How to Handle Kitchen Accidents

handle kitchen accidentsOuch! You’re in your office when you hear a blood-curdling scream from the cook. He has burned himself while using the hot stove. You must act smartly, not only for the safety of your employee but for your business as well.

Immediately After Incident:

  • Rinse the burned area underneath cold water; add some ice as appropriate
  • Wrap the burned area using a cold pack, gauze, and self-adhesive bandage
  • Assist the employee in filling out an incident report

This last step is very important because it documents the incident in writing, which means the employee cannot claim something different happened other than what was recorded. It also protects you should the employee try to take advantage of this injury to gain unearned time off.

Arrange Transport to Nearest Hospital

While someone is addressing the injury in-house, it’s important to have a medical professional examine the injury at a local hospital. This generates a secondary account of what happened and shows that you took appropriate action in making sure your employee received proper medical attention.

At worse, your cook will miss a few days from work, but will be back in the kitchen before you know it. Your workers’ compensation policy should cover the employee’s lost wages and everything should be business as usual.

How to Prevent Workers’ Compensation Claims

  • Train your employees using OSHA regulations to recognize hazards
  • Properly mark hazards with color codes, labels, posters or signs
  • Require your employees to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when dealing with hot temperatures

Need a workers’ compensation quote for your restaurant? Contact Brian Kilcoyne at 617-612-6515 or email him at briankilcoyne@insurance.com.