WorkSafe has raised concerns over safety issues in commercial kitchens in various workplaces around the State.
Inspectors from WorkSafe’s Retail and Service Industries team concentrated on the priority areas of manual tasks, electricity, slips, trips and falls and the use of hazardous substances.
The inspectors also looked at safety issues relating to new and young workers, maintenance of first aid facilities, fire precautions, emergency egress, burns protection, air temperature, guarding of meat slicers and the provision of appropriate personal protective equipment.
Director of WorkSafe, Sally North said the inspectors visited 141 workplaces, issuing 479 Improvement Notices and two Prohibition Notices.
“The two Prohibition Notices related to moving hot oil from a deep fryer and using a milk crate as a step stool,” Ms North said.
“The most common types of injury in commercial kitchens include cuts from knives and other tools and muscular stress injuries.”
She said it was extremely important to assess hazardous substances in workplaces and to keep a register of the substances.
“The highest number of notices issued during this inspection program related to the assessment of hazardous substances in the workplace, while the next most common notice related to the provision of information and training to employees, followed by the lack of a register,” Ms North said.
“The types of hazardous substances that needed to be assessed included a variety of cleaning products such as caustic oven cleaners.”
Another item of extreme concern was the number of notices issued that related to fire precautions and evacuation procedures.
