Chef’s Special: Safety & Hygiene

Restaurant & Catering Australia’s Guide to Food

Safety & Hygiene 2015/16 – Released

Restaurant and catering industry hazards and risks are two-fold: not only does injury data show that kitchen hands, cooks, waiters and chefs sustain the highest number of injuries while on the job, but the consumer can also be susceptible to illness, usually as a result of mishandling food and cross-contamination. This two-fold approach to safety and hygiene has been a priority of Pro-Visual Publishing and Restaurant and Catering Australia for over eight years, and this newest edition is no different. This year’s Restaurant & Catering Australia’s Guide to Food Safety & Hygiene showcases prominent safety and health issues facing workers and consumers on a daily basis.

Kitchen house cleaning tasks, manual handling, and preventing slips, trips and falls are key areas impacting on kitchen hands, cooks, waiters and chefs within this industry. Repetitive strain is another. Manual handling related injuries and strain account for approximately half of the total lost time injuries/diseases in this industry, so it’s no wonder strict procedures and guidelines are in place to alleviate repetitive movement, load handling strain and general posture impairments.

But workers aren’t the only ones at risk within this industry. It is estimated that every year more than five million Australians are affected by foodborne illness. Most food poisoning incidents are a result of mishandling food – keeping it at the wrong temperature, incorrect re-heating, and cross contamination. It is imperative that food safety compliance is adhered to, and that storage and handling measures are taken to reduce the occurrence of cross-contamination.

“I would like to thank the sponsors of the Restaurant & Catering Australia’s Guide to Food Safety & Hygiene 2015/16. Their support has made it possible for the it to be distributed free of charge.”

– John Hutchings, CEO, Pro-Visual Publishing.

Pro-Visual Publishing is the leading specialist in wall-mounted workplace health & safety, food safety & hygiene, and wellbeing information resource guides. Pro-Visual Publishing’s guides are vital resources to ensure workers return home exactly the way they came to work.

For further information, or to obtain additional copies of the Guide, please call (02) 8272 2611, email marketing@provisual.com.au or visit www.provisual.com.au

For media enquiries or images please contact Deanna Davenport at Pro-Visual Publishing on (02) 8272 2611 or ddavenport@provisual.com.au