Kitchen Safety Association Members Workers’ Compensation Trust S afety A wareness F or E veryone from Cove Risk Services.

Kitchen Safety

Association Members Workers’ Compensation Trust

Safety Awareness For Everyone from Cove Risk Services

This overview will…

• Identify the most common injuries in kitchens

• Identify the hazards most likely to cause injuries

• Provide ideas for reducing the hazards and preventing injuries

• Provide additional resources so that you can obtain more information

Affected employees• The major occupations in kitchens are:

– Cooks, kitchen workers, other food prep workers

– Waiters, waitresses, and their assistants

– Managers, supervisors, owners

– Other occupations are

• Food and beverage workers• Dish washers, janitors and cleaners• Cashiers and bartenders

Classifications of Kitchen Hazards

• Kitchen accidents lead to injuries that could be prevented by not taking shortcuts.

• Kitchen hazards are conditions that lead to accidental injuries.

• Cuts and lacerations• Slips, Trips and Falls• Burns• Material Handling – Lifting• Chemicals (cleaning supplies)• Electrical

Some of the most common types of injuries are:

Kitchen Hazards

Cuts: Guidelines for Prevention• Keeps knives sharp. Sharp knives make

clear, safe cuts. A person is less likely to cut themselves with a sharp knife.

• Stabilize food to be cut using proper technique.

• Use the correct knife for the job. For example: Carving knives for large jobs, boning knifes to remove meat from the bone and paring knives for slicing small jobs.

• Wash knives separately.

• Do not dispose of broken glass or anything else sharp in a trash receptacle, as it could puncture the trash bag, possibly cutting the handler. Dispose into a separate container.

• Never cut toward yourself. Use safe cutting techniques

• Wear cut resistant gloves (PPE) (However, remember they are cut resistant, not cut proof - injuries can still occur)

• If the knife falls, step back and let it drop

• Never use a knife to open cans or pry lids

• Never put knives under things or in sinks, where they cannot be seen

(continued)

Cuts: Guidelines for Prevention

Meat Slicer Safety

Make sure your employees understand and follow the following safety procedures when handling meat slicers:

• Always use the push guard for pushing food toward the blade

• Make sure blocks of meat or cheese are not too large for the push guard to hold.

• If necessary, cut the meat or cheese into smaller pieces so they can

be safely used on the slicer

• Return the blade setting to “zero” when finished using the slicer

• If anyone interrupts you when using the slicer, stop slicing and respond to the person. Return to slicing only when your full attention is focused on the task at hand

Practice Safe Slicer Cleaning Procedures

• Prepare your cleaning and sanitizing solution bucket.

• Turn the blade to zero.

• Turn off and unplug the slicer. Use Lock Out/Tag Out procedures, if necessary, to ensure no one will plug in the unit while you are sanitizing it.

• Put on cut-resistant gloves.

• Wipe away larger pieces of meat and cheese from the top and bottom of the slicer.

• Unscrew the blade cover and wipe the plate down all the way to the blade.

• Move the rag in a circular motion to completely clean the blade.

• Wipe down the grips and handles.

• When you clean and break down the slicer for the night, remove the slide and blade cover while wearing cut-resistant gloves. Wash the blade, slide, and blade cover in the sink or dishwasher.

• Do not leave the cutting blade soaking in the sink where another employee might inadvertently strike an arm or hand against the blade.

Meat Slicer Safety

Slip, Trip, and Fall PreventionSlippery surfaces are a major cause of accidents

in restaurants and kitchens. To reduce the risk of

this type of accident:

Use non-slip footwear Keep floors free from water or grease Clean floors regularly Clean up spills immediately Put up warning signs around spills or wet

floors Consider installing non-slip tiling or other

non-slip floor products

(continued) Use rubber mats in areas where the floors

are constantly wet Use slip-resistant waxes on floors Keep floors and stairs free of debris

and obstructions Make sure mats and carpet are free of holes

and bumps Report poor lighting and replace burned out bulbs

as soon as possible Do not leave oven, dishwasher, or cupboard doors open Report or fix hazards immediately Explain all hazards to all affected employees

Slip, Trip, and Fall Prevention

Slip Resistant Footwear Policy

To prevent slips and falls use shoes with:

• Slip-resistant soles and a good tread

• Tightly tied laces

• No leather or smooth soles

• No strapless sandals

• No open-toes

• No platform or high heels

• No porous fabric such as canvas

Burns and Fires: Hazards

Result primarily from:

Spilling and splashing of hot fats, oils, and food products

Hot beverages

Contact with hot surfaces such as stove tops, ovens, grills, pots, pans, and trays

Steam

Burns and Fires: Controls• Turn off stoves when not in use

• Assume all pots and metal handles are hot.

