be wrapped around equipment when you are using it

do not use electrical equipment near water.

5. Safe handling of hazardous substances

Some hazardous (dangerous) substances are used in the hospitality industry e.g. cleaning chemicals.
They can damage your health and cause injury so you need to learn how to handle them safely.
Chemicals can affect you if you:
breathe in fumes

get them on your skin

get them in your eyes

don’t wash your hands after handling them and they get into food that you eat.

Your employer will train you in how to handle chemicals safely.

You must also know some basic first aid in case of an incident. First aid advice is on the Material
Safety Data Sheet for every chemical in your workplace

5. Safe handling of hazardous substances

Some hazardous (dangerous) substances are used in the hospitality industry e.g. cleaning chemicals.
They can damage your health and cause injury so you need to learn how to handle them safely.
Chemicals can affect you if you:
breathe in fumes

get them on your skin

get them in your eyes

don’t wash your hands after handling them and they get into food that you eat.

Your employer will train you in how to handle chemicals safely.

You must also know some basic first aid in case of an incident. First aid advice is on the Material
Safety Data Sheet for every chemical in your workplace

Safety instruction

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safety instruction can be three forms these are

a / verbal forms

b/ pictures or graphic forms

c / written forms

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7. Use personal protective equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is clothing or equipment that protects you when you are
working.
Types of PPE
Personal protective equipment includes:
 eye protection e.g. goggles, safety glasses

 body protection e.g. aprons, gloves

 hearing protection e.g. ear plugs, ear muffs

 respiratory protection e.g. face masks, respirators

 foot protection e.g. safety boots

 head protection e.g. hard hats.

Health, safety and security procedures
Each workplace has its own procedures. Procedures describe how you must do work tasks. They
list all the steps you have to take so that everyone uses the same method. This means you do the
job well and you also do the job safely.
Workplaces must have procedures for health, safety and security so that everyone follows the
same rules. When people start in a new job they should get training about these procedures.
Here are some of the Banksia Gardens Hotel’s health, safety and security procedures

Emergency situations
What is an emergency situation?
An emergency is an event that:
 you usually don’t know is going to happen

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 is a dangerous situation; threatens the health and safety of people or property

 needs urgent attention to bring it under control.

In most hospitality workplaces it is not only the workers who are affected. There are usually
guests or visitors involved too.

Emergency procedures
Your workplace should have an emergency procedure which tells everyone what to do.
This is often called an emergency plan. It should tell you about:
 immediate action to take in particular types of emergency

 who to call to raise the alarm

 how to notify emergency services (police, fire service, ambulance, SES)

 how, when and where to evacuate

 names of people responsible for making decisions during the emergency (sometimes called an
emergency warden).

Here is the Banksia Gardens Hotel Emergency Procedure. It is posted on the wall of each work
area with the details filled in.

SAFETY
Kitchen work is usually considered a relatively safe occupation, at least in comparison
with many industrial jobs. Nevertheless, the kitchen has many hazards. Minor injuries
from cuts and burns are common, and more serious injuries are all too possible.The
quantity of hot equipment and powerful machinery, combined with the busy, sometimes
frantic pace,make it important for everyone to work carefully and with constant
attention to the rules of safety.
these rules and guidelines. In Canada, information on comparable legislation, both national
and provincial, is provided by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and
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THE SAFE WORKPLACE
Most of this section is concerned with ways workers can prevent certain kinds of accidents,
such as cuts,burns, and falls.However, it is much easier to develop and practice
habits that prevent accidents if safety is built into the workplace.
The management of a food service operation must see to it that the structure and
equipment have necessary safety features.
11. Structure ,equipment ,and electric wiring in good repair
12. Adequate lighting on work surfaces and in corridors
13. Nonslip floors
14. Clearly marked exits
15. Equipment supplied with necessary safety devices
16. Heat-activated fire extinguishers over cooking equipment,especially deep fryers
17. Conveniently located emergency equipment, such as fire extinguishers, fire blankets,
and first-aid kits
18. Clearly posted emergency telephone numbers
19. Clearly posted emergency procedures, including the Heimlich maneuver for victims
of choking. One or more employees should have received formal training in
this procedure.In addition,it is a good idea to train one or more employees in cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR).
10. Smooth traffic patterns to avoid collisions between workers
PREVENTING CUTS
11. Keep knives sharp.A sharp knife is safer than a dull one because it requires less
pressure and is less likely to slip.
12. Use a cutting board. Do not cut against a metal surface. Place a damp towel under
the board to keep it from slipping.
13. Pay attention to your work when using a knife or cutting equipment.
14. Cut away from yourself and other workers.
15. Use knives only for cutting, not for such jobs as opening bottles.
16. Don’t try to catch a falling knife.Step back and let it fall.
17. Don’t put knives in a sink, under water, or any other place where they can’t be
seen.

