SAFETY

In the fast-paced environment of hotels and

restaurants, a common attitude is that accidents are Some causes of accidents
inevitable and a part of doing business. But injuries mean Overexertion — 27 percent of time-loss claims. These
losses. Lost money, lost time, and lost productivity. And are injuries resulting from the application of force to
more importantly, they mean that workers and their an object or person — such as lifting, pushing,
families suffer pain and have their lives disrupted. If pulling, and carrying.
accidents are prevented, the savings can be significant — Being struck by an object — 16 percent. With this
less overtime, less retraining, and less time spent type of accident, the worker is injured by a moving
investigating accidents, to name a few. The other benefits object such as equipment and tools.
are also rewarding — morale improves and workers feel Falls on the same level — 14 percent (e.g., slips).
valued. Falls from elevations or heights — 10 percent.

Safety tips for preventing common accidents

Following are some safety tips for preventing accidents that commonly occur in the hotel and restaurant industries. Safety
tips are included on:

• Cuts • Knives • Slips and falls • Floors • Stairways • Storage areas • Burns and scalds • Ladders

Cuts: These can occur from: • Knives • Furniture • Equipment • Counters • Utensils • Glassware • Preparation areas •
Dishes • Cleaning equipment

Do Do not
• Throw away broken or chipped glassware. • Do not operate equipment if you feel unwell or drowsy.
• Use a cutting board for safe cutting and chopping. (Remember, some cold remedies can make people feel sleepy.)
• Lock out or disconnect the power source before • Do not place hands near the edge of cutting blades. Make sure
cleaning equipment such as meat slicers. you can always see both hands (and all fingers) and the
• Make sure that you receive proper training in operating cutting blades.
equipment and safe job procedures. • Do not try to catch falling objects.
• Consult the manufacturer’s instruction manual for • Do not try to clean or "just brush something off" a moving part
operating, cleaning, and maintaining the equipment. such as cutting blades or beaters in mixers.
• Make sure that cutting blades are sharp. • Do not push or place your hand in feed hoppers or delivery
• After cleaning, make sure that all guards and safety chutes. Use food pushers.
devices are put back in place. • Do not try to cut anything in a slicer that becomes too thin.
• Place a warning tag on defective and unsafe equipment Use a knife to finish cutting.
and do not re-start the equipment. Inform your • Do not wear loose or frayed clothing, gloves, or jewellery that
supervisor. can be caught in a moving machine.

Knives: Potential injuries: cuts and amputation.

Do Do not
• Use the right knife for the job. • Do not leave a knife in dishwater.
• Always use a proper chopping board or block. • Do not use a knife as a can opener.
• Make sure the knife is sharp. • Do not try to catch a falling knife. Let it fall and then
• Carry only one knife at a time, tip pointed down at your side. pick it up.
• Store knives securely in proper racks in a visible place. • Do not engage in horseplay with a knife in your hand.
• Hold the knife with your stronger hand. • Do not carry knives while carrying other objects.
• Cut away from your body when cutting, trimming, or boning. • Do not carry a knife in your pocket.
• When not using knives, place them at the back, with the sharp • Do not leave knives where they could be accidentally
edge away from you. covered.
• After using a knife, clean it immediately or place it in a • Do not talk to your co-workers while you are using a
dishwasher. knife — you could become distracted.
• Use protective clothing such as mesh gloves.
Slips and falls: Slips and falls can occur from: • Slippery and cluttered floors and stairs • Loose or bumpy carpets and floor
mats • Defective ladders and footstools • Poor visibility

Do Do not
• Keep floors and stairs clean, dry, and non-slippery. • Do not use defective ladders or footstools.
• Keep floors and stairs clear of debris and obstruction. • Do not use chairs, stools, or boxes as substitutes
• Use slip-resistant waxes to polish and treat floors. for ladders.
• Make sure that carpeting, rugs, and mats are free of holes, loose • Do not leave oven, dishwasher, or cupboard
threads, loose edges, and bumps that may cause tripping. doors open. These may present a tripping hazard
• Use adequate warning signs for wet floors and other hazards. for you or your co-workers.
• Make sure that wooden duckboards and railings are in good repair
and free of splinters.
• Make sure that ladders and footstools are in good repair and have
non-skid feet.
• If possible, immediately remove or clean up any tripping or slipping
hazard you notice. If it’s not possible to take care of the hazard
yourself, report it immediately to your supervisor.

Floors: Potential accidents: slips and falls.

Do Do not
• Make sure that walking surfaces are uncluttered, non-slippery, clean, and • Do not leave carts, boxes, trash cans, or
adequately lighted. other objects on the floors and in the
• If you drop or spill something, clean it up immediately. aisles.
• Mop floors with the recommended amount of cleaning product in the water,
or cleaning fluid, to ensure grease and other slippery substances are removed.
• Make sure floors are free from trip hazards such as raised or broken sections.
• Treat floors with slip-resistant products if the floors must be waxed.
• Place wet floor warning signs to prevent people from slipping.
• Use non-slip mats and floor finishes.
• Replace doormats regularly.
• Walk — don’t run.
• Mark swinging doors with in and out signs.

