Workplace Safety at Restaurants

Restaurants present a number of hazardous areas for employees. Accidents occur from handling sharp objects, carrying large or off-balance items or slipping on wet floors. These accidents are easily identified and, in many cases, preventable. Restaurants require employees to follow safety rules while working to ensure a healthy work environment.

Non-Slip Shoes

• Non-slip shoes are generally required for restaurant employees as a part of their work uniform. These shoes grip all types of surfaces, even wet floors, and help to prevent injuries due to slips or falls. Non-slip shoes assist a restaurant in saving time lost to accidents as well as money paid out in worker’s compensation or other insurance to cover any liability due to an injured worker.

Mark Hazards

• Clearly mark any hazards that have the potential to cause injury to employees or guests. This includes warning labels for appliances in the kitchen as well as signs indicating a wet floor or other hazard. Employees and management must ensure that all spills are promptly cleaned up and that all safety signs or placards are in place. These markers must be clearly visible and easy to read or understand. In the event that an accident does occur, notify a manager or supervisor immediately.

Germs

• Working in a restaurant requires you to handle many germ- and bacteria-infested surfaces, such as money, food and dirty dishes. These items can spread illness and cause infection if they come into contact with an open sore. Restaurants require employees to wash their hands frequently, particularly before handling food or after using the restroom, to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after handling money or dirty dishes as an additional preventative measure.

Spills

• If a customer spills or drops a plate or glass, do not allow them to help you clean it up. The customer could become injured due to broken glass or porcelain, resulting in expensive medical bills for your restaurant. Make sure that you clean up any broken items yourself or with another staff member. Place them carefully in a waste bin and make sure that you inform anyone who may handle that waste bin or its contents that broken glass or porcelain was placed in there so that they may exercise caution.

Knives

• Pass any knives or other cutlery handle first. Do not attempt to hold a knife by the blade. In the event that someone drops a knife, do not try to catch it with your hands or feet; instead, let it fall to the floor and then pick it up by the handle. A sharp knife can cut through even safety shoes, so keep your feet away from any falling cutlery. When rolling or wrapping silverware at the end of your shift, make sure that the only knives contained in the roll are dull butter knives. Never roll or wrap a steak or other sharp knife in with other silverware.