Module 3

Occupational Safety Hazards

At the end of this module you are expected to:

1. Define occupational and safety hazards;

2. Discuss the reasons for occupational and health standards;

3. Identify the hazard and risk control;

4. Understand the importance of protecting employees against workplace violence; and

5. Identify the Manager’s responsibilities in the modern hospitality and food industry

Occupational safety and health can be important for moral, legal, and financial
reasons. All organizations have a duty of care to ensure that employees and any other
person who may be affected by the companies undertaking remain safe at all times. Moral
obligations would involve the protection of employee’s lives and health. Legal reasons for
OSH practices relate to the preventative, punitive and compensatory effects of laws that
protect worker’s safety and health. OSH can also reduce employee injury and illness
related costs, including medical care, sick leave and disability benefit costs.

Reasons for Occupational and Health Standards

There are three main reasons that have been generally accepted as to why
occupational safety should be improved. As the name suggests, it is the idea that the
workplace is as safe as possible for those who work on it. This means that a great deal
of scrutiny is foisted upon every aspect of the workplace, because danger can come from
a wide variety of things.

The first reason that occupational health and safety has been taken up with such
vigor, is moral. It is the idea that no one should have to risk their health for the sake of
work, and that any risks at work can be reduced or eradicated altogether.

The second reason is economic. If someone is injured at work, then it can cost the
whole of society a great deal of money. Primarily, it can cost the tax payer lot of money,
because of medical costs associated with any injury. Economics is quite clearly a big
reason for the importance of occupational health and safety.

The third reason is legal. Firms are legally required to invest in occupational health
and safety in order that they never face legal proceedings resulting from an injury in the
workplace.

Hazard Identification and Risk Control

Accidents are preventable, as long as you take a protective approach to health

and safety. By implementing a system of hazard identification and risk control, you can
prevent workplace injuries and diseases. There are three basic steps.

1. Identify Hazards. Consider every area of your workplace when looking for
hazards. Think about conditions or work activities that could put your
employees or guests at risk.
2. Assess the Risks. Once you have identified a hazard, evaluate the risks
associated with it. There are two basic questions to ask when considering a
hazard: how likely is an accident, and how serious would it be if it occurred? A
risk assessment will help you prioritize the hazards so you know which ones to
deal with first.
3. Control the Risk. Once you have identified hazards and assessed the risks,
look for ways to control them. The basic types of controls are elimination or
substitutions, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal
protective equipment.

Elimination or Substitution
1. Whenever possible, eliminate the hazards so there's no risk of injury. Ask the
following:
a. Is the task necessary to begin with?
 Can the hazardous part of the task be removed?
 Can the task be done in such a way that no workers are exposed to the
hazard?
 b. If you cannot eliminate the hazards, substitute a safer material or process. Ask
the following:
 Can a different machine or tool can be used?
 Can a less hazardous material or chemical be used?
 Will alternative practices reduce exposure to the hazard?

Engineering Controls

Engineering controls are physical changes to the way tasks are done – for
example, re-designing workstations or modifying equipment to make it safer or more
ergonomic.

Administrative Controls

Administrative controls are changes to the way work is organized and

performed. This can include planning, organizing, and scheduling of resources and
staffing. Safe work practice and procedures are an important form of administrative
control.

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE provides protection against hazards. It should be used when other safety
controls are not practical, or in addition to other controls. For example, to help prevent
slips, trips, and falls, make sure your employees wear slip-resistant footwear.

Solutions for Employers and Workers

To reduce work hazards, job safety and health experts recommend two types of
solutions making sure the restaurant has the right equipment to prevent hazards
(“Equipment” solutions) and carrying out the work in a way that reduces the chance of
such hazards happening (“work practice” solutions). Below are eight types of hazards,
and the kinds of solutions our experts recommend to address them.

Hazard No.1: Unnatural or Awkward Postures

 Unnatural posture can include bending, reaching, kneeling, squatting, lifting
lowering and carrying. Sometimes you need to hold a pot, pan, container, vat, or keg in
an uncomfortable way.

