Teen restaurant work safety

With summer approaching, many teens will get jobs that provide much needed spending money – and the risk of serious injury. An average of 64 workers under the age of 18 died from work-related injuries each year from 1992 to 2002, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and in a recent year 84,000 teens were injured at work.

Many teens will work in restaurants and OSHA has created Teen Worker Safety in Restaurants, an eTool that provides a “menu” of safety tips for all kinds of restaurant work. The hazards and potential safety solutions for each position are featured, including:

* Servers – serving food while assuming awkward positions can lead to back, neck and shoulder strains and sprains; employees should: avoid awkward postures while carrying trays, plates and beverages; limit the number of plates carried; use both hands to carry large items; carry plates with elbows close to the body to lessen arm and back strain; balance the load evenly, placing heavier items in the center of the tray; get help moving tables and chairs.

* Cooks -- cooks are at risk of burn injuries while cooking with deep fat fryers and may be exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning from malfunctioning exhaust systems on portable fryer units; employees should: use caution when working around hot oil; get trained in the proper use and maintenance of the deep fat fryer; wear all protective equipment for preparing hot items; use the correct grease level and cooking temperatures for the deep fat fryer; keep stove surfaces clean to prevent grease flare-ups; keep floor surfaces clean and dry to prevent slipping.