Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

Follow all safety procedures and wear all protective equipment provided by your employer and be trained in the proper use of equipment, for example:

• Do wear long-sleeved cotton shirts and pants when cooking. A clean, dry, properly worn apron or uniform can protect you from burns and hot oil splashes.

• Do not cook without wearing protective clothing, even in hot temperatures or environments.

• Use appropriate hand protection when hands are exposed to hazards such as cuts, lacerations, and thermal burns. Use oven mitts or pot holders when handling hot items, and steel mesh or Kevlar gloves when cutting.

• 
  Learn to use equipment and personal protective equipment properly and safely. For example, if cooking with steamers and pasta boilers:
  • Use tongs and oven mitts to remove hot items from steamers or pasta boilers.
  • Place hot steamed items on trays to carry, rather than carrying steamed containers across the floor, leaving a trail of dripping hot water that may cause slips and falls.
  • Open ovens or steamers by standing to the side, keeping the door between you and the open steamer.
  • Open the top steamer first when steamers are stacked, and then the lower one to prevent being burned from the rising steam.
  • Do not stand above steaming items or equipment. Steam can burn.
  • Do not reach above an oven or steamer. Hot air and steam rises and you could be burned.

  • Do not open cookers and steam ovens when they are under pressure.

• 

  Check hot foods on stoves or in the microwave carefully. Uncover a container of steaming materials by lifting the lid open away from your face.

• Place sealed cooking pouches in boiling water carefully to avoid splashing.

• Assume that pots, pot handles, and utensils in pots are hot and use oven mitts when handling them. Use long gloves for deep ovens.

• Adjust burner flames to cover only the bottom of the pan. Avoid overcrowding on range tops.

• Wear sturdy footwear that is slip resistant and not canvas or open-toed to protect the feet in case hot liquids are spilled on shoes.

• Ask for help when moving or carrying a heavy pot of hot liquid off the burner.

• Do not allow pot handles or cooking utensils to stick out from counters or stove fronts. Keep pot handles away from burners.

• Avoid overfilling pots and pans.

• Do not clean vents over grill areas if the grill is hot. Clean vents the next morning before turning on for the day.

• Do not use metal containers, foil, or utensils in a microwave oven.

• Do not pour or spill water or ice into oil, especially hot oil. It will cause splattering.

• Do not leave hot oil or grease unattended.

• Do not use a wet cloth to lift lids from hot pots.

• 

  Do not lean over pots of boiling liquid.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

• Follow the child labor laws that do not permit workers younger than 16 to cook, except at soda fountains, lunch counters, snack bars, and cafeteria serving counters.

  • State Child Labor Laws may even be more stringent

• Follow OSHA standards including
  • Assess tasks to identify potential worksite hazards and provide and ensure employee use of appropriate PPE. See the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Standard [1910.132].
  • Require employees to use appropriate hand protection when hands are exposed to hazards such as cuts, lacerations, and thermal burns. See the Hand Protection Standard [1910.138(a)].

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

• Use caution when working around hot oil.

• Get trained in the proper use and maintenance of your deep fryer.

• Observe all safety procedures and wear all protective equipment provided for your use while preparing hot items.

• Use gloves and scrapers and other cleaning tools with handles provided by your employer.

• Use the correct grease level and cooking temperatures for your deep fryer.

• Keep stove surfaces clean to prevent grease flare-ups.

• Avoid reaching over or climbing on top of fryers and other hot surfaces. Clean vents when oil is cool.

• Keep floor surfaces clean and dry to prevent slipping or falling onto hot surfaces. Wear slip-resistant shoes. Floors should be cleaned often with grease-cutting solutions.

• Do not work closely to hot fryers when the floor is wet.

• Do not spill water or ice into oil. Do not store employee drinks by deep fryers. They could be easily bumped into the hot oil and cause a flare-up.

• Do not overfill or pour excessive amounts of frozen fries into deep fryer at one time. Overfilling causes excessive splashing and bubbling over of hot oil.

• Do not pour excess ice from fry packages into the fryer.

• Do not overheat the oil; use only manufacturer's recommended cooking temperatures.

• Do not move or strain hot oil containers; wait until the oil is cool!

• Do not store oil on floors by grill area. Someone could slip and fall into the oil.

