The restaurant and hospitality industries are foundational to the Southern New England economy, providing both jobs and experiences that keep our community thriving. But keeping your employees safe is no longer just about preventing slips and falls. In today's fast-paced and ever-evolving work environment, it's essential to address the physical, mental, and emotional safety of your workforce. Explore the hidden hazards of the hospitality industry, from mental health to ergonomics, and learn how to keep your employees safe and on the job.
Building a Healthier Hospitality Team - From Mental Health to Ergonomics:
1. Prioritizing Mental Health and Wellbeing
Working in hospitality can be stressful, with long hours, unpredictable shifts, and high customer demands. This environment makes mental health a critical concern. Employers can reduce stress-related injuries and absenteeism by providing mental health resources, promoting work-life balance, and fostering a supportive work culture. Start by offering an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or mental health days.
2. Embrace Technology for Safety
Tech solutions are transforming how businesses approach safety. Wearable devices can now track fatigue levels or ensure proper posture for repetitive tasks, while mobile apps can streamline scheduling to reduce overworking employees. Automated kitchen safety systems, such as those that monitor equipment for malfunctions, can also add an extra layer of protection.
3. Training Your Seasonal and Temporary Workforce
With tourism peaking seasonally, many businesses rely on temporary workers. Ensuring these new hires understand safety protocols quickly is key to avoiding accidents. Consider implementing short, effective safety training sessions focused on common hazards such as burns, cuts, and lifting techniques. Design safety checklists and make them part of the orientation process to ensure compliance from day one.
4. Focus on Ergonomics in the Workplace
Many injuries in hospitality stem from poor ergonomics—repeated motions, heavy lifting, or standing for hours on end. Evaluating the layout of workstations and using ergonomic equipment like anti-fatigue mats or adjustable cutting boards can greatly reduce strains and sprains.
5. Maintaining a Healthy Environment Post Pandemic
Since COVID-19, businesses have had to rethink health and hygiene standards. Maintaining clean surfaces and ensuring proper ventilation is essential not only for customer satisfaction but also for employee safety. Regular sanitation procedures, accessible hand sanitizers, and employee health screenings are a must to keep everyone safe and on the job.
Watch to learn how we partner with Gregg's Restaurant:
In today's fast-paced world, safety culture has become a top priority for businesses, and Greggs Restaurant is no exception. This iconic Rhode Island restaurant chain has taken a proactive approach to ensuring the safety of its employees and customers by implementing its own "recipe" for resaturant safety culture.
Partnering with Beacon Mutual, Gregg's Restaurant has taken steps to prevent workplace injuries and promote a culture of safety within their establishment over the last 20 years. Read more here.
Let Us Help You Too—Beacon's Safety Experts Are Here To Help!
- Beacon offers seminars and webinars and ergonomic services for restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality industry companies.
- In addition, our team of experienced safety professionals performs a variety of safety services like workplace assessments, onsite and remote safety training, and online training on dozens of topics to reduce the risk to your employees working in hotels, restaurants, seasonal events, catering, and more.
- Beacon's Loss Prevention Team is available to help you improve your workplace safety program. Contact us to schedule a safety consultation!
Ready To Learn How We Can Partner With You...
For over 30 years, Beacon has been proud to provide workers' compensation insurance to the majority of local restaurants, bars, hotels, and eateries. We understand the industry and the challenges your Southern New England hospitality company faces, and we're here to support you and your employees.