Occupational Health and Safety

The fast growing Hospitality Industry has seen significant changes and emerging trends.  New technology including programmed combi ovens, vitamix blenders, and sous vide cooking are but a few of the new technologies that increase efficiencies in kitchen. Eating habits and food philosophies have emerged.  Diners are more discriminating and are incorporating new attitudes that reflect a demand for innovative presentations, while adhering to traditional values and good taste.

Discriminating consumers have high expectations. It is extremely important that we are diligent to those expectations. Most expectations can be aligned to standards of professionalism. Simply put, most consumers want wholesome food prepared in a wholesome fashion. We should show up and suit up for success. What does this look like? A clean tasteful uniform including a suitable hat and sensible shoes is required.

 An old adage states that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder “ We are not playing baseball in the kitchen nor should we be expressing our personal lifestyle. Facial jewelry  including studs,  plugs, lip rings and  nose rings are considered a safety and sanitation concern and should be removed while preparing and serving food. This applies to wrist watches, rings  and dangling ear rings as well.

 If you want to be cool – wear a hat. The design of a professional chefs hat ensures that cooler heads will prevail (and keep hair where it belongs). Although the unshaven look may be considered fashionable it detracts from the professional appearance of a food handler. Professional expectations can compromise the principles of personal expression but it is the price of success. Although I have a beard, I keep it neatly trimmed; knowing that looking like a member of ZZ Top would not enhance my professional image. During my formative experiences as an aspiring culinary arts student, the chef informed me that cowboy boots were not appropriate shoe wear in a kitchen.  At the time cowboy boots were all the rage,  however I compromised,  got sensible shoes and I’m glad I did.

Looking the part and projecting a professional image is what separates the novice from the professional. We do understand that contemporary chefs like to be expressive; a wide range of professional attire is readily available.  Be comfortable, sensible safe and smart -Do your part – look the part.

Stan

Have you touched your computer keyboard today? Turned a door handle? Used the break room microwave?

If you’ve done any of the above, you’ve come into contact with at least twice as many germs as are found on the average toilet seat.

As cold and flu season ramps up, these common hotbeds of germ activity show how easy it is to come into contact with viruses that cause seasonal illnesses. The squirm factor in knowing that unseen germs are waiting also provides motivation to take preventive action.

Cleaning frequently touched surfaces is one way to cut down on the number of cold and flu germs that are passed from one co-worker to another, but the flu can be a tough virus to avoid even when a person knows where germs may be hiding. Not only can viruses lurk on surfaces touched by an infected person, they also can hover in the air.

According to CDC, the best way to avoid coming down with the flu is to get vaccinated. Beginning with that step, here the actions you can take to avoid the cold and flu bug and stay healthy this season:

1. Get the flu shot now. Don’t wait to get vaccinated until outbreaks hit. It takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop and offer protection. The shot, which contains an inactivated virus that cannot cause illness, is recommended for everyone six months old and older. People between 2 and 49 years old may be able to get the vaccination in a nasal spray that contains a weakened form of the virus. A flu shot is needed even by those who got one last year. While the vaccine’s protection will last throughout the entire flu season, it does not last from year to year. In addition, the 2012-2013 vaccination contains protection against some strains that were not part of last year’s version.

2. Wash up. Hands should be washed often and scrubbed with soap and water for 20 seconds. A hand washing survey from Bradley Corporation, maker of plumbing fixtures and washroom accessories, found that most people aren’t scrubbing long enough; 57 percent of respondents estimated they washed their hands for only 5 to 15 seconds. To make sure you’re washing long enough, sing “Happy Birthday” twice (to yourself) while washing and rinsing the germs away.

3. Keep sanitizer handy. Hand sanitizer won’t clean hands that have dirt on them, but an alcohol-based rub can be an option if your hands aren’t visibly dirty and soap and water aren’t available.

4. Keep hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth brings germs into the body.

5. Clean up. Frequently touched common surfaces, such as computer equipment and telephones, should be kept clean. If you need to use a co-worker’s equipment, consider cleaning it first with a disinfectant. Information about an office’s most offensive germ hotspots can be found through The Healthy Workplace Project website from K-C.

6. Avoid close contact with ill people. Avoid shaking hands or coming in close contact with co-workers and others who may have a cold or the flu.

7. Take care of yourself. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage stress, and eat nutritious food to be ready to fight infection if a virus invades your body.