• Extinguish hot oil/grease fires by using a class K fire extinguisher.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

• Follow the child labor laws that do not permit workers younger than 16 to cook, except at soda fountains, lunch counters, snack bars, and cafeteria serving counters.
  • State Child Labor Laws may even be more stringent

Consider implementing recommended safe work practices, including:

• Consider replacing older deep fat fryer models with newer models that have exhaust vents in closer proximity to the fryer, built-in grease filters, improved grease-disposal systems, automatic food-lowering devices, and vat covers.

• Use the appropriate quality oil for your fryer. Some employers have found that using higher quality oils reduces the amount of splashing during deep frying.

• Install slip-resistant flooring near hot surfaces and cooking appliances.

• Educate staff and management to recognize and respond to the symptoms of CO poisoning. For more information see:

  • Carbon Monoxide Poisoning from Gas Fired Cooking Units in Food Preparation Locations. Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

  • Avoid the hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning by training maintenance staff about the specific procedures needed to prevent CO poisoning.

For more information, see General Hazards – Slips/Trips/Falls.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

• Workers should know:

  • Emergency procedures and policies for their workplace.

  • How to shut off the current in case of an emergency.

  • How to perform CPR.

  • To pull the plug, not the cord when unplugging equipment.

  • To keep power cords clear of equipment during use.

  • To use ceiling plugs rather than draping cords across aisles.

  • Not to touch a worker being shocked until the power has been turned off.

  • Not to use faulty equipment or damaged receptacles and connectors.

  • Not to plug in electrical equipment while touching a wet or damp surface.

  • Not to use cords that are worn or damaged or cords that feel warm during use; they have the potential to start a fire. Use a higher capacity cord or a multi-outlet power strip unit with a built-in circuit breaker instead of an extension cord. Do not use equipment cords that feel warm during use have them checked by an electrician.

  • To report unsafe equipment and work practices to your employer immediately.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

Follow OSHA Standards including

• Ensure that all electrical service near sources of water is properly grounded [1910.304(g)].

  • Grounding requirements for equipment connected by cord and plug. OSHA Standard Interpretation, (1999, December 21).

• Ensure that electrical equipment is free from recognized hazards [1910.303(b)(1)].

• Repair all damaged receptacles and portable electrical equipment before placing them back into service [1910.334(a)(2)(ii)].

Consider implementing recommended safe work practices, including

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommendations:

• Use ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in situations where electricity and wetness coexist. GFCIs will interrupt the electrical circuit before current sufficient to cause death or serious injury has passed through a body.

• Exposed receptacle boxes be made of nonconductive material so that contact with the box will not constitute a "ground."

• Plugs and receptacles be designed to prevent energization until insertion is complete.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

• Extinguish hot oil/grease fires by using a class K fire extinguisher.

• Never carry or move oil containers when oil is hot or on fire.

• Never throw water on a grease fire; this will make the fire worse.

• Empty grease traps frequently; do not allow them to overfill.

• Understand the fire safety procedures in your workplace, including how to call for help, and follow them in a fire or other emergency.

  • Make sure that if you are working in a commercial kitchen that you know where to find and how to manually activate the cooking appliance fire suppression system.

• Keep grilling surfaces clean and free from grease accumulations that might ignite and cause a fire.

• Avoid cooking areas unless your work requires you to be there.

• Do not use frayed cords or defective equipment.

• Do not store flammable items near heat-producing equipment or open flames.

• Know fire alarm locations.

• If your employer expects you to fight fires:
  • Be sure you have been trained or request training.
  • Know the different types of fire extinguishers and how to use them correctly.
  • Always read the fire extinguisher label before using, to verify it is the correct type to use on the fire.
  • Always sound an alarm, summon the fire department and activate the fixed fire suppression system first.

    • The fixed fire suppression system (manual pull station) is located on the wall (usually near an exit). When activating the system, simply follow the instructions noted on the pull station.

• Know that if you catch fire, STOP, DROP and ROLL.

For more information, see General Hazards – Fire Hazards.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers. A fire is the most common type of emergency for which small businesses, such as restaurants must plan. A critical decision when planning is whether or not employees should fight a small fire with a portable fire extinguisher or simply evacuate. Use the following references to help in making this decision.

NOTE: Portable fire extinguishers must only be used if the PROPER TRAINING has been provided, if it can be done SAFELY and only after sounding an alarm, summoning the fire department, and activating the fixed fire suppression system.

