Creating a Safer Restaurant Kitchen

Be it a fast food franchise or a Michelin-rated restaurant, a safe environment is imperative for an efficient business. The one hazard to any restaurant employee is the floor.  Grease and food particles land on the floor every day and when mixed with cooks moving about the kitchen, it is a recipe for disaster.

Here is a guide to help you create a safe kitchen in your restaurant.

• Start by placing grease resistant mats in your kitchen. Mats will prevent employees from slipping on grease and other spills. Plus the cushion will make it easier to stand for hours on end.
• An alternative to mats is non-slip coating. An anti-slip coating is durable and tough so it can withstand the heat of the kitchen.
• Anti-slip tapes can be placed in areas that need slip protection but are too small for mats to reach.
• Make it a requirement that all employees wear anti-slip shoes. Or shoes that can grip a floor even when it is greasy.
• Encourage the use of common kitchen phrases such as “behind you” and “hot” while working in the kitchen. This will prevent employees from bumping into one another and falling or burning themselves.
• Do not be fooled into thinking that all floor cleaner will remove all the stuck-on grease. Choose a floor cleaner that can break down all of the grease and debris that is stuck on your floor.
• Have an employee on-hand whose responsibility is to keep the floor and stations safe from debris.

Make sure that your kitchen floor is cleaned after service.

• Start by sweeping the floor and removing all dirt and debris.
• Fill a bucket with water and floor cleaner/degreaser.
• Use a mop to sweep it over the floor and use a soft-bristled brush to lightly scrub the floor. A soft brush will do a better job of tackling the grease out of the grout.
• Repeat for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the label’s instructions.
• Rinse the floor with hot water and let it dry. Removing the grease with suction, as from a wet-vac or auto scrubber is also a great technique.
• Removing the grease from the floor may be more effective in the morning after all, the air-born grease has had a chance to settle onto the floor.

You may need to repeat the entire process over if you have not cleaned your floor properly.

Slip Resistant Coating

For all of your anti-slip coating and non-skid tape needs, please look at Safety Direct America. Peruse our site for more information or contact us at 800.988.6721.