8. Cover your cough. If you find yourself coming down with something, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing to help keep germs from spreading to those around you. Used tissues should go in the wastebasket.

9. If you’re sick, stay home. Staying home will help keep others in your office healthy. CDC recommends that workers stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have respiratory symptoms and a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more, or signs of a fever including chills, a flushed appearance, and sweating. Other indications that a person has the flu can include body aches, a runny nose, a headache, diarrhea, or vomiting.

If you do come down with the flu, get plenty of rest and drink clear fluids such as water or sports drinks. Over-the-counter medications may help relieve fever, coughing, and congestion, and a humidifier may make breathing easier.

Shannon

Whenever a foodborne illness has been reported to your restaurant.  As operators we think of what the guest has had to eat. Was the food handled according to local health board regulations.  One area to be particularly concerned with is ice handling, storage and preparation.

Guests can become ill from improper handling of ice.  Areas to control are:

• Keeping wine bottles or juice containers in the ice well at the bar.  The exterior of those items can become contaminated and spread bacteria into the ice.
• As with any items that will be consumed, ensure your employees are washing their hands properly at regular intervals.  After handling cash or before dispensing ice.
• Use only a designated tote for transporting ice.  Plastic buckets cannot be sanitized properly.  Only use a NSF polycarbonate material.
• Ensure NSF plastic ice scoops are used to remove ice from the icemaker.
• Sanitize the scoop on a regular basis and store it in an approved location to prevent contamination.
• Sanitize the ice maker on a regular basis. Always keep the ice bin door closed.
• Never dump unused ice back into the storage bin.

The same level of detail and cleanliness needs to apply with your ice program as with your food handling.  The ice we use is part of our restaurants commitment to Occupational “Health” and Safety.

Shannon

One of our little aggravations that occur while working in the Kitchen is finding that the equipment you need to perform as task is not working.  The way to alleviate this situation is to develop a preventative maintenance program.  Take the time up front to ensure your equipment is safe and functioning properly.  In the event that a repair is required, use a lock out tag to affix to the equipment.  This lets other workers know that the equipment is not functioning properly and potential could cause an injury if used.  On the lockout tag; record the date, issue that is occurring and your name.

Once the equipment has been locked out with a tag, ensure that you have communicated to the proper individual responsible for scheduling the repair.  In most cases this would be the Executive Chef or Restaurant Manager.  In order to track repairs and do a follow-up create a spreadsheet for all the repairs on going.

Use these tips to alleviate your equipment repair aggravations!

Shannon

Chefs, for the most part, wear their uniforms almost every day of their working lives, replete with toque, checked pants and double-breasted jacket. Though these uniforms are common in the foodservice industry worldwide, they are often taken for granted and worn without much thought. The origin and reasons behind traditional chef’s uniform are as interesting as it looks.

Much of the chef’s uniform has developed out of necessity. The jacket, for example, is double-breasted so it can easily be reversed to hide stains that may accumulate throughout the day; the double layer of cotton is also designed to insulate our bodies against the intense heat of the stove or an accidental splattering of hot liquid. Though executive chefs often wear black pants, working chefs and cooks usually wear pants with black-and-white checks.  The pattern of hound’s tooth hides minor spills and soiling. Today neckerchiefs are primarily worn for aesthetic purposes, to give our uniforms a more finished look, but originally cotton cloths were draped around ones neck to soak body sweat while working in the inferno-like kitchens of days gone by.

The traditional chef’s hat is what is most distinguishing and recognizable of the uniform, and also the component which often causes the most debate. Chefs as far back as the 16th century are said to have worn toques. During that period artisans of all types including chefs were often imprisoned, or even executed, because of their freethinking. To alleviate persecution, some chefs sought refuge in the Orthodox Church and hid amongst the priests of the monasteries. There they wore the same clothes as the priests-including their tall hats and long robes-with the exception of one deviating trait: the chef’s clothes were gray and the priest’s were black.

It wasn’t until the middle 1800′s that chef Marie-Antoine Carême redesigned the uniforms. Carême thought the color white more appropriate, that it denoted cleanliness in the kitchen; it was also at this time that he and his staff began to wear double-breasted jackets. Carême also thought that the hats should be different sizes, to distinguish the cooks from the chefs. The chefs wore the tall hats and the younger cooks wore shorter hats, more like a cap. Carême himself supposedly wore a hat that was 18 inches tall! The folded pleats of a toque, which later became an established characteristic of the chef’s hat, were first said to have been added to indicate the more than 100 ways in which a chef can cook an egg.