In the kitchen, the owners and managers of a restaurant should:

1. Buy countertops and cutting surfaces that can be adjusted to the right height for
different workers.
2. Buy dish racks and refrigerators that are easy to reach.
3. Limit the depth of refrigerators to about 18 inches.
4. Install dumbwaiters to transfer food products between floors
5. Install that are height of most workers’ hips. This helps prevent stain in
dishwashing tasks.
6. Install machines that help with purse
7. Design aisles in the kitchen area that are at least 4 feet wide. This is very important
between workstation and the grill, oven or stove.
8. Buy hand trucks and conveyors to move products in and trash out.
9. Install shelves for runners to pick up food from cooks that are in the “power range”.
10. Buy rolling stairs with rails on both sides to reach items on high shelves.
11. Use thick rubber mats for use when kneading.
12. Make sure that all in equipment, utensils, pots and pans needed in the kitchen are
within reach of the shortest workers.
Hazard No.2: Repetitive Motions
Repetitive motions can lead to injuries when a task forces you to do the same
movements over and over again. To reduce thus type of hazard, workers in the back of
the house should:
1. Develop a daily maintenance schedule for sharpening knives.
2. Spread repetitive tasks our over the day and between workers.
3. Change hands to spread out repetitive movement. See if you can use your right
hand half of the time.
4. Take frequent rest breaks from the repetitive activity.

Hazard No.3: Standing in the Same Place for a Long Time

 Standing in the same for a long time increases strain on the muscles, tendons.
Ligaments and nerves in the lower back, hips, legs and feet. To reduce this hazard and
strain on the body in these areas, owners and managers in a restaurant should:

1. Buy and install thick rubber mat to make standing more comfortable.
2. Buy stool or low small benches to allow workers to change their position and rest
one leg and foot.

Hazard No.4: Heavy Loads

Heavy loads, especially those that are unstable (for example, enclosed weight that
moves, such as bottles of liquid) increase strain on the muscles, tendons, ligaments and
nerves in the neck, upper back, arms, lower back and pelvis. To reduce the hazard of
very heavy and/or unsteady loads, there are many things that owners, managers and
workers of a restaurant can do.

Figure 3.1: Heavy Loads

Hazard No.5: Forceful Use of your Hand Muscles

Forceful use of your hand muscles can result in injuries in back, shoulders, arms,
wrists and fingers. There are many things that owners, managers and workers can do to
reduce the force needed to do everyday tasks:

1. Engineering. Managers and owners of a restaurant should:

a. Buy or design oval handles on knives, spoons, ladles and forks between about
1.25 and 2 inches in diameter.
 b. Buy or design oval handles on knives, spoons, ladles and forks, with handle length
at least 5 inches.
c. Buy large, rubber coated or knives, spoons, ladles and forks to increase friction.
d. Buy carts or hand trucks; buy lighter tools; buy tools that allow workers to keep
their wrist straight.
e. Buy and attach handles to heavy objects that must be lifted.

2. Practice. Workers should:

a. Grip objects, tools, equipment and knives with the whole hand, not just with a
few fingers. Pick up smaller loads keeping wrist straight.
b. Keep a daily maintenance schedule and procedure for sharpening knives.
c. Pick up items from the bottom, using the whole hand. Avoid using only a few
fingers.
d. Make the handles thicker on small tools; put tool down when not in use; attach
handles to heavy objects that must be lifted.

Hazard No.6: Slips, Trips and Falls

Injuries from slipping, tripping and falling may be due to poor transaction (low
friction) bad lighting, inadequate handrails, oily and slippery floors, grease spills and poor
“housekeeping”.

Figure 3.2: Slips, trips and falls

Hazard No.7: Burns

 To reduce burns from hot surfaces (grills, stoves) hot oil and grease, there are
many things owners’ managers and workers should do.

Figure 3.3: Burns

Equipment: in the back of the house, managers and owners of a restaurant should:

1. Use splashguards around surfaces

2. Use materials handling devices, such as rolling carts with handles for moving vats.
3. Maintain equipment in proper working order
4. Use dry pat holders and mitts.
5. Use pour assist device.
6. Have burn fast aid kits.
7. In the front of the house, managers and owners should have a burn fats aid kit.

Practice. Workers in the back of the house should:

1. Dry food before placing in hot oil.

2. Never leave hot oil unattended.
3. Cool oil and grease before handling.
4. Use lids and covers
5. Place food in basket, then slowly lower into hot oil; do not drop food into hot oil.

