Shattered Lives

Tips on reducing serious accidents

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is running a Shattered Lives campaign to try to change the attitudes of workers in catering kitchens. The aim is to reduce the number of serious injuries to staff from slips, trips and falls.

Last year more than 50% of the injuries reported to the HSE were from a slip, trip or fall.

The HSE says everyone working in a pub is responsible for health and safety, and if anyone spots a hazard they shouldn't assume somebody else will sort it out. The HSE sees chefs, kitchen and catering managers as crucial to changing attitudes. They need to take on the role of champions at work, spreading this message daily among the people with whom they come into contact.

This is particularly important for smaller businesses, where there may not be a health and safety professional around to put systems in place and make sure they are followed. In that case the task may fall to you. The duty of care for employees rests with employers, but anyone at work can help to reduce accidents in the workplace.

Health & Safety Executive advice:

n Look at the tasks people carry out. Can the method of working, the kitchen layout or the equipment used be altered to prevent contamination getting onto the floor? For example, drip trays, lids on pots and containers and lips at the end of work-benches can help.

n Look at the way people work. Do they pay attention to clearing up as they go? Are they in the habit of sweeping food off the worktop onto the floor?

n Make sure you have good maintenance procedures in place to deal with leaking machines.

n Spot-cleaning of spillages ensures food debris can be removed quickly, while effective end-of-shift deep-cleaning is required to remove ground-in grease. Always wear the right shoes with a good grip.

n Footwear can play an important part in preventing slips. Sensible footwear is a good idea, but slip-resistant footwear may be required in some heavily-used kitchens.

n Suitable anti-slip flooring may need to be installed where contamination on the floor is foreseeable and regular.

n Put a good system in place to stop slips in your kitchen.

n Make sure you and your staff stick to it.

n Keep floors clean and dry.

n If a spill happens, clean it up straight away - sort it or report it.

n For more information visit www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives/resources.htm or call 0845 3450055