|
|
The four leading categories of kitchen injuries are slips and falls, strains and sprains, cuts and lacerations, and burns. Various studies made of restaurant injuries show that their categories break down to about 35% for burns, 34% for slips and falls, 15% for exposure to harmful substances or environment, 10% injuries from overexertion from lifting, and 5% for cuts and lacerations. Floor surfaces play a role in 28% of restaurant injuries. And the overwhelming place where these injuries occur is in the kitchen.
One cause that is identified for kitchen injuries is people moving quickly and in a rush to meet demand. During the lunch and dinner rushes, the kitchen can become a hectic place, where careless slices can nick a thumb, fumbles with pots can spill boiling water, overloaded oil fryers can splash hot oil, and hurried running over slick floor surfaces can result in a fall. This is the most common case in fast-food type environments.
The cost to a business isn't just a matter of paying OSHA fines. Worker's Compensation claims are also a huge drain on restaurant revenue. Some restaurant owners, fed up with paying for costly accidents, will actually ask their insurance carrier to send a safety manager to inspect their facility and make suggestions on how accidents can be avoided. This is a good idea if your workplace has a poor safety record, because an inspector can recommend new methods and ideas that you never thought to try.
|
