We have all heard the dreaded words muttered in the work place, “ workmen comp.” The words hang heavy over our heads with guilt and most times anger. This anger comes as no surprise considering restaurant owners have seen an alarming increase in the number of accidents and inquiries in the last years. Each of these falls, cuts and burns result in the the owners paying big bucks to take care of their employees that they are held responsible for to some degree.
Not only are these inquiries costly but, they can also bring negative repercussions to your establishment, such as lower productivity, higher workers’ compensation premiums and potential litigation. If accidents continue to happen and the severity of the accidents are extreme owners could even face high fines associated with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
This may have you asking how as owners and managers are we able to abide by the law, create an engaging and safe work environment for our employees, while staying on task and productive? The answer, we must work with our employees, train them in proper procedures when dealing with every day occurrences that may be seen as dangerous.
The top three areas that we recommend continuously training your staff on are the following: Hazardous materials, Slips, trips and falls and lastly burns. If trained of to prevent these on an on going basis we are sure you will have happy and healthier employees that are less likely to get hurt in the work place.
Hazardous materials - Materials that can be deemed as unsafe and that must be labeled properly to reduce the risk of ingestion, inhalation and or skin exposure. To prevent injuries from inhalation or skin exposure, make sure all employees handling these materials wear proper protective gear, including face masks and protective gloves.
Slips, trips and falls - The number one accident in all restaurants and the number one cause for workplace injury. implement rules that all employees must wear non-slip shoes, that there is no running allowed in the kitchen and mandate all spill of water or any other material be picked up immediately. Place antiskid mats on the line and in any other area of the restaurant that may experience excess moisture.
Burns - This one is tricky, the regular interaction with hot times in the kitchen is a must and you must be ready for this accident to happen. This being said If a burn occurs, rinse the affected area under cool running water, bandage loosely and seek appropriate medical attention.
Remember training is king in restaurants, back and front of the house. By continuously training your staff to stay safe in dangerous situations you can avoid the headache of loosing a staff member and dealing with a large workmen compensation bill.
