The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created in 1970 to ensure the safety of employees by creating and enforcing standards of working conditions. The specific regulations vary by industry, but most mandate the wearing of personal protective equipment. Here are some of the hazards associated with a restaurant and the commercial kitchen PPE that workers can use to mitigate their risks.

Kitchen Hazards

A restaurant has more hazards than a home kitchen does. Here are a few of the dangers:

Burns from fire, foods, chemicals, and equipment

Falls due to spills or a cluttered floor

Exposure to chemicals

Transmission of pathogens

Kitchen PPE

In general, PPE falls into the following five categories of protection: eye and face, hand, body, respiratory, and hearing. OSHA requirements include the following commercial kitchen PPE:

Apron

Heat-proof gloves

Plastic gloves

Closed-toe shoes with non-slip soles

Hairnet

OSHA does not usually require respirators and earplugs in a kitchen workplace, but there might be instances when they recommend them.

Be sure that employees are trained in using PPE. They should know when to use each type of equipment, how to put it on and take it off, and how to take care of it. Additionally, they must understand the abilities and limitations of each component to keep them safe.