Proper footwear prevents injuries

• Wear footwear that is closed at the toe and without a pattern of holes.
• Wear shoes that protect against spilled liquids, including hot ones.
• Wear slip-resistant shoes. For wet surfaces, the sole should have a well-defined pattern as more edges
will provide a better grip.
• Don’t wear shoes that are dirty or worn out as this affects their slip-resistance. To preserve your shoes,
leave them at work and wear other shoes to and from work.
• Wear shoes with low or no heels.
• Wear shoes or boots with internal steel toe caps if you lift and carry heavy objects

Stairways: Potential accidents: slips and falls.

Do Do not
• Ensure that stairways are well lit. • Do not store boxes and supplies on the stairs.
• Keep stairs clear of obstructions. • Do not throw things up or down stairways.
• Use handrails. • Do not switch off lights in the stairways.
• When carrying a load up and down stairs, make sure that the load does
not block your vision.
• Report tripping hazards to your supervisor and place warning signs.
Storage Areas: Potential hazards: collapse of stored goods; slipping and tripping.
Do Do not
• Make sure the shelves are firmly secured in place against walls and on • Do not block passages in the storage area.
the floor. • Do not stack loose items on the top shelves.
• Ensure adequate lighting. • Do not overload shelving units.
• Store chemicals, detergents, and pesticides in a separate area away • Do not store cardboard cartons in damp areas.
from foodstuff. • Do not overstock.
• Ensure that chemicals that are notcompatible with each other are not
stored together. (Check the material safety data sheet.)
• Store heavy items on lower shelves, particularly when cartons contain
fluids.
• Use bins and racks as much as possible.
• Leave adequate clearance space between the top of the stored goods
and the ceiling in areas protected by a sprinkler

Ladders: Potential accidents: falls from portable ladders; splinters; slipping.

Do Do not
• Inspect a ladder before and after each use. • Do not use ladder in a horizontal position as a
• Reject a ladder if it has loose, broken, or missing rungs; loose hinges; scaffold plank or runway.
or loose or missing screws or bolts. • Do not carry objects in your hands while on a
• Reject and tag defective ladders. Have defective ladders repaired or ladder. Hoist materials or attach tools to a belt.
thrown out. • Do not work from the top two rungs. The
• Use a ladder designed for your task. Consider its strength and type. higher you go on a ladder, the greater the
(eg. insulated ladder for electrical work) possibility that the ladder will slip out at the
• Set up barricades and warning signs when using a ladder in a doorway base.
or passageway. • Do not use makeshift items such as a chair,
• Clean muddy or slippery footwear before mounting a ladder. barrel, milk crate, or boxes as ladders.
• Face the ladder when going up or down and when working from it.
• Keep the centre of your body within the side rails.
• Place ladder feet 30 cm (1 ft.) from the wall for every 1 m (3 ft.) of
height.
• Extend the ladder at least 1 m (3 ft.) above the landing platform.
• Locate the ladder on a firm footing using slip-resistant feet or secure
blocking, or have someone hold the ladder.
• Rest both side rails on a top support, and secure the ladder to prevent
slipping.
• Use a three-point stance, keeping both feet and at least one hand on the
ladder at all times.