Below is a link to a safety video on the chef uniform.

Shannon

http://www.youtube.com/user/NAITCulinaryArts#p/u/3/4uPYHDwVwzU

I’m so proud to report that our Occupational Health and Safety Committee for the School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts have won the NAIT Shine Award for 2010.

Our committee is comprised of Management, Instructors and Support Staff.  Each year NAIT recognizes individuals and groups for contributing to safety at the Institute.  Our committee had a productive and year with lots of great ideas implemented.  Just to name a few:

1)    “Caught in the Act” program, where Instructors recognize students with an entry form for a $50.00 gift certificate to Hotel Equipment and Supply Company.

2)    Installation of the “Safety Zone” bulletins boards throughout the school.

3)    Design and delivery of a “Kitchen Safety” pamphlet which is provided to students with the purchase of a knife kit.

4)    The development of a Health and Safety blog.

5)    Development of an OHS Smart plan to reduce accidents. This plan had specific measurable goals.

6)    Development of OHS Videos, Preventing Burns, Cleaning Spills, Knife Safety, Chef Uniform.

7)    Installation of OHS Signage in our kitchens, Preventing Burns and Knife Safety.

8)    Posted caution stickers on all hazardous equipment.

9)    Sourced and purchased new tool boxes for knife storage.

10) Award of a Annual OHS scholarship award $500.00

11) NAIT OHS integrated with program to instruct students on OHS practices.

12) Redevelopment of course material with an emphasis on OHS, Students tested on knowledge

While it seems that we were able to achieve a lot of great initiatives, in OHS your work is never done.  We continue to strive to reduce accidents within our school and model the way for our emerging leaders of the future.

Shannon

In my mind the only thing worse than getting burned in the kitchen is having the kitchen burn down. More fires occur in food service operations than any other business .This can have a disastrous effect on everyone involved. Loss of revenue and customers equates to loss of employment security and wages.  Are you in know about fire prevention, what to do and where to go?  Many establishments have established programs in place and designated “Fire Marshals”  usually someone in a supervisory position. If you don’t know – ask. Your well being and life may depend on it!

Years ago, while working at a well known resort, the Chef summed it up like this -”If you smell smoke shut everything off and calmly evacuate the kitchen. If you smell smoke and see fire, turn everything off, gather your knifes, and calmly evacuate the kitchen!”

Remember the old adage – “If you can’t take the heat get out of the kitchen.” Good advice, but you need to implement some action steps:

• Familiarise yourself with location of exits, alarm stations and fire extinguishers
• Attempt to control the fire only if the fire is small and you have been trained
• Do not panic! Remain calm
• Remove everyone in immediate danger, turn off all equipment and the exhaust system
• Close doors and windows. Activate the fire alarm
• Get Out! Immediately call 911

Fires are serious business but they are preventable. Kitchen design, regular maintenance and cleanliness make good sense. A well run and organized kitchen ensure fire opportunities are kept to a minimum. Keep electrical appliances and electric panels in good shape. Clean your vents regularly and keep an eye on the deep fryer -grease and oxygen are fuel for fire. 

Being a professional requires a good knowledge of the basics of heat management. We apply these principles whenever we cook. When we practice common sense and remain focussed on what we are doing the results are called “good cooking “When we don’t, something or someone ends up burnt- let’s hope it’s not you!  Our livelihood (and life) counts on it!

Stan

Mmm, mmm, how I love good food. To say I have a passion for all things culinary is an understatement. I have built my life and professional career around my search for good grits. It all started at an early age.  I positioned myself in the family kitchen to lend a hand to my mother, our “Chef in Residence”.  On a daily basis she had to whip up meals for our large family of five boys and my gear jamming long distance trucker pops. (In those days truckers always knew who had the best grub).

 I was so inspired by my initial cooking experiences  that I embarked on a culinary journey that  involved ‘”working on the railway”‘ cooking for hungry gandy-dancers  , remote mine site catering in the Yukon, and later experiences in tony Vancouver restaurants . Hotels and Resorts followed. I cooked in countless kitchens with  some very talented and some not so talented chefs. Between gigs I travelled extensively overland to India in the early seventies, the Gringo Trail through South America  and criss- crossed Canada  and the USA .

