Safety should be of paramount importance to you if you own a restaurant. Your guests might not always realize it, but there are hazards that come with working in a restaurant. Equipment such as fryers and coolers need to be maintained so that food is safe to eat. Cleaning chemicals need to be stored properly so that they’re not mistaken for something else. Additionally, physical hazards like slippery floors need to be taken care of so that employees and guests don’t get hurt. There are a lot of things that you should be examining if you want to make your restaurant safe for your guests and employees.
Food Safety
One of the most important parts of restaurant safety is food safety. This entails maintaining coolers and freezers and calibrating thermometers so that you know you’re storing and serving food at the proper temperatures. It also includes cleaning equipment so that you’re not contaminating foods. Set up a schedule to ensure that your employees check the temperatures of all cooling devices in the kitchen.
Serving alcohol on your premises may seem innocuous, but one too many serving mistakes can end up with you losing your alcohol license and, with it, a big part of your business. Make sure your servers and team are trained on alcohol safety and serving protocols so that they make fewer mistakes while taking care of your guests.
Physical Safety
Not only can clients and customers sue for various restaurant hazards (such as food or slippery floors), employees can also file for injuries sustained in the workplace, whether through workers compensation or personal injury claims. Keeping your restaurant free of hazards like slippery floors, clutter, and other obstacles is an easy task to overlook until someone falls. Get employees in the habit of picking things up if they see them on the ground. Something as simple as a plastic bag that has fallen on the floor can present a slipping hazard to an employee or a guest. These damages and fees become even worse when someone dies.
You should also stress the importance of putting out wet floor signs around spills or in places where someone has recently mopped. Additionally, don’t forget the outside of your building. If your restaurant is in a climate that gets cold, you’ll need to keep your sidewalks and parking lots free of snow and ice. Damaged pavement in the parking lot and walkways can also pose potential hazards to restaurant patrons. Be proactive about repairing the pavement on your property. The easiest way to do this is to hire an outside company to do the work for you.
Chemical Safety
Restaurants often use cleaning chemicals that are poisonous. For instance, cleaning burners and fryers require harsh chemicals that are able to strip away grease and other cooking residues. If these chemicals make their way into your food, you may seriously harm someone. To avoid this type of situation, make sure that all the chemicals you use are clearly labeled and stored away from food.
Restaurants should be clean, safe places for everyone who enters the building. If you need help with your restaurant’s safety, check with government agencies like OSHA or your state’s food audit department for assistance.
Here at Commercial Kitchens, LLC we feature a wide selection of both and new and used Restaurant, Bakery and Deli equipment. For those who are starting new businesses, we have several “turn key” packages from which to choose. We are a family-owned business and we truly strive to serve each and every one of our clients like we would want to be treated.