Make safety in the kitchen a priority this month

June is National Safety Month, and there is no better time for restaurant managers to drive the message home about the importance of being cautious in the kitchen. Having rubber mats on the floors of the kitchen can provide some extra traction for workers, which is imperative since the kitchen is so heavily trafficked.

Consider putting signs up around the kitchen warning about the hazards. In addition to having rubber mats, managers may want to consider encouraging their kitchen employees to wear shoes with good traction. During peak times, the kitchen can become very busy, with people running in all directions. Taking the time to come up with protocols, such as “behind you” or “coming through” can help alert the staff where everyone is, potentially avoiding bumping into one another.

Managers should use National Safety Month as a way to drive home all of the safety training they might have implemented during the hiring process. Taking the time to have a refresher is important, particularly for employees who have been there a while. To make sure employees are taking in all of the information, managers may want to consider having a quiz at the end to see how much of the learning was retained.