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18. Clean knives carefully,with the sharp edge away from you.
19. Store knives in a safe place,such as a rack,when not in use.
10. Carry knives properly.Hold the knife beside you,point down,with the sharp edge
back and away from you. Don’t swing your arm.Whenever possible, carry knives
in a sheath.Warn people when you are walking past them with a knife in hand.
11. Keep breakable items, such as dishes and glassware, out of the food production area.
12. Don’t put breakable items in the pot sink.
13. Sweep up—don’t pick up—broken glass.
14. Discard chipped or cracked dishes and glasses.
15. Use special containers for broken dishes and glasses. Don’t throw them in with other
garbage.
16. If there is broken glass in the sink,drain the sink before trying to take out the glass.
17. Remove all nails and staples when opening crates and cartons, and dispose of them.
PREVENTING BURNS
11. Always assume a pot handle is hot. Don’t just grab it with your bare hand.
12. Use dry pads or towels to handle hot pans.Wet ones will create steam,which can
burn you.
13. Keep pan handles out of the aisle so people won’t bump into them.Also,keep handles
away from the open flames of gas burners.
14. Don’t fill pans so full that they are likely to spill hot foods.
15. Get help when moving heavy containers of hot food.
16. Open lids away from you to let steam escape safely.
17. Use care when opening compartment steamers.
18. Make sure gas is well vented before trying to light ovens or pilot lights. Strike
matches before turning on the gas. Also, strike matches away from your body.
19. Wear long sleeves and a double-breasted jacket to protect yourself from spilled or
spattered hot foods or fat. Also,wear sturdy leather shoes with closed toes.
10. Dry foods before putting them in frying fat, or hot fat may splatter on you.
11. When placing foods in hot fat, let them fall away from you so fat will not splash
on you.

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12. Keep liquids away from the deep fryer. If a liquid were spilled into the fryer, the
sudden rush of steam could spray hot fat on anyone nearby.
13. Always warn people when you are walking behind them with hot pans or when
you are walking behind someone who is working with hot items.
14. Warn service people about hot plates.

PREVENTING FIRES
11. Know where fire extinguishers are located and how to use them.
12. Use the right kind of fire extinguisher.There are three classes of fires, and fire extinguishers
should be labeled according to the kind of fire for which they can be
used.

• Class A fires:wood,paper,cloth,ordinary combustibles

• Class B fires:burning liquids,such as grease, oil, gasoline,solvents
• Class C fires: switches,motors, electrical equipment,and so forth
Never use water or a Class A fire extinguisher on a grease fire or electrical fire.
You will only spread the fire.
13. Keep a supply of salt or baking soda handy to put out fires on rangetops.
14. Keep hoods and other equipment free from grease buildup.
15. Don’t leave hot fat unattended on the range.
16. Smoke only in designated areas.Do not leave burning cigarettes unattended.
17. If a fire alarm sounds and if you have time, turn off all gas and electric appliances
before leaving the building.
18. Keep fire doors closed.
19. Keep exits free from obstacles.
10. Establish and post a plan for emergency evacuation,clearly identifying routes and
exits.The plan should include procedures for evacuating customers and other nonemployees.

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PREVENTING INJURIES FROM MACHINEs AND EQUIPMENT
1. Do not use any equipment unless you understand its operation.
2. Use all guards and safety devices on equipment.Set slicing machines at zero (blade
closed) when not in use.
3. Don’t touch or remove food from any kind of equipment while it is running, not
even with a spoon or spatula.
4. Unplug electric equipment before disassembling or cleaning.
5. Make sure the switch is off before plugging in equipment.
6. Do not touch or handle electric equipment, including switches, if your hands are
wet or if you are standing in water.
7. Wear properly fitting clothing and tuck in apron strings to avoid getting them
caught in machinery.
8. Use equipment only for the purpose intended.
9. Stack pots and other equipment properly on pot racks so they are stable and not
likely to fall.
PREVENTING FALLS
1. Clean up spills immediately.
2. Throw salt on a slippery spot to make it less slippery while a mop is being fetched.
3. Keep aisles and stairs clear and unobstructed.
4. Don’t carry objects too big to see over.
5. Walk, don’t run.
6. Use a safe ladder,not chairs or piles of boxes,to reach high shelves or to clean high equipment.
PREVENTING STRAINS AND INJURIES FROM LIFTING
1. Lift with the leg muscles,not the back.Figure 2.3 shows proper lifting technique.
2. Don’t turn or twist your back while lifting,and make sure your footing is secure.
3. Use a cart to move heavy objects long distances, or get help.

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