Welcome to the New Year, restaurant owners! A new year means a lot of different things in the food industry. For one, it is a good idea to switch up the menu and try new things- this will keep customers coming back! It is also a time to go over a few safety refresher courses with your chefs and employees. Lastly, it is time to look into your coverage. Your restaurant liability insurance is sure to need an update after a year. If not, any mishaps in the kitchen could turn into a large lawsuit.
Staying safe in the kitchen is important, especially since this is such a risky business. Here are a few things to go over with your employees:
• Always wash your hands before handling food, especially when working with raw meat.
• Always clean up spills as soon as possible. If not, you may forget about it and end up slipping.
• Wear the proper uniform to keep loose clothing from catching fire.
• If you are burned, take care of the burn before it worsens.
• Make sure your employees understand each appliance and know how to use them properly.
• Make sure employees know how to properly lift heavy items and ingredients to avoid a back injury or sprain.
• Sharpen knives before using, but be careful!
These safety tips should be gone over year after year, especially if you have new employees. If not, you may find an injury or accident in your kitchen. As an employer, it is your full responsibility if someone is injured on your watch. It is also your full responsibility to have restaurant liability insurance in place. This specialized policy will cover all the necessities for the food industry: workers compensation, general liability, food spoilage, loss of business income, kitchen equipment, liquor liability and more.
Don’t allow an accident in the kitchen set your restaurant back in 2012!
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