Common Hospitality Risks and Hazards 1

The most common hospitality hazards and risks
BY ROSS TIMS
QHA WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGER
As a general rule there’s a group of workplace health and safety hazards and risks that are
common to the hospitality industry. These hazards are found in most hotels to varying degrees
and are areas that we need to look at and address to ensure that our staff and customers have a
benign environment to work or socialise in.
We need to make our work and workplace safe by finding out what is actually unsafe or unhealthy
in the first instance, deciding what the highest risk is and going about fixing it on a priority basis.
That’s the standard template for managing exposure to workplace health and safety risks. Here
are some of those hazards and suggested ways of fixing them.
Manual handling (now called ‘manual tasks’)
Incorrect manual handling can cause musculoskeletal type injuries – trauma or pain to your back,
knees, elbows etc. This is the most prevalent hazard within our industry. In hotels, we move a lot
of stock around. Another reason is that we employ lots of casual staff and most are young people.
Combined with a high turnover rate the inherent risk factors are higher especially with young
males (‘ten foot tall and bullet-proof’). For manual handling type work:
• Make sure everyone has received clear instructions and have been trained to perform the task
– that also means proper induction training.
• Organise the work area to reduce bending, twisting and stretching and install equipment to
stop repetitive actions or long tasks.
• Use mechanical aids like trolleys and carts.
• Use other people to help you lift heavy things (team lift).
• Lift and carry heavy loads properly, by keeping the load close to the body and lifting with the
legs – not the back.
Burns and scalds
This is an obvious hazard that in hotels is primarily found in the kitchen but it can be a problem
elsewhere, especially with plant and equipment. For the latter, signage could be a control
measure or even a system to isolate the heat source. In kitchens, its industry practice to use
personal protective equipment such as gloves, aprons and the like. Scalds from boiling water are
a common event and its best to use a trolley when moving urns or large pots around.
Emergency preparedness and response
Hazardous chemicals
All hotels use hazardous chemicals in some form or another but usually via cleaning agents.
There’ll probably be some in the kitchen to clean grills, ovens etc and elsewhere e.g. beer line
cleaner or in the cleaning cupboard. Hazardous chemicals are required to be labelled as such.
• Use the least hazardous chemicals for the job.
• Use protective equipment when handling hazardous chemicals.
• Make sure Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are available for chemicals being used – these detail
the toxicity of the chemical and provide safety advice.
• Store chemicals safely and securely when not in use.
• Do not store chemicals in food and/or drink containers and make sure they are correctly
labelled.
Slips, trips and falls
Being wet underfoot in our industry is an occupational hazard. However, steps can be taken to
reduce that risk. An important one is to ensure small leaks in pipes or lines (especially under the
bar counter) are repaired to prevent moisture from pooling on the floor. It’s not only moisture that
causes slips and trips. It’s noticeable that many hotels keep poor housekeeping practices back of
house and there’s a buildup of ‘flotsam and jetsam’ in high pedestrian areas. Get rid of it. Some
other measures include:
• Condensation is always an issue – mop up the moisture buildup as required.
• Wear non-slip and suitable footwear for the task.
• Cover existing slippery surfaces with non-slip material, or use non-slip mats.
• Clean up spills and dropped food immediately.
• Put out ‘wet floor’ warning signs where floors are wet or slippery
• Install good lighting so people can see any obstructions ahead.
Electrical
There are always risks surrounding moisture and electricity. For instance, every hotel has
electrical sockets and leads in the vicinity of their bars, very often under the bar counter and near
the sink or beer taps. The best protection for this and most other electrical risks is to have
Residual Current Devices (safety switches) installed on all your electrical circuits. This is
becoming an essential modern day requirement as electronics becomes the driver for most
systems. In addition:
• Use licensed electricians for all electrical work.
• Secure and protect extension leads from damage.
• Make sure testing and tagging is current (if not protected by a safety switch).
• Use waterproof covers to protect electrical sockets from moisture.
Machinery and equipment
Many hotel plant rooms are used to store the dreaded ‘flotsam and jetsam’. This can be a risk to
maintenance staff or indeed your workers. Other dangers could be from heat and machinery
moving parts. Ensure guards are fitted accordingly. The operating instructions and safety
information should be located near machinery and equipment.
• Make sure machinery and equipment is in good working condition – label and do not use faulty
machinery and equipment.
• Ensure that gas bottles are chained up and that gas fittings are properly maintained.
• Use the right knife for the task, cut away from the body and use correct knife sharpening and
carrying techniques.
• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as mesh gloves or gauntlets as
required.
The list goes on to include other risks to workers such as heat stress, personal security and
sometimes a lack of emergency preparedness. The bottom line is that under the legislation you
are required to reduce the risk of exposure of your workers to these and any other workplace
hazards. Sometimes it costs to do this but in this instance prevention is better than cure.

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The most common hospitality hazards and risks

Manual handling (now called ‘manual tasks’)

Burns and scalds

Machinery and equipment

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