Kitchen Accident Compensation

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Kitchen Accident At Work

Commercial kitchens are notoriously stressful, hectic places to work in, and are full of potential dangers to kitchen staff. A large number of people are employed in kitchens at hotels, restaurants, pubs, canteens, cafes, catering companies and industrial food production units. The number of locations cooking and serving food has increased dramatically over the past 10 years, and with it the number of major injuries to industry workers. For 2008/09 The HSE reported 1,187 major injuries to employees in the hotel and restaurant sector, equivalent to a 45% rise since 2000/01. The two major types of kitchen accident in 2008/09 were slips and trips, accounting for 30% of reported injuries, and manual handling accidents which accounted for 26%. Contact with harmful substances was the third largest with 12% of the total.

Typical Causes Of Kitchen Accidents

Slips, trips and falls in kitchens commonly result from spills which are not cleared up sufficiently quickly, leaving floors slippery, wet or greasy. Kitchen accidents also occur due to space limitations which mean that even minor discarded articles on floors can represent dangerous obstacles. The prevalence of swing doors in restaurants and kitchens, combined with the fast-paced nature of the work at peak times also causes collisions and associated injuries. Kitchen workers are regularly required to handle hot and heavy items, such as pots and pans containing boiling water and oils. Kitchen surfaces and fixtures are also often maintained at very high temperatures. In either of these contexts scalding and burns may result from the most minor spills or physical contact. Where kitchen appliances are defective or left to dangerously overheat electric shocks may occur following contact, and the risk of fire breaking out is ever-present. Finally sharp knives are an essential tool in kitchens, and along with glass present a constant threat of cuts and lacerations to workers.

Kitchen Accident Injuries

Kitchen workers are exposed to a variety of risks and a corresponding range of potential injuries. Slips, trips and falls may cause sprains, strains, cuts, bruises and fractures. Most often such injuries are sustained in the upper body, particularly the hands and arms, as a falling person will naturally seek to break their fall. The most serious injuries occur when a person falls onto a hard or sharp object or surface. Slips and trips may also cause breaks to ankles and legs due to the contorted angles these limbs are forced to adopt. Kitchen accidents resulting from manual handling most often cause burns, lacerations and muscle strains, the latter especially where the loads being carried are excessively heavy. Repetitive strain injuries may also occur when a kitchen worker regularly chops vegetables for example, causing inflammation and potentially permanent injury to muscles and tendons in the upper body.

Kitchen Accident Compensation Claims

The HSE publish detailed health and safety procedures which must be observed by employers and workers in commercial kitchens, reflecting the high level of industrial accidents in this sector. Employers must regularly and comprehensively assess working practices to reduce the risk of kitchen accidents occurring. Floors and surfaces must be properly maintained and kept free from potentially dangerous obstacles and obstructions. Kitchen appliances and tools should be suitable for the job in hand, and also regularly checked and maintained. Workers must be provided with appropriate protective equipment where necessary, such as heavy shoes to prevent slips, and gloves and overalls to prevent burns. Adequate training must be provided with regard to both the equipment in use in the kitchen, such as the handling of knives, and the wider health and safety procedures that need to be observed. An employer may be vicariously liable for an injury caused by the actions of a co-worker in this context.

Bartletts Solicitors are specialists in the field of kitchen accident and injury compensation claims. We work on a no win no fee basis meaning if you win your case your employer's insurance company will pay all of your legal fees, and if you lose you will not pay a penny.

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