Work related injuries are the last thing an employee or employer wants to happen. Coming to work should be both enjoyable and safe, so how can you reduce the risk of staff injuring themselves on the job? There is no straight forward answer or solution to completely removing the possibility for work-related injuries, but there are various steps that can be taken to avoid these injuries. Every industry has different possible injuries due to what the employees are exposed to, handle, move, or are near while at work.
The foodservice industry presents workers with different possibilities for injuries compared to someone working in the construction business. It is important to understand the risks your specific foodservice operations pose to employees on a daily basis. While each foodservice operation may have different risks, there are some common problems that nearly every kitchen has that have led to employee injuries in the past.
Your employees are your most important asset, so they should be treated as such. As it has been learned in recent times, when there is not enough staff, the doors are not able to be opened to diners. Providing employees with a safe working environment and safe equipment is crucial to not only keeping your staff healthy and able to work, but it also shows your commitment to your staff and their well-being. Here, you will learn some ways to help reduce work related injuries within your foodservice operations.
1. Reduce Slipping
Kitchens are bound to have water on the floor or a splash of food that accidentally slipped off a plate or off the counter. This does not mean that the floors should be left like this for long though as it presents the possibility for slipping. Your dish washing area is going to have a wet floor, there is no question about that, but how can you limit the possibility of injury? Have a mop handy to soak up the water occasionally as dish loads are going through the dishwasher. Take intentional breaks to stop and mop the area to make sure everyone remains on their feet.
The wet floors near the dishwashing area transfers to the rest of the kitchen throughout service as the dishwashers are walking around to put clean dishes back on their shelves. Making sure the entire kitchen floors stay as dry as possible is a step that can be taken to reduce the risk of employees slipping and severely injuring themselves. Consider having employees also wear non-slip shoes as well to add another layer of protection. “Daily mopping, periodic deep-cleaning and adding non-slip mats to high traffic areas can help reduce the risk of slips and falls,” according to Independent Agent Magazine.
2. Set Lifting and Carrying Safety Guidelines
Training your employees on how to safely lift, carry, and transport kitchen supplies and items is a great form of preventative action against employee injuries. Knowing what types of items your staff will be moving around on a daily basis, you can do some research on how to best lift and carry those specific items so that employees are able to reduce the strain on their body. Moving around heavy items can lead to muscle strains in staff member’s shoulders, legs, neck, and back. Finding ways to avoid these strains is very important.
A basic rule of thumb is to never lift or carry an item that has a weight greater than 50 lbs. Obviously that restriction may even be lower for some employees, so make sure employees have equipment that allows them to still move those items but in a safer way. There are various pieces of equipment that can be used to help transport heavy items, or even lighter items that are bulky and awkward to carry. Utilize the right equipment to help foster a safe work environment for your team.
3. Use the Right Equipment
In the back-of-the-house, there are always supplies to be moved around whether a delivery was just made, or supplies are being taken from the storage space and into the kitchen to be used. Having foodservice utility carts allows staff to transport these heavy or bulky items with ease, but not every utility cart is designed to move heavy loads. Heavy duty foodservice utility carts allow staff to transport heavier items while not increasing operator strain. Ergonomic utility carts are designed with this in mind.
Handles on ergonomic utility carts are placed at a height and a position that works with the operator and not against them. These foodservice carts are built in a way that optimizes the pushing motion of the operator. While these carts can be extremely helpful in reducing the risk of employee injuries, they are no help if they are not used. Making sure that it is expected to use these carts for moving heavier loads is very important. When the precedent is set that heavy loads are to be transported with ergonomic carts, the risk for staff injuring themselves can be reduced.
Employee safety should be one of the number priorities within the foodservice industry. While you need a healthy staff in order to work, it is also important that you show the importance and emphasis that is put on your worker’s safety. When employees feel they are valued at work, productivity and efficiency can be increased all while building upon your work culture. Lakeside’s new motorized utility cart is built to help staff transport the heaviest of loads while helping to limit the amount of strain on the operator. Moving heavy loads just got easier with the Load-Master motorized cart! Are you ready to discover the Load-Master difference?
