Risk Assessment and OHS Policies for Restaurant Staff Safety

This report presents a risk assessment conducted for restaurant staff, identifying key hazards such as body injuries, burns, fire risks, equipment breakdown, and theft. In response to these identified risks, the report proposes several Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policies. These policies include providing comprehensive insurance coverage for staff, conducting regular training on the safe use of sharp equipment, installing fire extinguishers and suppression systems, implementing strict adherence to user manuals for all equipment, encouraging careful handling of utensils, and ensuring robust security measures such as maintaining updated record keeping and employing security personnel. This assessment and the proposed policies aim to create a safer working environment for restaurant staff and mitigate potential losses or business closures.

Running Head: RESTAURANT RISK ASSESSMENT AND OHS POLICIES 1
Restaurant Risk Assessment And OHS Policies
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Employees and staffs working in restaurants face various risks while undergoing their
duties and activities. 1The management of the restaurant should, therefore, conduct a risk
1 Coppola, D. P., & Maloney, E. K. (2017). Communicating Emergency Preparedness: Practical Strategies for the
Public and Private Sectors. Routledge.

RESTAURANT RISK ASSESSMENT AND OHS POLICIES 2
assessment identifying the risks the staff faces and then coming up with Occupational Health
Safety (OHS) policies to help overcome those risks. The risks should be well outlined and well
handled since they can cause loss or the closure of the business.
The first risk which the staffs in a restaurant face includes; body injuries and burns. These
may be caused by the sharp tools and equipment used while working. The second risk includes
fire. Fire can be caused by some both human and natural calamities. Fire can be from electric
power or burners as well as gas cookers and all those other heat sources used to cook. The third
risk which faces staffs includes equipment breakdown. The equipment used is made of different
types of materials ranging from glass to metallic as well as wood. The staffs also face the risk of
theft from both the internal and external environment. The doors may have not worked or poorly
fixed locks which expose the restaurant to theft.
There are various OHS policies which can be employed to overcome these risks. 2The
risk of burns and injuries can be handled by ensuring each staff has an insurance cover and
ensuring staff gets regular training about the use of the sharp equipment and tools. The risk of
fire can be handled by ensuring the installation and use of fire extinguishers, installation of fire
suppression facilities and smoke sensors. Breakdown of equipment can be handled by ensuring
user manuals are followed, encouraging the staff to be keen while handling utensils and
equipment and also training them on using the equipment. Theft is covered by ensuring receipts
are produced for every transaction, having updated record keeping and ensuring locks are well
fixed as well as having security guards.
2 Nabeel, I., & Alamgir, H. (2018). Restaurant Inspection Reports as a Proxy Measure for Occupational Health and
Safety: South Asian Restaurant Workers in New York City. Annals of Global Health, 84(3).

RESTAURANT RISK ASSESSMENT AND OHS POLICIES 3
Bibliography

RESTAURANT RISK ASSESSMENT AND OHS POLICIES 4
Coppola, D. P., & Maloney, E. K. (2017). Communicating Emergency Preparedness: Practical
Strategies for the Public and Private Sectors. Routledge.
Nabeel, I., & Alamgir, H. (2018). Restaurant Inspection Reports as a Proxy Measure for
Occupational Health and Safety: South Asian Restaurant Workers in New York City.
Annals of Global Health, 84(3).