Any manager in the food service industry knows how quickly a busy night can put you in the weeds. A hectic kitchen can not only stress out your staff, but also the increased work pace can lead to in-the-moment injuries such as cuts, burns and falls. However, even on slow lunch shifts and quiet Tuesday nights, accidents are bound to happen. Whether your workers are prepping food or tackling a heap dirty dishes, it's important that they feel safe while they perform work functions. Of course, having a first aid kit approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is the top priority, but here are five additional tips for making safety a priority in your restaurant kitchen:
1. Make sure first aid supplies are readily available A kitchen first aid kit only serves its purpose if it's readily available to your workers. Avoid leaving first aid supplies in a locked office or other location that requires finding a manager for access. Make sure new workers are oriented with the location of first aid kits throughout the restaurant as well. Furthermore, make a point of inspecting your first aid kit regularly and replacing items that are out-of-date.
2. Know the difference between state and federal requirements Adhering to federal safety regulations is a must, but depending on what state you're in, there may be more expected of your business. When stocking and replenishing your first aid kit, ensure that you have the proper materials to meet both sets of standards. The Food & Drug Administration(FDA) requires employees to the use single-use gloves over
an impermeable bandage, finger cot or finger stall.
3. Emphasize food safety Food safety should be a top priority in any kitchen. This, of course, relies foremost on your employees following proper sanitation procedures, but also on ensuring your workers can adequately dress and cover cuts and other wounds when they're in the middle of a shift. For example, if one of your line cooks cuts him- or herself on a knife, he or she will need bandages, finger tape and gloves to prevent the injury from coming in contact with any food or preparation surface. Food-safe, blue, metal detectable bandages should always be used in a restaurant kitchen. Their blue color can easily be seen if they fall off. Many commercial food automation facilities use metal detectors so it makes sense to use "food safe metal detectable bandages".
"Many common injuries in a restaurant kitchen are entirely preventable."
4. Minimize hazards Many common injuries in a restaurant kitchen are entirely preventable. Cuts are often due to knives not being properly sharpened, burns may be caused by hands moving too quickly and slips occur because floor mats are old and have lost their traction. To mitigate these risks, create a comprehensive list of tasks for your workers to ensure your kitchen and front-of-house stay free of unnecessary risks.
5. Make note of what's in high demand If your kitchen seems to be running through a box of burn gel packets each week, there may be a larger underlying issue. Address common injuries at the root source, and also keep track of how fast you're using items so that you can order more before running out. After all, no one wants to be in a position where a worker is injured and there aren't adequate supplies to take care of the situation.
MFASCO Health & Safety First Aid Tips & Resources for Restaurants:
An extra few minutes waiting for food can separate a great dining experience and a bad one. With the fast pace, hot surfaces, sharp blades, and wet floors common to kitchens, injuries are inevitable. Every minute it takes to get an injured team member cleaned up and back to their station is a minute of longer wait times for your guests. It doesn’t take much to keep the right safety supplies stocked, and in doing so you prioritize your team’s safety while keeping your guests happy. Consider these resources to help your kitchen:
Sturdy, Metal First Aid Box Measures 15 x 16 x 5 1/2
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Restaurant first aid kit contains first aid items that are safe to use in kitchens and food prep areas. Heavy-duty metal first aid box has 3 shelves filled with high-quality first aid supplies and a door pouch to store smaller, frequently used items. Metal first aid box is high-quality steel with a white baked enamel finish.
Restaurant first aid kit is perfect for food manufacturing plants or restaurants with 20-50 employees. Meets OSHA/ANSI Z308.1 standards for first aid supplies. First aid box dimensions are 15 x 16 x 5 1/2.
Plastic first aid kit stocked with high-quality first aid supplies to treat minor accidents in the kitchen or food service area. This bulk, first aid kit is perfect for food service areas or catering companies because the kit is lightweight, compact and easy to carry. Hard, plastic first aid box has a molded, carry handle as well as mounting holes to adhere to walls or doors. Rubber-gasket helps to keep out moisture and dirt, protecting the first aid supplies from damage. This restaurant first aid kit meets the OSHA minimum requirement for Class A first aid kits and includes items intended for use in food service areas such as blue first aid tape and blue, detectable bandages. Our OSHA restaurant kit has more supplies to address the frequent cuts and burns that happen in kitchens and restaurants, with the inclusion of extra cold packs and the popular Water Jel Burn gel.
Over 130 quality first aid items, packed in plastic first case that measures 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 x 3 inches.
Sturdy & Attractive Kit Can Be Wall-Mounted or Carried
Contains Medical Supplies for Restaurant Injuries
Easy to Replenish & Refill First Aid Kit
Contains over 400 Pieces of First Aid Supplies
Metal Kit Measures 14 3/4 x 10 1/4 4 5/8 Inches
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The OSHA Restaurant first aid kit by MFASCO provides all the emergency supplies you need to keep your employees safe in the kitchen. This sturdy first aid kit has an attractive front and is made of heavy-duty metal with a white finish that is easy to wipe down and keep clean. We've included all the first aid supplies you need to comply with the new OSHA/ANSI minimum requirement standard as well as extra burn care products. The included bandages are bright blue and detectable to help locate them in case they fall off during work and food preparation. We've included over 400 pieces of quality first aid supplies including extra cold packs, cold spray and Water Jel burn gel. All items are latex free. First aid box has a door-pouch included to store smaller first aid items like tweezers and nitrile gloves. Metal first aid cabinet measures 14 3/4 x 10 1/4 x 4 5/8 inches.
Complete Refill Pack for Food Service & Restaurants
Meets ANSI & OSHA Class B Kit Requirements
Extra Burn Care Products Included
Blue Bandages for Better Visibility in the Kitchen
Fits Wall Mounted First Aid Kits
Over 450 Pieces of Quality First Aid Supplies
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First aid kit refill pack for restaurants, food service areas and food manufacturing plants contain first aid supplies that are safe to use in food service areas.
Restaurant first aid kit refill contains blue, metal detectable bandages and extra burn care products to treat the most common first aid emergencies in restaurants and food prep areas.
Keep your employees on the job by providing access to needed first aid supplies. This first aid kit refill meets the OSHA/ANSI standards for first aid kit supplies.
MFASCO brand burn kit contains the supplies to treat minor burns that happen in the restaurant, plant or in your home. We've assembled the most common supplies used in burn treatment and packed them in a sturdy, plastic first aid box that has a moulded carry handle and mounting holes to secure to walls or doors.
This burn kit features the most popular and effective burn dressing by Water-Jel. All of the Waterjel products used contain Lidocaine which works fast to lessen the pain of the burn. Other supplies included help you to dress burns to prevent contamination.
Packed in a plastic first aid style box that has a waterproof gasket to keep out dirt and moisture. Kit measures 8.5" x 5" x 3.5".
Complete burn kit is a great addition to any work environment where the potential for burns is great including restaurants, catering trucks, warehouses and plants.
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FIRST AID : Burn Treatment
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Restaurants first aid kits are different from typical workplace first aid kits because you're dealing with serving food to the public and certain precautions need to taken to make sure bandages and first aid supplies don't end up in the food you are serving. Our MFASCO brand of restaurant first aid kits include blue bandages that are easy to visually see should they fall off during food preparation. We take great care in making sure you have the first aid supplies you need to take care of the most common kitchen and food service emergencies. We include high-quality, burn care sprays and dressings, extra cold packs, fingertip bandages and blue first aid tape. All of our restaurant first aid kits are OSHA approved.