Keeping Teen Workers Safe Focus on Food Service

1. Keeping Teen Workers SafeFocus on Food Service

2. Topics Covered • Teen injury rates. • Common injury types for teens who work in food service. • Injury prevention tips. • Rules, policies, and links.

3. Teen Worker Injuries A Serious Problem • Every year more than 70,000 teen workers are hurt on the job in the United States.

4. Teen Worker Injuries - USA • The teen injury rate is more than two times higher than the adult rate. • About 70 teens each year die from work injuries in this country.

5. The Problem Is Real • In Washington State, an average of 10 working teens every day seek medical treatment at a hospital or clinic because of a work injury. • One teen worker died in 2004, 3 died in 2003. • Seven died between 1992 and 2002.

6. The Problem Is Real • One teen worker was burned over 70% of his body when a chicken fryer blew up. • One teen worker was killed after falling more than 30 feet to his death while washing windows. • In both instances the teens were doing their best to do their jobs.

7. Food Service Jobs–Washington State • Many teens start a first job in food service. • More than 800 teens suffer injuries requiring medical treatment in Washington each year while employed in the food service industry.

8. Food Service Jobs • The top four injury types in food service are: • Cuts, • Burns, • Sprains & strains, • Slips, trips and falls.

9. How Can Cuts Be Prevented? • To prevent knife cuts: • Be careful when cleaning knives or blades. • Always look at what you are cutting. • Place a damp cloth under cutting boards to prevent slipping.

10. How Can Cuts Be Prevented? • To prevent knife cuts: - Cut properly • Carry knives with point down and backwards • Wear gloves that protect your hands from cuts. incorrect correct

11. How Can Cuts Be Prevented? • To prevent machine cuts: • Be sure moving parts are covered by guards. • Turn off power and unplug to clean. • Keep your hands, face and hair away from moving parts. Meat Slicer Teens under the age of 16 are prohibited from operating food slicers.

12. How Can Cuts Be Prevented? • Prevent machine cuts by: • Not wearing clothing or jewelry that could get caught in machines. • Not using equipment that you have not been trained to use.

13. How Can Cuts Be Prevented? • To prevent can lid cuts: • Use the provided can opener. • Use gloves or dishcloth to dispose of lid. • Throw it way where it won’t injure someone else.

14. How Can Cuts Be Prevented? • To prevent cuts from broken glass: • Use a broom and dustpan to clean it up. • Wear gloves if you must use your hands. • Don’t use hands and feet to smash down garbage.

15. How Can Burns Be Prevented? • To prevent burns from grills and fryers: • Don’t brush up against grills or fryers. • Stay clear of grills and fryers unless you are working there. • Wear a protective apron. • Use automatic food lowering devices.

16. How Can Burns Be Prevented? • To prevent burns from grills and fryers: • Cover hot oil and grease when not in use. • Let ice crystals melt away before frying frozen foods. • Follow company rules for handling hot oil wastes.

17. How Can Burns Be Prevented? • To prevent other oil and grease burns: • Watch out for spatters and spills. • Use protective apron and mitt. • Clean up spills as soon as they happen. Protective Mitt

18. How Can Burns Be Prevented? • To prevent burns from open flames: • Keep hair and clothes away from flames. • Keep flammable materials away from flames.

19. How Can Burns Be Prevented? • To prevent steam burns: • Watch out for steam cloud when you open dishwasher, steam table or other places where steam occurs. • Wear protective gloves whenever you open something filled with steam.

20. How Can Burns Be Prevented? • To prevent burns from hot food and drinks: • Understand how to operate equipment that produces hot food and drinks. • Make sure take-out lids are securely attached. • When carrying food, watch out for other people.

21. How Can Strains Be Prevented? • Ask for help with heavy loads. • Ask for training in safe lifting methods. • Push loads rather than pull them. • Don’t lift and then twist. • Don’t lean out drive-through windows.

22. How Can Slips, Trips & Falls be Prevented? • To prevent trips, slips and falls: • Make sure your path is clear, clean and dry before carrying a load. • Move boxes and carts out of the way. • Watch for mop and broom handles. • Use non-slip floor pads.

23. How Can Slips, Trips & Falls Be Prevented? • To Prevent trips, slips and falls: • Wear shoes with soles that grip. • Clean up spills as soon as they happen. • When you carry something, put a lid on it. Use a cart or hand truck if it’s heavy. • Be aware of your working area. Slip-resistant shoes

24. How Can Slips, Trips & Falls Be Prevented? • Ladders: • Use ladders correctly. • Don’t lean out away from the ladder. Move it closer. • Have a helper secure the area. • Put the ladder back where it belongs when finished. • Don’t leave a ladder unattended.

25. Remember • Your employer is required by law to provide a safe work place for you. • All workers have this right. • Your responsibility is to follow the safety rules.

26. Remember • No one expects that you will know everything about your job, including your boss, even if you have worked in a similar place or have been on the job for awhile. • If you don’t know how to do something - ASK!

27. What Can Teen Workers Do? • If you see dangerous situations, tell someone! • All workers have the right by law to be safe. • Report unsafe situations!

28. Rules, Policies & Links The Department of Labor and Industries hosts a Website about Teen Worker Safety. The site has information about rules and policies regarding hiring teens, wage and hour issues, prohibited activities, necessary posters and forms, and much more. L&I Teen Workers Labor and Industries also conducts workshops for restaurant managers and supervisors to teach them how to safely employ teen workers. L&I Teen Restaurant Safety Federal OSHA also has a teen worker website: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/teenworkers/

29. Thank you for taking the time to learn about safety and health and how to prevent injuries and illnesses.