Hazard No.8: Cuts and Lacerations

 Cuts and lacerations can be caused by knives and unguarded machines. To
reduce the risks of these types of injuries, these are several things managers, owners
and workers can do.

Figure 3.4: Cuts and Lacerations

Equipment. Managers and workers on the restaurant should:

1. Make sure that the machine guards are installed on all meat slicers, mixers, baking
machines, and similar types of equipment.
2. Maintain machinery to reduce chance of malfunction and accidents.

Practice. The following should never be done in the kitchen things never to do in the
kitchen:

1. Never remove machine guards when in use.

2. Never operate any machine unless you are trained in it use.
3. Never cut meat in slicer once it becomes too thin; use a knife to complete the
cutting
4. Never wear jewelry or loose clothing, which can get stuck in the machine.
5. ALWAYS tell management immediately if machine guards are missing broken or
nor working properly.

Hazard No.9: Contact Stress

 Contact stress or mechanical stress is caused by hard or sharp objects or edges
pressing continuously against the body. The sides of the fingers, palms, wrists and
forearms are more likely to get injured because of the nerves and soft tissues that are
very close to both skin and nearby bones.

An example of contact stress in the hands is holding long metal kitchen utensil
handles that are sharp unpadded, and narrow. When these utensils contain a lot of weight
or fluid (like a ladle), then the utensil can be heavy and require a lot of squeezing to keep
steady.

Ergonomics Reduces Injuries

Ergonomics is the science of designing the workplace to fit the worker, rather than
expecting a worker to fit into a job that has not been designed correctly.

The following are among the ergonomics hazards in restaurants:

1. Lifting heavy boxes or objects that should not be lifted by one person without
the help of assist devices or helpers.
2. Standing for long periods of time in one position on a hard surface can lead to
muscle fatigue, back pain and soreness in legs and feet.
3. Cutting with a knife that is not razor-sharp can increase the force you have to
use in your fingers, wrist, forearms, elbows, shoulders and upper back.

Ergonomics is the science of designing the workplace to fit the worker, rather than
expecting a worker to fit into job that has not been designed correctly. A poorly designed
workplace puts workers at risk of getting hurt. These physical hazards include:

1. Unnatural and awkward body positions;

2. Continuously performing the same motion (repetitive motions) over and over
again during a work shift.
3. Standing for long periods of time in one spot; and
4. Manual handling (lifting, lowering, pushing, carrying, holding, filling) heavy
awkward boxes, crates, trays, equipment or garbage.

Fixing the Problem. There are three ways to work safer:

 1. Eliminate the hazards so the workers cannot go near them.
2. Change the way how work is done by workers, so there is less contact with
hazards.
3. Put protective equipment on the workers’ bodies.

Why is it Important to Report the First Sign of Injury?

The first symptoms of injury are NOT always pain. Workers can experience fatigue,
soreness, discomfort, aching, burning, weakness, numbness and tingling in their hands,
arms, shoulders, back legs either on or off the job.

The lack of reported injuries dos not mean that the injury process has not started
inside the body. The best way for employees to stop and reverse the damage and joints
is to report these symptoms to their supervisor and to their doctor as soon as they feel
them. The sooner they recognize and report these problems, the greater the chance of
having a full medical recovery.

Safe Work Practices

Written safe work practices provide employees with instructions on how to carry
out specific task and how to protect themselves against known hazards. Following safe
work practices help employees minimize risks. Make sure you have written safe work
practices for all areas of your workplace.

How can Work Guidelines and Policies make Work Healthier?

1. Adequate rest breaks, less overtime, paid sick days and vacation days can
reduce the amount of time your employees are exposed to the health hazard.
2. Better staffing can reduce how much your employees have to get done. This
can lower the time pressure and help your employees work at a safer speed.
3. Fair and equal opportunities for promotion for help workers to move up to better
jobs over time.
4. Discuss and negotiate with your employee’s ways of making work safer than
healthier.
 5. Raise YOUR awareness of ergonomics and use this awareness to train your
employee to identify problems tasks and identify permanent solutions.

The Manager’s Responsibilities

The modern hospitality and foodservice manager has three primary areas of
responsibility: 1) He/She must assure the public a safe, healthy and pleasant eating. And
lodging environment; 2) He/She must assure operation that sanitation, safety and
maintenance problems will not be a costly drain on revenues; and 3) He/She must assure
his workers a healthy, safe and acceptably pleasant place to work.