Follow OSHA Standards including:

• OSHA's 1910.157 regulation requires you to have an Emergency Action Plan if fire extinguishers are required or provided in your workplace, and if anyone will be evacuating during a fire or other emergency.

  • To find out if your workplace needs an emergency action plan, refer to OSHA's Am I required to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)? expert system.

• Employers must educate employees about the correct use of fire extinguishers if they are expected to fight fires. [1910.157(g)(3)]
  • Training must include information about approved types of extinguishers [1910.157(c)(2)]. Class K fire extinguishers are approved in kitchens.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

• Wear cool, comfortable, breathable clothing like cotton.

• Tell your co-workers if you are not feeling well.

• Recognize and be able to treat the early symptoms of heat illness.

• Take a break from the hot environment to allow your body to cool down.

• Do not drink alcoholic beverages or beverages that contain caffeine while working in hot environments. These beverages make the body lose water and increase the risk of heat illnesses.

• Drink plenty of water.

• Observe any safety procedures or wear any protective equipment (such as gloves, mitts, protective aprons) provided for your use while working in hot environments.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

Consider implementing recommended safe work practices, including:

• Keep cooking areas as cool as possible. Workers get even hotter and more stressed during rush periods in crowded restaurants.

  • Use spot cooling fans, evaporative cooling, air conditioning, general ventilation, and local exhaust ventilation at points of high heat production.

• Encourage workers to drink plenty of water.

• Acclimatize, or gradually introduce, employees to hot environments. This allows the body to build up a tolerance to high temperatures. This process usually takes about two weeks.

Excessive Heat Exposure - Symptoms and Treatment

Heat exhaustion symptoms include dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, blurred vision, and nausea.

• Treatment: You must lower the employee's body temperature to prevent the progression of symptoms.
  • Immediately remove employee from the hot environment and give cool water to drink.

  • Lay the person on his or her back and raise the legs. If the person is sick to his or her stomach, lay him or her on their side. If the person does not feel better in a few minutes, call for emergency help.

Heat stroke symptoms include severe headache, mental confusion, loss of consciousness, flushed face, and hot, dry, skin, with no sweating. If someone has stopped sweating, seek emergency medical attention immediately.

• Treatment: Get emergency medical help. You must try to lower the employee's body temperature while waiting for medical help to arrive. Provide a cool environment, remove excessive clothing, and wet and fan the workers' skin.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

• Wear non-slip waterproof footgear to decrease slip hazard.
  • Lace and tightly tie shoes.
  • Avoid leather or smooth soles.
  • Do not wear open-toed shoes.

  • Avoid porous fabrics such as canvas. They do not provide enough protection. Hot liquids, if spilled on canvas, would easily burn through the canvas and burn your feet.

• Clean up spills immediately to avoid falls.

• Eliminate cluttered or obstructed work areas.

• Do not run in the cooking area.

• Do not store cooking oil on the floor because someone may slip and fall into it.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

Follow OSHA Standards including:

• Keep all places of employment clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition. Walking/Working Surfaces Standard [1910.22(a)(1)].

• Keep floors clean and dry. Where wet processes are used, maintain drainage, and provide false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry standing places should be provided where practicable [1910.22(a)(2)].

• Provide warning signs for wet floor areas. Accident Prevention Signs and Tags Standard [1910.145(c)(2)].

Consider implementing recommended safe work practices, including:

• Use non-slip matting on floor surfaces.

• If mats are not suitable to use on floors where grease is present, use no-skid waxes and surfaces coated with grit to create non-slip surfaces.

For more information, see General Hazards - Slips/Trips/Falls.

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

Identify strain and sprain hazards in your worksite and find ways to decrease them by applying ergonomic solutions. For example:

• Avoid static postures by continually changing your position. Use a foot rest bar or a low stool to help alter your posture by raising one foot and then the other.

• Use anti-fatigue mats, if available, on hard work surfaces. Anti-fatigue mats help contract and expand the muscles of the person standing on them increasing blood-flow and reducing fatigue.

• Wear shoes with well-cushioned insteps and soles.

• Use height-adjustable work surfaces, if available.

• Minimize reaching by organizing your work environment so that most cooking processes can be completed within easy reach and while keeping your elbows in close to your body.