HSE points out risk of kitchen slips
December 13, 2007
Catering managers and workers have been warned of the dangers of the commercial kitchen by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
According to the HSE, 1,863 workers received a kitchen injury which kept them off work for more than three days - with 643 of these counted as "serious" injuries.
Compensation claims and prosecutions resulting from such incidents are proving a big financial drain on firms - along with the more general productivity costs.
"Everyone has a part to play when it comes to stopping slips - chefs, managers and business owners need to set up effective systems for preventing slips and trips and then need to ensure staff are informed, trained and following those systems," the HSE said in a statement today.
"Staff can make a big difference by adopting a 'see it, sort it' mentality."
As a way of illustrating its point, the HSE released details of kitchen injury cases which have recently come to its attention - such as that of chef Ahsan, who tipped the contents of a deep fat fryer over himself after slipping on the floor.
A similar slip also caused kitchen worker Amy to put her hand in boiling oil when she tried to steady herself on a work surface.