Commercial kitchens are some of the busiest areas in the Hospitality Industry. SafeWork Australia’s Industry Action Plan for 2017-2019 indicates that fatigue, slips and falls are among the most common causes of injuries in commercial kitchens. Injuries such as muscular and musculoskeletal trauma, burns, wounds and amputations happen from exhaustion, slipping and falling.
Injuries can be minimised if not entirely avoided by taking these simple steps:
Regular Evaluation
One of the most efficient ways to improve is through evaluation. Strict and regular assessment of high-risk – usually high-traffic – areas like entryways, transition areas, change of walking direction, common areas and workstations will help managers and owners identify areas or layouts that may cause slips and falls.
By improving the ergonomics of workstations and workplaces, cases of fatigue, slips and falls can be minimised. When making an area assessment, here are a few points to look out for:
- · Flooring composition – Check the slip resistance of floor surfaces in dry and wet situations
- · Surface conditions – Check for raised or recessed edges, matting and overall cleanliness of a surface
- · Surface changes – Check for areas of transition between carpeted, tiled or matted floors or surfaces
- · Levelling – Check for dips or raises in the floor
- · Materials – Check for scattered materials like products, tools and equipment
- · Substances – Check for foreign substances like water, grease and cleaning solutions
- · Visibility – Check for poor lighting, glares and shadows
- · Workforce – Assess if workers have physical challenges in certain areas, if uniforms are limiting movement or visibility and if they are all familiar with the area
Floor Mat Installation
Installing and maintaining kitchen floor mats will not only minimise fatigue but will also reduce common causes of 
injuries in commercial kitchens. These floor mats should be ergonomically designed and should be evaluated for size, texture, contaminant resistance and general wear and tear.
An anti-fatigue commercial kitchen floor mat like Orthomaster from AMCO is suitable for various applications. These include food processing, laboratories, restaurants, theatres and workshops. The Orthomaster® is made from a specialised closed cell formula which reduces muscle fatigue, impaired circulation, spinal compression and risk of arthritic pain. It is free of latex and silicone material, which are ideal for preventing allergies. It is also treated with antimicrobial technologies which eliminate the build-up of mould, mildew and bacteria.
The orthopaedic properties of Orthomaster meet all Human Resource Injury Management Compliancy, making it the choice of the Hospitality Industry. The mats backed-up by a TGA Certificate and Class 1 Medical Award.
The Orthomaster has a high resistance to various substances and is very easy to clean because they can be steamed up to 120°C.
Maintain Cleanliness
Optimise your kitchen area and procedures by creating a solid flow of operations while preventing the health and 
safety risks. This will also reduce the potential liability on the establishment’s manager or owner. Maintaining cleanliness can be done with simple ways such as using trays to contain spills and splatters of liquids onto the kitchen floor. Installing sufficient ventilation system will prevent steam and smoke build-up and liquid condensation while installing sufficient lighting system will improve visibility. It is also best to provide proper work platforms like flooring and floor mats and appropriate footwear to kitchen staff.
Resolving issues caused by slips and falls could be very costly. The best way to minimise or avoid the costs completely is by preventing them from happening.
At AMCO, you can acquire ergonomic solutions that guarantee long-lasting performance and value-for-money. We take pride in being experts in anti-fatigue matting that help various industries across Australia and New Zealand. Some of our clients include Barrick Gold, BHP, Coca-Cola, Fonterra, GlaxoSmithKline, Nestle, Parmalat, Ramsay Healthcare, Riotinto, Tenneco Xstrata, and smaller privately-owned Enterprises. We offer unparalleled repair services which include re-edging, resizing and more.