Touch only when you are sure they are not hot or when

wearing proper gloves/mitts

• Organize your work area to prevent contact with hot

objects and flames

• Keep pot handles away from hot burners

• Make sure handles of pots and pans do not stick out

from counter or stove

• Use oven mitts that are provided and long gloves for

deep ovens. Avoid using pot holders as they do not

provide the proper protection

• Use only recommended temperatures

Burns and Fires: Controls

Open hot water and hot liquid faucet slowly to avoid

splashes

Open lids away from you to allow steam to escape

Wear long-sleeved cotton shirts and cotton pants

Report any faulty equipment to your supervisor

Do not overfill pots, pans, or fryers

Do not leave metal spoons in pots while cooking

Do not reach over flames or hot surfaces

Do not open cookers and steamers while they are under

pressure

Do not lean over pots of boiling liquids

Remember that foods removed from the microwave

continue to cook

(continued)

Material HandlingSafe Lifting

Manual handling, especially in storage areas, can lead to injuries. Design and organize the workplace to make manual handling easier:

– Keep loads off the floor – Heavier objects should be stored between chest

and knuckle height – Lighter objects can be stored above chest height– Medium weight objects can be stored below

knuckle height– Use anti-fatigue matting– Wear shoes with cushioning

(continued) Provide dollies and other lifting and handling equipment Provide training in manual handling skills Reduce the weight of the load

Share the load between two or more persons Split the load into two or more smaller boxes Make more than one trip

Keep the work area free of clutter. Cluttered workspaces can cause awkward postures that make handling tasks more difficult

Remove trip hazards from the area Eliminate obstacles that workers must reach over

Material HandlingSafe Lifting

(continued) Stand close to the object that is

being lifted with feet approximately shoulder width apart

Bend down using legs to get in to squat position

Test the items weight prior to the lift (give it a nudge)

Use a firm grip under item to be lifted

Lift using leg and abdominal muscles – NOT BACK MUSCLES

Material HandlingSafe Lifting

Make sure trays are clean and dry Control tray weights Keep plates flat on the tray surface, balance the load and place heavy

items in the middle When carrying large trays

Use both hands to support and balance the tray KeeCarry most of load over your shoulder to support it p wrists in a neutral position by grasping the outside edge

of the tray When carrying small trays

Carry the tray with your shoulder, arm, and hand in neutral positions

Carry the tray as close to your body as possible, balanced on both your arm and hand

Material HandlingSafe Lifting – Wait Staff

Chemical Safety

Pay attention to the labels: Hazard

Potentially dangerous. Flammable

Anything that ignites easily or is capable of burning rapidly.

Use and Care Instructions Instructions written by manufacturers to inform consumers

how to use and care for the product. Caustic Cleaner

Household cleaner that may burn or corrode the skin on contact.

Poisonous Capable of harming or killing if ingested.

Labels

Electrical Issues: Guidelines for Prevention

Prevention of shocks:– Pull out a cord by the plug, not the cord, so it

does not break.

– Unplug an appliance before washing it.

– Never operate an appliance with wet hands or while standing in water. Keep floors dry.

– Keep appliances turned off when they are not in use. Do not play with any switches when you are cleaning an appliance, such as a mixer.

– Report frayed or otherwise compromised wiring to a manager immediately

After a shockCaring for an employee

• Do not touch someone who is experiencing

an electrical shock.

• Remove the source of the shock with a nonconductive material, such as wood or plastic.

Summary

• Accidents don’t just happen

• Carelessness creates the hazard

• Hazards contribute to the injury

• Take action – create a safe environment

• Report unsafe conditions

• Eliminate unsafe acts

• What is our safety goal?

Any Questions

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Association Members Workers’ Compensation Trust

Safety Awareness For Everyone from Cove Risk Services