Restaurant kitchens are always busy and always crowded, especially when the house is packed with customers. Being busy is always a good thing when it comes to the hospitality business. However, it’s also prime kitchen accident time.
Take a look around your kitchen when your business is closed about once a week. Are there obvious hazards? You may be used to seeing the water on the floor in front of the ice machine or the boxes piled up in front of the back door waiting to be disposed of properly. But if you were a newly hired employee, would these things trip you up? How about your equipment? Is it all in proper working order or do you have items that need to have quirks addressed to work? Make sure your staff is fully trained on equipment and that shortcuts on safety is not acceptable, regardless of how busy they get. Are all your safety phone numbers easy to find by the phone?
Make sure that the kitchen clutter is kept to a minimum. Make sure your floors are being degreased with the proper cleaner for your kitchen.
Make sure your wait staff know the language of safety in the front of the house. Phrases like “behind you”, “hot”, “corner”, can go a long way to stop a spill, burn, or fall. No one wants to end their shift at the ER. And no boss wants that kind of hit to their safety record. We all want a safe and prosperous summer.