Safety First! for Front and Back of House staff

Our New York City Kitchen Assistant staff in action! Keeping our Safety Guidelines in mind, of course!

We hope you're having a great summer and keeping cool during these high-temp New York City days! We thought that now would be a good opportunity to review a few Safety Guidelines that may be helpful during an event. Keep these notes in mind and we will see you at the next soiree! 

1. Wipe/mop up spills immediately and mark with a sign or something to allow people to see to proceed with caution. Anyone can slip on a slippery floor – guests, staff, etc. Familiarize yourself with where rags, brooms, dustpans and/or mops are being stored during the event. Can’t find any? Please ask the onsite captain/contact where these items are.

2. Slow down! Never run in hallways or the kitchen or on the floor, always walk carefully. Even when it’s busy, take small steps and pay attention.

3. Wear shoes with non-slip soles. No open toed shoes.

4. Report defective equipment or tools to a manager immediately.

5. Call out things to make avoid bumping into someone – i.e. - “Coming In” or “Behind You”.

6. Use trays and/or dry towels to handle hot plates. Also, warn guests that the plate you are presenting is hot.

7. Let people know when you’re carrying anything hot. Don’t be shy, yell out something like, “hot items coming through.”

8. Don’t put hot food or plates in front of small children.

9. Use proper lifting techniques. Never lift too much/more than feels comfortable. If it’s uncomfortable, make two trips or get some help. Remember to always bend at the knees, lift with your legs, not your back and carry the load at waist level.

10. Dispose of glass properly. Clean up broken glass with a broom or towel. Do not directly clean broken glass with your hand. Dispose of glass in the proper broken glass tub. If no broken glass tub is available then staff should ask Captain / Host / etc. for something to use as a broken glass container; take initiative to resolve quickly.

11. Treat coffee and hot liquids with care. Never take coffee carafes from the machine before it is finished percolating. Hold the carafe close to your body, with both hands and a dry towel, when possible.

12. Keep the customer close. Serve as close to your customer as possible. Do not lean over tables to serve because leaning can increase your possibility of injury.

13. Pamper your body. You are on your feet almost your entire shift. Making sure you change your tasks and movements can reduce some of the strain your body goes through. 

14. Wash your hands often, especially after smoking, eating, restroom breaks, coughing,
or sneezing.

15. Never operate equipment unless you have been trained how to use it properly.

16. Pay special attention when using slicers. They are very sharp and move very fast.

17. Wear nylon, no-cut gloves when cleaning slicers. If you don’t have a pair, see a manager.

18. Never try to catch a falling knife!! Knives are easier to replace than fingers.

19. Make sure you eat prior to your shift to keep your energy up. It’s a good idea to bring a snack in case you feel the need to take a few minutes to eat something during the shift.

20. Stay hydrated! Bring bottled water and/or a bottle to be filled/re-filled with water.