Page 20 - Ohio RA 2011 Winter FlipBook

18 www.ohiorestaurant.org Winter 2012 Issue

What Employees Can Do to Protect Themselves

By following these outlined procedures, staff can work smarter and safer

Restaurant employees are responsible for following all safety and training guidelines given to them by managers. The following list highlights some safety tips for employees to follow when performing cutting tasks in the kitchen:

• Follow safety guidelines. When handling professional cutlery, there are several safety tips workers can follow to protect themselves from harm.

• Avoid talking to coworkers. Talking with someone while using a knife or other cutting tool is distracting and can result in a cut fnger.

• Do not crush garbage bags. Sharp objects inside the bag will poke through and cause injury.

• Store knives properly. Do not store sharp objects in a drawer with the cutting edge exposed; this can damage the blade and injure a person reaching into the drawer. Knife racks are specifcally designed to safely store cutlery.

• Use hand protection. Cut resistant gloves are made of a wire mesh surrounded by nylon or other durable material. The wire mesh helps protect hands from cuts while the nylon makes them comfortable and washable.

• Do not touch needles. Guests that require insulin or other injected medications may leave their used needles on the table or in the restroom. Do no pick them up. Contact your supervisor to properly dispose of them.

• Use a pusher block. Pusher blocks or the automatic slicing feature on commercial slicers keep the operator’s fngers away from the spinning blade.

• Do not use a glass to scoop ice. The glass can break and cause cuts and will contaminate the entire bin of ice. Plastic scoops are the only products NSF-certifed for safe ice handling.

Don’t Ignore the Value Safety Coordinators Play in Safety and Health Programs

Their presence can cultivate better safety procedures while strengthening management compliance

Your company’s safety program should be administered by a designated safety coordinator, usually the owner or general manager, who has the responsibility for developing, implementing and maintaining the safety and health program.

The safety coordinator is responsible for the following items that will assist in providing a safe workplace:

• Implementing the safety program by setting objectives, goals and metrics, as well as, measuring safety performance at all levels and functions of the company.

• Ensure that each manager, supervisor and crew leader conforms to established safety and health practices and procedures.

• Completing a regular summary of injuries and any other safety performance measurements deemed necessary.

• Perform formal documented safety inspections utilizing a standard inspection report form.

• Provide safety training for employees in accordance with applicable regulations and company policies.

• Work with top management and supervision to assure proper use of personal protective equipment, protective clothing, and safe work practices to adequately protect employees from hazards in their work areas.

• Address employee concerns and questions regarding safe work practices and procedures.

• Assure timely completion of accident report and investigations forms by the designated manager.

• Utilize its resources to address legitimate safety items on a priority basis.

• Complete at least an annual review of the safety program and revisions if needed to ensure continued effectiveness in light of changes to people, activities, operations, services, processes and the business/regulatory environment.

• Provide top management with the results of safety inspections, accident reports and investigations, and injury claim data, to allow them to adequately review safety management performance and ensure its continual improvement by providing direction and adequate resources.

What Employers Can Do to Protect Employees

These measures will reduce risk in your operations

Restaurant owners and managers are responsible for providing proper training and safety equipment for all potentially hazardous restaurant operations. Cutting tasks fall under the realm of potential hazards and need to be properly addressed. Some suggestions for assuring safe cutting practices include:

• Send employees to the hospital. If an employee is stuck by a needle or cut by a sharp object that may contain human blood or other body fuids, it is important that they seek immediate medical attention.

• Keep knives sharp. A dull knife is more likely to slip and cut someone than a sharp one.

• Teach proper knife handling. Employees that know how to properly handle and use a knife are less likely to have accidents.