 The result? I educated my palate and learned a lot about culture, hospitality and indigenous foods. I also learned to be careful about what I ate . Dysentery, Diarrhoea and even Death can be attributed to bad food experiences . Today,  I have the opportunity to teach the importance of safe food handling . I stress the importance of basic principles – TNT – Time and temperature control s are very important – Keep hot foods hot (60 C +) and cold foods cold  (-5 C) When in doubt throw it out ! Don’t allow foods to remain unrefrigerated or held for service any longer than two hours.  CTC  - Changing the conditions that allow harmful bacteria to grow . It all starts with good personal hygiene , wash your hands often, wear a clean uniform, wear a hat , and keep your hair restrained .

 Don’t work when you are sick . Always do quality checks on the food you are preparing – Use your senses . If it doesn’t look good , taste good, smell good it ‘s probably not good . Your professional judgement is based on Good Taste – use it !  One  of my favourite adages is “Start with a mess, finish with a mess ” The importance of being well organized and efficient is a benchmark of success.  FIFO – first in – first out -Practice the principals of rotation- properly wrap date and store food products . Get Certified  - attaining a provincial food handler’s certificate ensures food safety .

 Following a few basic rules and using common sense will ensure that you can consistently prepare Good Eats and have customers returning for more – Good Cooking !

 Stan

One of the worst situations that can occur in a commercial kitchen is a wet floor.  Countless numbers of injuries have taken place with the root cause being a wet floor. 

Within my career I’ve seen excellent examples of how to deal with wet floors or spills.  Then I’ve seen some kitchens where it’s so common, that if the floor isn’t wet you feel something is not right.  Over and above dealing with the spill, you should also investigate the root cause of the spill.  Was it an accident?  Does it happen every day as a result of production?  Can work processes be changed to prevent the spills?  Is there an issue with the sink drainage station?  In some cases the spills are not preventable and another fix is to install anti slip matting in the area affected.

You would think that cleaning a spill is really simple but it really does take some specific steps and planning.

1. Make sure you post a wet floor sign over the spill to prevent anyone from walking in that area.
2. Gather a clean mop, bucket with hot soapy water.  A chemical that is designed for commercial floor cleaning with anti grease properties.
3. Use a dry mop to remove the spill.  Rotate the mop in a circular motion.
4. Rinse the mop and utilize the chemical to soak the floor spill.  This will let the anti grease chemical do its work.
5. Most important use a dry clean mop to remove all the liquid left on the floor.
6. Upon completion of drying, ensure the floor is not slippery.
7. Remove the wet floor sign.

Here a link to an excellent Video on cleaning spills:

Hospitality & Culinary Arts YouTube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/NAITCulinaryArts#p/u/2/ItTmGSEF0UM

Keep those floors clean!!

Shannon

How many times do you come across a co-worker that is not giving enough care and attention to properly sanitizing equipment?  The Listeria outbreak which occurred at Maple Leaf foods in 2009 was determined to be from in-proper sanitation procedures to the processing equipment. In 1999 an estimated 5,000 deaths, 325,000 hospitalizations and 76 million illnesses were caused by food borne illnesses within the US.

It’s critical that within our food service operations we take the time to review our cleaning procedures and ensure they are being performed properly.  It’s not enough to assume that your employees are doing an effective job.  Take the time to ensure that what you have developed for cleaning actually works.  Your local Health department can be an excellent resource to help develop a cleaning program for your establishment.

One of the most effective ways to prevent a food borne illness outbreak is though proper hand washing. Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meat. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap before and after you handle foods, especially raw meats. Food can be contaminated through improper hand washing, cross-contamination, inadequate storage, under cooking and animal waste. Bacteria from unwashed hands can contaminate foods. It is also important to wash items such as knives and cutting boards that have been in contact with raw meat before using them again to prevent bacteria from spreading. Contamination through animal waste such as insect or mice droppings can be prevented by storing food in air-tight containers and ridding the kitchen of pests. Fruits and vegetables should be washed well to remove any contaminants.

Here a link to some excellent resources:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/fssae.shtml

Alberta Health Services – Food Protection

http://capitalhealth.ca/ProgramsAndServices/BrowseServicesByTopic/Content.htm?NavType=Topic&IA_ID=4129&Level_1_ID=72&Level_2_ID=1865&Level_3_ID=0&Level_4_ID=0

Shannon