Burns and scalds: Burns and scalds can occur from: • Stoves • Toasters • Ovens • Boiling hot liquid • Hot utensils
• Pressure cookers • Cooking pots • Hot dishwashers
Do Do not
• Assume that all pots and pans and metal handles are hot. Touch them only • Do not overfill pots and pans.
when you are sure that they are not hot or when you are using proper gloves. • Do not leave metal spoons in pots and
• Organize your work area to prevent contact with hot objects and flames. pans while cooking.
• Keep pot handles away from hot burners. • Do not spill water in hot oil.
• Make sure that handles of pots and pans do not stick out from the counter • Do not overstretch over a stove, grill, or
or cooking stove. other hot area in order to reach an
• Use oven mitts appropriate for handling hot objects. Use long gloves uncomfortable distance.
for deep ovens. • Do not use a wet cloth to lift lids from hot
• Follow electric and fire safety guidelines. pots.
• Follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions. • Do not open cookers and steam ovens that
• Use only recommended temperature settings for each type of cooking. are under pressure.
• Open hot water and hot liquid faucets slowly to avoid splashes. • Do not lean over pots of boiling liquids.
• Lift lids by opening away from you. • Do not leave a hot electric element or gas
• Wear long-sleeved cotton shirts and cotton pants. flame of stove "on" all the time.
• Report problems to your supervisor.
Preventing overexertion accidents: Risk factors
The key to preventing injuries is to reduce or eliminate the risk factors contributing to the injuries. Workplace factors
associated with overexertion accidents to the back include:
• Awkward back posture held for a period of time or repeated due to poor working heights and reaches. Examples include
reaching for linen or supplies located on high shelves.
• Heavy or frequent lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying. For example, lifting and carrying bulk food containers.
• Prolonged sitting or standing. Examples include:
- Sitting — front office staff working on computers
- Standing — a restaurant worker whose duties consist of greeting customers and working the cash•
- Whole body vibration. For example, delivery truck drivers.
The time to complete a task, how often it is repeated, and the worker’s perception about time pressures can also influence
workplace risk factors.
How to reduce overexertion accidents:
Reducing risks need not be a complicated process. Following are examples of solutions in hotel and restaurant industries:
• Store heavier or frequently used items at a height between workers’ hips and chest to reduce awkward postures when
handling these items.
• Place smaller loads in laundry washing machines to reduce tangling and the subsequent heavy pulling needed to remove
the laundry from the washer.
• Use laundry carts with spring-loaded bottoms that rise as the cart is unloaded. This reduces repetitive, awkward bending.
• Install platforms at the base of laundry chutes to eliminate repetitive bending and lifting from the floor while sorting
laundry.
• Use long-handled tools to reach the walls and tub when cleaning showers to decrease reaching and stooping.
• Ask a co-worker for help when moving heavy furniture. Employers should set a policy to give guidance in these
situations.
• Ensure cleaning products and equipment are efficient and do not require extra force to use. For example, use a window
cleaner that doesn’t streak to reduce the number of wiping motions, or use a cleanser that removes dirt and grime with one
swipe.
• Use smaller banquet trays to lighten loads and to make them easier to handle.
• Store clean plates on spring-loaded dollies to reduce repetitive bending.
• Use carts to move heavy products from storage coolers and freezers.
• Don’t store heavy items in small, confined areas where the worker may not be able to use safe lifting techniques.
• Design or alter “pass through” windows in restaurants to reduce the risk of back injury. If they are too high or too deep,
workers are forced to use long reaches and awkward postures to pick up orders.
• Lower storage racks at dishwasher stations to minimize awkward lifting and reaching. Lowering the racks or using a
sturdy step stool can help to reduce the height of the lift.
• Add a footrest or matting to a hostess counter to give some relief from prolonged standing.
• Reduce risks through organizing work differently. For example, room attendants could unload laundry from their carts
more often to lighten the loads they handle and to reduce the amount of pushing needed to move the cart.
• Train and supervise workers in safe work practices that have been developed to reduce their exposure to risk factors.

BAD WORKING HABITS: Some common working habits that can be identified in catering situations as safety hazards
are as below:
#- Habit of lighting cooking gas ranges without placing anything on the burner for cooking.
#- Habit of keeping electric switches “ON” while dismantling an equipment for cleaning or repair.
#- Placing knives and other sharp kitchen tools in the sink for washing, along with other equipment can cause cuts.
#- Not wiping the spillages immediately can result in slips and falls
#- The tendency to dispose of broken glass pieces along with other wastes can cause cuts.
#- Inserting loose wires into electric sockets, especially with moist hands can result in fatal shock.
#- Replacing hot electric bulbs immediately upon fusing, can cause burns on the hand.
#- Lifting lids off hot pans suddenly poses threat of getting burns through hot steam.
Preventing exposure to HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis ‘’B and ‘C’ at work:

Hotel and restaurant workers sometimes find used needles between bedsheets, under beds, in garbage containers, and
hidden in washrooms. Sometimes cleaning staff come into contact with condoms when they try to unclog toilets. These
items could be contaminated with blood and body fluids infected with tiny organisms that can cause disease in humans.
These micro-organisms are known as bloodborne pathogens. The bloodborne pathogens of most concern are the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the Hepatitis B and C viruses. HIV causes the disease AIDS (acquired immune
deficiency syndrome), and the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses cause diseases with the same names. Since exposure to
blood and certain body fluids may spread these viruses, these diseases are also called bloodborne diseases. Most hotel
and restaurant workers won’t ever contact, at work, blood and certain body fluids that can spread HIV and the hepatitis
B and C viruses. But even employers and workers in settings where contact with blood and these body fluids is not
expected should be aware of some basic precautions because it is possible to become infected with a single exposure
incident — that is, harmful contact to infected blood and body fluids.
Hepatitis B and C should not be confused with hepatitis A — a food / water borne illness. That means that you can
become infected with the hepatitis A virus if you eat food that has been prepared by someone who is infected with the
virus. Hepatitis A is primarily a public health concern. Hotel and restaurant owners who would like more information on
how to prevent the spread of hepatitis A should contact their local health units.