1. Formulation of Standards. While industry guidelines are fairly well articulated in both
legislation and published standards, only the manager on the scene can make
sanitation and safety routines specific and pertinent. The manager must define and
communicate some definite standards for every piece of equipment, every activity and
every procedure.
2. Instruction of Personnel. Once standards have been established, the manager is
obliged to communicate them so that the individuals involved in the implementation of
sanitation and safety routines understand what is expected to them. The manager
then is obliged to show how to achieve the results required. The manager is their
primary teacher.
3. Acquisition of Supplies, Equipment and Personnel. Having established standards
and instructed personnel in their responsibilities, the manager is further obliged to
ensure that the sufficient supplies and equipment are on hand for the necessary
cleaning and maintenance. In facts, he may be obliged to hire individuals specifically
for work in this area.
4. Supervision. The ultimate responsibility for the maintenance of sanitation and safety
standards remains with the manager. He/She must assure himself/herself that proper
sanitation and safety routines are being followed. They tend to see this time as beyond
the scope of their normal work. For example, cooks in a kitchen or countermen in a
fast food service feel that their work is over when the doors are closed to costumers,
regardless of when the shift ends.
5. Inspection. The manager obliged to established a definite series of inspection
routines for himself/herself. Every employee cannot be constantly supervised on the
performance of his/her work. A manager who has taught himself/herself to see faulty
sanitation, unsafe conditions, and neglected maintenance chores can quickly review
an operation. A manager who is sanitation and safety-oriented sees failing in these
areas at a glance.

Key Points

1. Occupational safety and health can be important for moral, legal, and financial
reasons. All organizations have a duty of care to ensure that employees and any other
person who may be affected by the companies undertaking remain safe at all times.
 Moral obligations would involve the protection of employee’s lives and health. Legal
reasons for OSH practices relate to the preventative, punitive and compensatory
effects of laws that protect worker’s safety and health.
2. Accidents are preventable, as long as you take a protective approach to health and
safety. By implementing a system of hazard identification and risk control, you can
prevent workplace injuries and diseases.
3. There are three basic steps in Hazard Identification and Risk Control; 1. Identify
Hazards. Consider every area of your workplace when looking for hazards. Think
about conditions or work activities that could put your employees or guests at risk. 2.
Assess the Risks. Once you have identified a hazard, evaluate the risks associated
with it. There are two basic questions to ask when considering a hazard: how likely is
an accident, and how serious would it be if it occurred? A risk assessment will help
you prioritize the hazards so you know which ones to deal with first. 3. Control the
Risk. Once you have identified hazards and assessed the risks, look for ways to
control them. The basic types of controls are elimination or substitutions, engineering
controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment.
4. Engineering controls are physical changes to the way tasks are done – for example,
re-designing workstations or modifying equipment to make it safer or more ergonomic.
5. Administrative controls are changes to the way work is organized and performed.
This can include planning, organizing, and scheduling of resources and staffing. Safe
work practice and procedures are an important form of administrative control.
6. PPE provides protection against hazards. It should be used when other safety controls
are not practical, or in addition to other controls. For example, to help prevent slips,
trips, and falls, make sure your employees wear slip-resistant footwear.
7. To reduce work hazards, job safety and health experts recommend two types of
solutions making sure the restaurant has the right equipment to prevent hazards
(“Equipment” solutions) and carrying out the work in a way that reduces the chance of
such hazards happening (“work practice” solutions).
8. Eight types of hazards are; Cuts and Lacerations, Burns, Unnatural or Awkward
posture, Repetitive Motions, Heavy Loads, standing in the Same Place for a
 Long Time, Forceful Use of your Hand Muscles, Slips, trips and falls and Contact
Stress.
9. Ergonomics is the science of designing the workplace to fit the worker, rather than
expecting a worker to fit into a job that has not been designed correctly.
10. The Manager’s Responsibilities are; Formulation of Standards, Instruction of
Personnel, Acquisition of Supplies, Equipment and Personnel, Supervision and
Inspection.
References and Supplementary Materials

Books

1. Ang, Balanon, Carino, Guerero, Pascual, Pradez (2014). Fundamentals

of Food Safety and Sanitation with HACCP