Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/850474
26 FEDA News & Views Foster Frable What You Can Do to Educate Your Customers and Minimize Injuries in the B.O.H By Foster Frable Jr., Clevenger Frable LaVallee fosterf@cfl design.com C ommercial kitchens are high-risk zones for injuries from slips, falls, and cuts. In addition to physical pain and lost productivity, injuries raise workers compensation cost and other insurance coverage. Beyond the obvious risks, however, there are hidden hazards related to a kitchen's physical layout and the placement of equipment. Pay atten- tion to the following list of less well- known potential dangers. It will help minimize the risk of litigation related to equipment or kitchen layout, and offers opportunities to develop better relation- ships with customers. -Doors on walk-in coolers or freezers that swing out into aisles can cause acci- dents. A window on the cooler door can help reduce risk, but the best solution is to provide sliding doors, especially in high-traffi c areas. The extra cost is small versus the risk of a disabling injury that occurs when someone in the right place at the wrong time gets smacked with the full force of a door. -Drain valves on steam kettles and brais- ing pans that protrude into aisles and work space can cause trips or serious cuts, as the handles are often very sharp. Equipment with extended drain valves or faucets can be ordered with a protective rail or guard that pro- tects both the valve and employees. Some kettles are available with the drain valve at a 45-degree angle, keeping it out of the aisle. -Walk-in coolers with raised or bent thresholds can easily trip someone trying to carry product in or out of the space. Try to install coolers with recessed thresholds or, if possible, no thresholds at all. -Steam and hot water piping that is not properly insulated can come into contact with bare hands and arms. -Condensate waste lines and traps run- ning to fl oor sinks often create trip haz- ards or shin knockers in narrow aisles, especially outside walk-in coolers. -The oil in uncovered deep-fat fryers can exceed 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which presents a high risk of very serious burns. Avoid locating fryers at the ends of cooking lines or near busy aisles without an adjacent spreader or wing wall. Employees who slip on a greasy fl oor may involuntari- ly reach out to catch themselves, and get a horrible burn in the process. Water that splashes into hot fat can burn a person as far as two feet away as it sprays out of the fryer. Avoid locat- ing a pot-fi ller faucet or hose for a range, braising pan, or combi oven on the same side as a fryer where water could enter the vat. The Greatest Risk Loss prevention professionals track root causes of serious injuries in com- mercial kitchens by assessing data from disability and injury claims. Perhaps a surprise: They consider ice machines and bins to be the highest risk area in a commercial kitchen. The problem isn't from the machines themselves, but rath- er ice falling on the fl oor in front of the machines, and the potential for bacteria to grow inside the machines. Here are some simple solutions to reduce both issues: -Locate ice machines away from traffi c aisles. If this isn't possible, turn machines 90 degrees so they are parallel to an aisle, and not opening onto it. -Floor drains should always be posi- tioned in front of ice machines and have bins that can be emptied with a scoop. Although a fl oor trough is a better solu- tion, as it captures falling ice, having no drain at all creates a high-risk condition. Ice machines with built-in dispensers usually present less risk of falling ice than bins manually emptied, but it's still possible to overload a bucket, causing ice to fall on the fl oor. -Reduce the risk of contamination by installing ice machines in clean areas, not near dish rooms or pot wash/mop sinks. Have a hand sink nearby; it's required by Generate customer loyalty by offering safety audits as part of new equipment installations or existing kitchen renovations.