Accidents are inevitable, despite having restaurant & bar insurance coverage. These accidents can result in a costly lawsuit. Adhering to some guidelines for safety procedures, you can minimize these accidents. Below are a few precautions to take to prevent different kinds of accidents from occurring in your restaurant or bar:
1. Minimizing Slips and Falls
Most employees and customers who become victims of these falls always end up injured. These victims can sue the business for compensation for their injuries. If your business doesn’t have restaurant & bar insurance coverage, it can suffer huge losses. They are mainly caused by wet floors, slippery tiles, and dirty floors. To avoid these accidents, you should:
- Keep your floor clean at all times.
- Install non-slip mats on the floors.
- Ensure that the floors and passageways are clear of obstacles.
- Use wet floor signs to warn employees and clients of slippery areas.
2. Preventing Cuts
Cuts can result from the improper handling of restaurant utensils and equipment. To minimize incidences of cuts, employees should:
- Restrict the use of sharp knives only to properly trained kitchen staff.
- Discard all broken glassware, especially in the bars. When people are tipsy, they tend to be wild, and they can potentially use broken glassware to harm others.
- Instruct workers to be careful while handling cutlery utensils.
- Avoid placing sharp objects in sinks.
3. Avoiding Burns
Burns can occur to anyone working in restaurant kitchens, or anywhere you might deal with hot liquids or lighters. There are precautions you can take to prevent burns from happening. These precautions include:
- Using hot pads or towels on extremely hot dishes.
- Making sure to check if a cooking device is turned on or off.
- Keeping hot food and drinks further from the edges of the table or counter.
- Preventing hot drinks or soups from spilling.
4. Preventing Fire Explosions
Fire can have a huge impact on a business, and can incur massive damages. If the business doesn’t have insurance coverage against fire accidents, such damages can lead to the closure of the business.
Fire accidents are caused by hot ovens, hot oil in deep fryers, and alcohol exposure to fire. Fire accidents can be prevented by:
- Keeping plenty of fire extinguishers all over the restaurant and bar premises.
- Installing smoke detectors on your premises.
- Training employees on how to use the extinguishers.
- Ensure that alcohol doesn’t come in contact with fire since it is highly flammable.
5. Curb Electrical Accidents
Electrical accidents can be the most dangerous. They can lead to loss of life, severe injuries, or damage to the business. These damages can cost the restaurant and bar owner significant losses despite having insured their enterprises with restaurant & bar insurance coverage.
Electrical accidents are mainly caused by damaged electrical codes, faulty electrical appliances, and overloaded sockets. Measures to put in place to minimize electrical accidents include:
- Monitoring your appliances regularly to ensure they have no defective wiring.
- Removing electrical cords from passageways.
- Training your staff on how to handle electricity and electronics safely.
- Having an emergency procedure in place in case of an accident.
6. Avoiding Chemical Exposures
Cleaning supplies used by the cleaning staff in restaurants and clubs can cause accidents. They can cause burns, respiratory conditions, and skin and eye irritation. Employers can help prevent these chemical exposures by:
- Providing personal protective equipment like gloves and masks.
- Training staff on how to safely handle these chemicals.
- Installing automated dispensers to ensure proper chemical concentration.
- Ensuring that cleaning supplies are appropriately labeled and locked away when not in use.
7. Providing Proper Lighting
Poorly lit rooms or pathways can be risky to walk along as you can injure yourself if you hit an object on the way. Poor lighting can be caused by insufficient windows, burnt-out bulbs, or electrical failures.
Make sure your restaurant or bar is well-lit for employees and clients to see where they are going clearly. Replace old bulbs immediately and fix any electrical or wiring issues.
Find Restaurant & Bar Insurance Coverage for Your Business
Preventing accidents in your restaurants or bars doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By following simple guidelines, you can manage or prevent these accidents. Getting restaurant & bar insurance coverage protects your business against damages and losses in case one of these accidents happens to occur.
