Slips, Falls, Cuts, and Burns: Preventing and Treating Common Workplace Injuries in the Restaurant

"Ouch!" How many times during a shift do you hear that phrase (or something more profane) uttered by one of your kitchen staff. While the hazards of restaurant work are not on par with firefighting or construction, each day restaurant workers negotiate sharp knives, hot burners, and slippery surfaces in a hectic environment.

On-the-job injuries are difficult to eliminate, but every job has risks that can be reduced with care. Restaurant management can play a big role in creating a safer work environment by understanding the specific risks associated with the work, analyzing the injuries that are occurring in their establishments, and taking measures to minimize them. This includes employment training, and designing the restaurant's layout with an eye toward safety.

There are many simple steps that can be followed to reduce the risk of injury in the restaurant. Unfortunately, when the house gets busy, regular safeguards fall by the wayside. For your staff, their safety takes a back seat to serving the customer quickly and efficiently. That's why owners and managers need to oversee the safety of the house.

You need to frequently review safety practices and regularly train employees how to operate safely in a fast-paced restaurant. You need to make sure every employee is properly trained in using heating and cutting equipment. You need to make worker safety and health, a regular topic during lineup.

Your food preparation staff is the most likely to be injured in the restaurant business, but the wait staff gets its share of cuts, bumps and bruises. In this article, we examine the hazards of restaurant work, and address the common types of injuries, and how to avoid them.