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Ensuring the health and safety of employees and customers in the hospitality industry is crucial in the modern age. Recently viruses have brought health and safety to the foremost thinking when preparing food and drink, while hygiene has become even more important than ever. Workwear equipment, in its design and implementation of use, has naturally become a major concern when delivering a high standard of service.
Providing defence against airborne pathogens, face masks come in a variety of types including disposable surgical masks, ideal for short-term use, cloth masks which figure in low-risk environments and N95 respirators aimed at high-risk situations, when workers are working close together, or possibly touching infectious materials.
Patently, gloves are crucial when handling food and taking on cleaning jobs, preventing cross contamination when exposed to harmful substances. Simple designs such as latex gloves are ideal for food preparation and service. For those with a latex allergy, nitrile gloves provide a risk-free option. Where toxic chemicals thrive, hard-wearing rubber gloves are essential.
Hair nets can be seen in operation in kitchens and situations in the hospitality sector where guests are being catered for. In kitchens hair contamination must be avoided when preparing food. And likewise in factories where food is being packaged, these nets are an ideal defence.
Protective clothing is an umbrella term for a variety of products currently being used in the hospitality sector. Use of aprons is designed to protect employees from spills and stains when using extreme temperature ingredients. Chef’s jackets are also used in this way to provide a barrier to accidents in a kitchen. Gowns are being used by cleaning staff to stop contamination.
A variety of shoes are now available for staff working in kitchens where spillages are commonplace. These include non-slip footwear which prevent falls in areas where accidents may occur. As shifts can be long in the hospitality sector comfort and durability of footwear is of primary concern.
Safety goggles are used in a variety of tasks including food packaging and preparation, where a risk of splashing can occur. Also, the release of contaminants while cleaning can also be prevented, with the use of safety glasses. Irritation or worse, infection is the main reason for their use. Visors can be used as an additional defence in environments, where staff can be at risk from contaminants, particularly in the cleaning profession.
To implement your personal protective equipment strategy, you need to be aware of their short- or long-term advantages and it is essential to train staff to a high degree to get the best out of the tools at your disposal. A risk assessment in your working environment should be first on your agenda. This enables you to comply with the regulations set up by the authorities and regulatory bodies, that are in place to different degrees across the globe.
Good training will help in the proper use, maintenance and disposing of PPE. Feedback from staff will help in finding out how comfortable PPE is while wearing it, ensuring the right size and fit is provided. This feedback will also help in assessing whether PPE is not wearing as well as it should do.
