Suffered a workplace accident in schoolWorkplace accidents in schools

The principle risks in catering are like most other potential workplace accidents, therefore falls from height should be guarded against as well as slips and trips which, due to the probability of some food or liquid ending up on the floor, are a greater risk in catering than in other sorts of occupations.Other risks include manual handling, contact with hot surfaces, cuts from knives and dermatitis. Taking each in turn, slips and trips are the common cause of injury in UK workplaces and the catering industry is similarly affected with kitchen assistants and chefs being at statistically increased risk. With manual handling, back discomfort is seen as the most common type of resultant injury, again as in most other occupations. In kitchens, particularly in larger units, there are other items which can, without the right control, pose a chance of back problems or upper limb injuries with a poor posture and repetitive activities also being associated with back injuries. To abide by health and safety regulations, the business has to conduct a risk assessment and, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 point out that hazardous manual handling should be avoided so far as possible, also that there should be a look into the possibility from the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can't be prevented and there should be a decrease in the chance of injury from hazardous manual handling as far as is reasonably practicable.Those working in the industry must also guard against hot surfaces and all staff should know about the dangers which one can find in this situation, with hot oils and fluids particularly dangerous. Safe procedures have to be followed for opening steam oven doors, cleaning and draining fat fryers as well as using and storing cleaning substances. Personal protective gear should be used where required. Dermatitis is a skin disorder, also referred to as eczema, which particularly affects the hands, forearms and face. It is especially prevalent amongst catering staff with new cases every year being at twice the general industry average. Again, it is usually avoided through careful appliance of health and safety recommendations, so staff need to try to avoid contact with cleaning products, food and water wherever possible. They must likewise try and protect their skin by using gloves and using moisturiser and they can also look for early signs like itchy, dry or red skin.Finally, cuts from knives certainly are a common risk in the catering industry, usually involving cuts to hands and fingers, while also cleavers are generally used with roughly the same kind of risks. There are ways to minimise the risks; by training staff in the safe using of knives, ensuring the knife used is suitable for the task in hand, that a stable surface is employed, that the knife is pointing downwards when being carried and appropriate equipment can be used when required.The HSE recommends that all firms working in the catering industry conduct a risk assessment, with the aim of complying in the law at the same time as ensuring the protection and safety of the workers and the business as a whole and it also says the risk assessment will help the firm focus more clearly on what specifically is significant and where there are potential risks, that action be taken swiftly to minimise them.

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