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Injury Prevention Resources for Tourism & Hospitality - Food & Beverage


Food & Beverage | Accommodation | Transportation | Adventure Tourism & Recreation | Attractions & Cultural Tourism | Events & Conferences | General

The following links list tools, publications, and other resources to help prevent the most common injuries and illnesses in the tourism and hospitality industry. These resources may not meet all the requirements for health and safety in British Columbia. Please check the Workers Compensation Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, and related materials for specific WorkSafeBC requirements.

Young Worker Safety Can't Wait - Safety Kit for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry

This safety package addresses five key hazards faced by workers in tourism and hospitality. Information includes an overview for managers/owners, safety crew talk guides for supervisors, and handouts for workers.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2 MB)

Orientation Checklist: Restaurant Employee

Small Business Sample Checklist for Restaurant Employees
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 56 KB)

Health and Safety for Hospitality Small Business Guide

This guide is designed for small businesses in the hospitality industry including hotels, motels, restaurants, and other food service establishments. It can be used by owners, employers, managers, supervisors, and workers to help prevent workplace accidents and injuries.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (3 MB)
* Order print copies from the Small Business Service Centre, email .
* Additional Resources

Industrial Kitchen Posters

The following are a series of 6 posters for Industrial Kitchens.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* HTML
* Order print copies from the Small Business Service Centre, email .

StartSafe Safety Tip Posters

The following are a series of 5 posters for the restaurant and catering industries.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* HTML
* Order print copies from the Small Business Service Centre, email .

Ergonomic Tips for the Hospitality Industry

The following are a series of 8 ergonomic pamphlets for the Hospitality industry including the accommodation, and food and beverage sectors.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* HTML
* Order print copies from the Small Business Service Centre, email .

White Spot Health and Safety Information

The attached materials were developed by White Spot Restaurants as part of their health and safety program. Included are checklists and safe work procedures that they use and are working for them.
Source: White Spot Restaurants
*PDF (206 KB) 2002
*PDF (277 KB) 2001
* Order print copies from the Small Business Service Centre, email .

WorkSafeBC Focus Report: Preventing Injuries to Hotel and Restaurant Workers

This report provides employers, supervisors, workers, and health and safety personnel in hotels and restaurants with information on accidents in these industries and how to prevent them.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (633 KB)

Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Ventilation and the BC Hospitality Sector: Best Practices Forum

This executive summary provides employers, supervisors, workers, and health and safety personnel in hotels and restaurants with information on installing ventilation systems and compliance with the WCB's ETS Regulation.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (128 KB)

Interactive Café: Health and Safety in the Hospitality Industry

An interactive Web site that looks at the hazards of working in a café, restaurant, or fast food outlet.
Source: Government of Queensland, Australia
* HTML

Safety Sense: Hospitality and Tourism Industry

"An on-line health and safety induction package for secondary students undertaking work placements and work experience in hospitality and tourism as part of their school curriculum."
Source: Queensland Government, Department of Industrial Relations, Australia
* HTML

Food Service Workers Safety Guide

Designed for staff in restaurants, catering establishments, hotels, and fast food chains, this handy pocket guide outlines key hazards and safe working procedures to help reduce injuries.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
* HTML

Catering Information Sheets

Information sheets on health and safety in catering. Topics include priorities, precautions at manually ignited gas-fired catering equipment; training; slips and trips; catering equipment; ventilation of kitchens.
Source: HSE (Health and Safety Executive), UK
* HTML

Ontario Service Safety Alliance (OSSA)

The Web site is organized by sector, including Tourism and Hospitality, and Restaurant and Foodservice. Resources include health and safety information, training materials, and consulting services. Many products are free of charge.
Source: OSSA (Ontario Safety Service Alliance)
* HTML

Dare to Care Product Resources

An effective orientation has a lasting effect on the adjustment, as well as the job performance, of new employees and new managers. Dare to Care is a video-based training program designed to assist businesses plan and provide consistent health and safety orientation. Dare to Care is really two training products -- one for New Employees and one for New Managers. Each is designed specifically for the target group and includes consistent messaging about building health and safety into your business practices.
Source: OSSA (Ontario Safety Service Alliance)
* HTML

Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls

An OSH Answers document. Using a question-and-answer format, explains how falls happen, how to prevent falls due to slips and trips, and how to avoid falling at work.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
* HTML

MSI Prevention Bulletin 5 - Floor Mopping

This bulletin provides information for housekeepers, cleaners, and custodians regarding possible risk controls to eliminate or minimize musculoskeletal injury during floor mopping.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (195 KB)

MSI Prevention Bulletin 7 - Floor-Cleaning Machines

This bulletin provides information for housekeepers, cleaners, and custodians regarding possible risk controls to eliminate or minimize musculoskeletal injury during the use of vacuums, polishers/burnishers, and floor scrubbers to clean floors.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (182 KB)

Critical Injury - Hamburger Patty Machine

An information alert on the importance of properly guarding the moving parts of hamburger patty machines to prevent injuries.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
* HTML

Critical Injury - Hot Oil/Grease Fryers

An information alert describing accidents in which workers were severely burned while changing oil/grease in deep fryers, and lists precautions.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
* HTML

Occupational Burns Among Restaurant Workers

This report summarizes investigations of restaurant-associated occupational burns by the state health departments in Colorado and Minnesota. Colorado
Source: CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention)
* HTML

Potential Hazards -- Dough Mixers

An information alert on the importance of properly guarding the moving parts of dough mixers to prevent injuries.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
* HTML

Microwave Ovens and Their Hazards

An OSH answers document, using a question-and-answer format, explains the health effects of microwave radiation and safety precautions for microwave ovens.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
* HTML

Heat Stress

Describes heat stress hazards and how to control heat stress.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
* HTML

Electric Shock -- Garland Kettles

An information alert on how to avoid electric shock from commercial cooking kettle.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
* HTML

Preventing Electrocutions of Workers in Fast Food Restaurants

This NIOSH alert describes an accident in which an 18-year-old worker was electrocuted while kneeling to insert the plug of a portable electric toaster into an outlet on a floor that had been recently damp-mopped. It recommends safeguards and safe work practices to eliminate this hazard.
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
* HTML

Managing Health and Safety Pays in the Catering Industry

An information sheet providing guidance on how to comply with new and existing health and safety regulations.
Source: Health & Safety Executive UK (HSE)
* PDF (4 KB)

Custom Workstations a Better Fit for Flight Catering Staff

How CARA Operations, a national airline catering company, has taken steps to reduce the incidence of MSI among its employees. From WorkSafe Magazine. The article is located on page 10.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (755 KB)

Profiles in Safety and Health: Eating and Drinking Places

Eating and drinking places reported large numbers of workplace injuries and illnesses, primarily to teenagers and women who comprise most of the industry's work force. Sprains, cuts, and burns were leading work disabilities. This article examines characteristics of the eating and drinking places industry and analyzes its injury and illness record in detail.
Source: U.S. Department of Labour
* PDF (280 KB)

WorkSafeBC Video -- Safety and the Young Worker

Promotes a positive attitude towards safety; includes a fast food accident scenario.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* Available for loan from WorkSafeBC Library Services or purchase from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

WorkSafeBC Video -- Retail: Kitchen Safety

Reviews the common hazards that can cause cuts, bruises, slips and falls, and burns.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* Available for loan from WorkSafeBC Library Services.

Guidelines for Latex Glove Users

This document provides a description of the various types of reactions to latex, guidelines on the selection of gloves, and advice on the assessment and accommodation of the affected worker.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
* HTML

Dealing with "latex allergies" at work

Describes what latex allergy is, who is at risk, and how you can protect yourself from latex allergy.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (550 KB)
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Updated: December 2005

HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis B and C: Preventing Exposure at Work

"This booklet is for employers and workers who are not expected to come in contact with blood and body fluids at their workplaces but who could have contact with these fluids in rare, isolated incidents that cannot be foreseen."
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (827 KB)
Updated: March 2006
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Take Care: How to Develop and Implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Program (BK41)

This guide enables employers and workers to implement a program to prevent violence in the workplace. It summarizes the relevant sections of the Regulation that deal with violence in the workplace, explains how to conduct a risk assessment, identifies the basic elements of a violence prevention program, and provides safe travel tips and sample documents.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (467 KB)
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Updated: December 2006



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