Chapter 1.5 Accident Prevention

A catering kitchen can be a dangerous place. Some machinery (electrical equipment) cannot be operated by people who are under 18. All members of staff must receive training to use machinery.

Common dangers Floors Mop up spills immediately Keep floors clean and grease-free Do not leave objects in ‘pathways’ Repair damaged floor surfaces Knives Use the right-sized knife for the job Keep handles clean and grease-free Keep knives sharp (blunt knives need more pressure) Do not leave knives on edges Do not put knives in washing-up bowls Do not try to catch a falling knife Electrical equipment Check machinery is in good working order Check electrical wires are not frayed or worn Do not handle electrical equipment with wet hands Check safety notices Assemble equipment correctly and use safety guards Mandolin

Saucepans Indicate hot handles by sprinkling flour on them Take care when moving or lifting heavy pans Use oven gloves or oven cloths Turn pan handles towards the back of the cooker Do not use wet cloths for hot pans Fryers Do not fill above the fat level indicated Do not put wet foods into fryers Lower food into fryer carefully Change fat regularly Foods Fish bones and meat bones can cause cuts Frozen foods can cause ‘burns’ Take care when opening and disposing of cans and jars Store raw and cooked foods separately Storing equipment Store all equipment safely Unplug electrical equipment when not in use Replace safety guards on electrical equipment

Fires Do not have flames larger than the size of the pan Do not leave cloths or oven gloves over cookers Time the cooking of foods accurately Take special care when cooking in fat Have fire blankets and fire extinguishers to hand Have clear fire procedures Clothing Wear appropriate clothing in the kitchen Wear non-slip shoes or clogs Do not wear jewellery that can become trapped in machinery Tie long hair back and cover hair with a hat Behaviour Do not run in the kitchen Pay attention when given instructions or orders Concentrate on the job ‘in hand’ Make sure that workers are supervised at all times Cleaning Try to ‘clean as you go’ Keep cleaning materials and equipment away from food areas Use the right cleaning materials for the task Do not ‘mix’ cleaning materials Use cleaning materials at the right strength Store cleaning materials and equipment carefully

Accident book Any injury at work - including minor injuries - should be recorded in your employer's 'accident book'. All employers must keep an accident book. It's mainly for the benefit of employees, as it provides a useful record of what happened in case you need time off work or need to claim compensation later on. Recording accidents also helps your employer to see what's going wrong and take action to stop accidents in future. Your employer must report serious work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous incidents (HASAWA)

What must be recorded? Name (of injured) Sex (of injured) Exact time and date (of accident) Place (where accident occurred) What happened What part of the body was injured How badly Was First Aid given Further treatment (i.e. sent to hospital) Name of supervisor Names of witnesses Whether worker was doing his job