I wrote an article on Restaurant Safety in 2006 for FCSI's Magazine, The Consultant. Successful restaurants and foodservice operations worldwide are a complicated mix of guests, team members, products, and busy, hectic environments. Operators face difficult daily decisions just to stay in business. Employee retention (lowering turnover) has been identified as a crucial component of the management success formula. In everyone's book, it is just as important as brand, sales, and profits. During 2006 it will not get any easier. If you want to retain workers, lower costs and provide a great team member experience, you must reduce and eliminate worker injuries. Protect your TEAM, and Protect your Guests.

1. theconsultant First Quarter 2006
78
Safety in
Restaurants
By William H. Bender, FCSI

2. I
have always been a proponent of “fun” in the work-
place because it assists in creating a good environment
for team members and that positive energy flows to
the guest’s brand experience. A precursor to fun however
is safe. As a worldwide industry we usually offer young
people an entry-level position and much of the time, a
first job. Operators should view the hire of a first-time
job candidate with a high degree of responsibility. We
owe it to them to provide a safe and healthy environment
to learn the necessary job skills of the industry.
A proven strategy for preventing and reducing job
injuries is safety training for team members. A regularly
scheduled meeting for safety and health training will
educate them on workplace hazards and how to prevent
them. This also fits seamlessly with becoming the “em-
ployer of choice” in your marketplace.
The challenging and competitive marketplace forces
operators to source, select, hire and train team members
as quickly as possible. With the real world pressures of
profits, budgets and growth, safety is one topic that gets
little focus or attention. Management or trainers often
do not even mention the word safety.
The restaurant workplace contains many of the ingre-
dients and contributing factors for injuries.
theconsultant First Quarter 2006 79
Successfulrestaurantsandfoodserviceoperations
around the world are a complicated mix of
guests, team members, products and busy
hectic environments. Operators face difficult
daily decisions just to stay in business.Employee
retention(loweringturnover)hasbeenidentified
as a crucial component of the management
success formula. In everyone’s book it is just as
important as brand, sales and profits. During
2006 it will not get any easier. If you want to
retain workers, lower costs and provide a great
team member experience you must reduce and
eliminate worker injuries.

3. 80 theconsultant First Quarter 2006
Unsafe workplace ingredients:
1. Crowded spaces
2. Slippery floors
3. Fire/Flame
4. Steam
5. Water
6. Gas
7. Foodservice Equipment
8. Sharp edges
9. Electricity
10. Lifting and carrying heavy Objects
Ms. Diane Bush, M.P.H. is the program coordinator for
U.C. Berkeley’s Labor Occupation Health Program
(LOHP). She coordinates the restaurant supervisor safety
training program. According to Bush the three most com-
mon injuries in the foodservice workplace are:
1. Slips and falls
2. Cuts
3. Burns.
This won’t surprise anyone in the industry. So how
does an operator or company protect its team members
and guests? And in today’s litigious world, what does
management need to do to protect the organization and
shareholders?
Bush shared the following three points for foodser-
vice operators to focus on for improving restaurant
workplace safety:
1.
Involve team members in the process to improve
workplace safety.
2.
Teach and train team members to identify safety
hazards and have a process in place for reporting
unsafe conditions to the responsible management
person.
3.
Owners and management must be willing to make
necessary changes or improvements.
Restaurant safety program
Preparing and developing a restaurant safety program is
usually not one of the top items on the daily to do list at a
restaurant. So where do you start if you want to provide a
safe work place for team members and guests? Where and
how do you find information? What resources are available
to assist you in preparing a safety program that will meet
requirements and be an asset to your organization?
My first step was to do an on-line search of workplace
safety related information. In North America, start with
your state or provincial government and review the on-
line listings of resources that are available. The govern-
mental authorities in your county or municipality will
have laws and legal requirements for employment. Some
will have training that is required by law depending on
the type of job function or type of facility, number or
employees, or size of company. The age of employees
performing specific jobs or operating certain types of
equipment is an important consideration.
California has a web page: http://www.dir.ca.gov. Many
state or provincial government web sites provide this type
of listing. Take some time to review the information and
become familiar with the topic. These sites can quickly
provide you with a tremendous number of links and
information. Try not to become overwhelmed. Check
with the restaurant association; they may have safety
assistance links on their website.
The next step is to contact your insurance company;
some provide you with resources to prepare your own
safety program. Available materials include safety pro-
gram outlines, manuals, posters and seminars.
Safety in Restaurants

4. 81
theconsultant First Quarter 2006
The Labor Occupational Health Program at the Uni-
versity of California, Berkeley, developed the Restaurant
Supervisor Safety Training Program (http://www.dir.ca.
gov/CHSWC/English_Trainers_Guide.pdf ) with funding
from the Commission on Health and Safety, Worker’s
Compensation and the State Compensation Insurance
Fund. Ms. Bush assisted in developing the Restaurant
Supervisor Safety Training program and materials.
These organizations encourage you to review and use
this type of safety training program. A similar program
used in restaurants in the state of Washington resulted
in a 20 percent decrease in injuries and illnesses on the
job over a two-year period.
The safety program helps restaurant managers and
owners to:
1.
Provide 1-hour safety training tailored to your res-
taurant
2. Engage workers in your safety program
3. Identify ways to prevent injuries
4.
Meet Cal/OSHA (Occupation Safety and Health
Administration) requirements
Safety program materials
The State Compensation Fund provides the
following materials to attendees of their Res-
taurant Supervisor Safety Training Seminar that
Ms. Bush instructs:
1. Restaurant Safety Training Guide
A guide for conducting a one-hour safety
workshop or series of safety meetings with
team members.
2. Safety Tip Sheets
Tip sheets can be used by managers to iden-
tify new protective measures safety issues to
emphasize in team member training.
3. Safety Orientation Checklist
This form can be used for new team members
or for the periodic review of current team mem-
bers or when a new procedure is initiated.
4. Model Shoe Policy
Slips and falls are a major contributor to inju-
ries. Having a shoe policy that employers can
enforce can reduce the chance of injuries.
5. Facts for Employers: Safer Jobs for Teens
This fact sheet contains key information on
health and safety and child labor laws, as well
as tips for training and supervising young
team members.
6. Employing 14–17 Year-Olds in Restaurants
This fact sheet provides a summary of the
kinds of work teens under age of 18 are prohibited from
doing under Federal California labor laws.
7. “Rated R” Stickers
This sticker can be used on any type of machinery/equip-
ment prohibited for use by teens under 18. Examples
include food slicers and certain powered tools.
End game for safety in restaurants
A foodservice leader must first make the decision for the
company to set safe operating conditions as an organiza-
tion goal and standard. Involving your team in the process
to achieve safety can then be supported with safety pro-
gram training and materials. It just takes a little desire,
effort and follow-up.
With available safety resources, establishing a safety
committee that meets bi-monthly and some leadership
safety can be improved in most operations within 30 days.
Set safety as a goal in 2006 and reward your team members
for operating safely. It will improve your company and
bottom line.
Safety in Restaurants
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