Commercial Kitchen Equipment Training

Commercial kitchen suppliers and food managers offer training to employees.

Commercial kitchens can kill. There were 5,208 fatal job injuries in 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A number of those where due to falls, burns and being stricken in accidents--serious injuries that prove devastating in a commercial kitchen setting. Proper training for the best and safest functionality of commercial equipment helps prevent accidents and fatalities.

Preventing Injuries

The largest percentage of fatalities and accidents in commercial kitchens are struck-by accidents and falls. According to statistics gathered by allbusiness.com, 13 percent of worker fatalities are caused by struck-by accidents, while 14 percent resulted from falls. Firms that supply commercial equipment to help food service workers prepare food quickly and conveniently are just as committed to making sure workers handle the equipment safely. Food service managers also provide commercial kitchen equipment training to new hires.

Training

Commercial kitchen food service managers and equipment suppliers such as Hospitality Resource Supply provide training to food handling employees on proper food safety. Another important function of companies who supply the equipment, according to the Commercial Food Equipment Service Association, is safety training.

Topics

Food workers must learn how to properly operate commercial kitchen equipment. They learn proper temperatures settings for specific foods and how to properly store equipment. Struck-bys and falls happen when food workers aren't trained or fail to store and use large equipment safely. Commercial suppliers emphasize not storing heavy pots and pans overhead thus avoiding someone falling while reaching overhead or being struck by a heavy pot. Food workers also receive hands-on training on how to properly use, plug in and store electrical devices such as large food processors, microwave ovens and commercial mixers. Knife- and utensil-handling safety and storage is also taught to food service workers.

Exams

Commercial kitchen employers as well as suppliers provide exams designed so food workers certify proper training and testing of the kitchen commercial equipment has been successful. Food workers are required to provide answers and perform kitchen tasks safely in front of a certified kitchen equipment supplier. Commercial kitchen suppliers offer training award certification separate from the state certification provided for food-handler safety courses.

Training Guides and Manuals

Commercial kitchen equipment suppliers provide commercial kitchen staff with operating manuals on the equipment to assist new hires and provide proper usage instructions. Food service managers also have access to manuals published by the Conference for Food Protection and the American National Standards Institute, according to Hospitality Resource Supply. Training materials and equipment manuals are housed on the premises for employee access.

References

• Hospitality Resource Supply; Food Safety Training and Testing; April 30, 2010
• All Business; "Preventing Occupational Fatalities; March 1, 2009