Participate in safe work practices More than 100 000 workplace injuries are reported in Australia every year. Many are preventable Work health and safety (WHS) Health, safety and security ● Health- being free from injury and illness ● Safety- protected from harm or risk ● Security- free of danger The hospitality industry has equipment, people and environments that have the potential to cause harm. The cost of workplace injuries Human ● The effect an accident has on the injured person. ● Pain and trauma ● Physical or psychological injury Social ● The impact the accident has on the injured person family, friends and lifestyle. ● e.g. not able to play sport Economic ● Financial ( money) burdens imposed on the workplace, family, individual or health system. ● Medical care payments Organisational Accidents need to be investigated so work place may be affected by closure Other works carry greater workload Moral and reputation of workplace may be affected. Work health and safety is everyone’s responsibility ● All employees are involved in the process ● Employers are responsible for supplying protective clothing, training procedures and well maintained equipment ● Employees must wear the clothing, attend training and use equipment according to operating procedures ● This mutual responsibility is known as duty of care. Participation and consultation Young and old, new to the job and experienced can all offer valid contributions to workplace safety discussions. Key bodies involved in work health and safety SafeWork NSW ● ● ● ● Offers way to improve workplace safety Conducts investigations after incidents Administers and registers licenses for dangerous work e.g. white card in construction Enforces Health and Safety Laws Safe Work Australia ● Develops national policies to improve work health and safety, and workers compensation ● Assists states to improve Laws ● Researches and analyses accident data. Local councils ● Provides advice on WHS for events held on council property e.g. Parramatta Lanes ● Councils do not have responsibility to monitor WHS in small and large businesses. Unions ● Provides advice to workers who have WHS concerns ● Hospitality union is ‘United voice, Liquor and Hospitality division’ Professional associations ● Australian Hotels Association ● Restaurant and Catering Australia ● Lobby governments about industry concerns, including WHS on behalf of small and large business. Sources of work health and safety information Internal sources- within the organisation ● Employee induction process ● Emergency workplace policies and procedures ● Evacuation procedures External sources- government or other regulatory authorities Online from External sources such as: ● ● ● ● ● SafeWork NSW, Safe Work Australia NSW Workers Compensation commission Union Australian Hotels Association Hygienic practices to minimise contamination Food handlers ● ● ● ● Wearing a uniform Wearing gloves Adhering to cleaning policy Monitoring critical points eg temperatures and wrapping foods Workplace procedures Staff need to follow workplace policies and procedures that are in place for example: ● ● ● ● Not wearing uniform to and from work Wearing hairs nets, gloves and aprons Personal presentation e.g no piercings or nail polish Indicating who is responsible for checking temperatures, cleaning, display times and receiving goods. Reporting The purpose and importance of reporting: If procedures are working well frequent monitoring will reveal this. Reporting will pick up food safety breaches that can be fixed. What, how and whom to report What to report Employees and customers are the two groups that usually report hygiene and food safety issues ● Food hazards and associated risks Apprentice chef may report cheese is near it’s used by date Customer may report cake display is not cold ● Poor hygienic work practices Uniforms not being worn Raw food stored above cooked food Unsafe work practices when working with food No gloves when handling ready-to-eat foods Careless plating of food for a customer with an allergy. ● Personal health issues Staff have an illness e.g. flu Chef has an open cut on their hand ● Incident of food contamination Customer reports a hair in a meal Cockroach dropping sin the storeroom. Types of reports ● Formal and informal Formal reports are written after an inspection by the environmental health officer These contain good and bad results (if any) and any things that need fixing Using a white board to record future purchases e.g. paper towel ● Written Customer writes a complaint HACCP based food safety plans e.g temperature checks, cleaning checklists Anaphylaxis incident report Incident report after sending chef home sick. ● Verbal When an incident needs reporting immediately it is usually verbal e.g. customer notes meal is undercooked. Wait staff tell the chef immediately. Reporting to appropriate person Employees must act within their level of authority to act or advise. Always report to supervisor or manager if you do not have authority A serious food poisoning outbreak must be reported to NSW Food Authority Food safety program overview ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Written document Describes how the business will manage food safety Covers all aspects of food production including delivery and food processing Generally a HACCP plan Identifies hazardous foods eg: seafood, dairy Identifies at risk groups eg: disabled, elderly, and children. Identifies food safety breeches before they occur Outlines staff training and recording Maintenance and pest control measures Cleaning rosters Document registers. Workplace policies and procedures Each establishment will have policies and procedures including ● ● ● ● Wearing hair nets at all times Checking temperatures on food displays Carrying out rostered cleaning Reporting illness Employees will get a warning if they do not comply but could be dismissed if noncompliance continues. Food safety supervisors and food handlers Under the Food Standards Code, an employer or business owner must appoint a food safety supervisor who must ● ● ● ● Complete a course Supervise staff Manage the food safety plan Keep up to date with compliance matters eg courses, recalls, training and fact sheets.
