Shoe Safety in Restaurants

Restaurants, catering services and café employees are more prone to slip and fall accidents in the workplace than in any other business. Each year, restaurants and eateries pay hundreds of dollars in compensation to employees for these accidents. Because there is a lot of activity in different stations, employee safety is essential in restaurants.

In order to prevent slip and fall accidents, shoe safety is the main concern restaurant management needs to address. Effective risk management by a reputable company will allow you to improve workplace safety.

In the meantime, follow these shoe safety tips to keep your employees safe while they perform duties.

Different Footwear for Different Staff Members

A restaurant staff has a number of different employees and each one performs a different role and duty. Starting from the head chef and the sous chef, their footwear needs to be comfortable and non-slip.

Chefs should wear shoes with high insoles as these shoes offer better breathability. The managers must wear shoes that are non-slip, but more formal as they don’t need to work constantly in the kitchen. As for waiters, they need flat, non-slip shoes with adequate foot protection because they are consistently walking throughout their shifts.

Safety Toe Cap

Footwear for the restaurant staff must include protective safety toecaps – preferably made from an aluminum, lightweight material with a low profile. The staff will be able to wear these protective toecaps while working in the kitchen, the toecaps offer extensive protection from accidental spillage from hot oil, boiling water or hot bubbling sauces. Also, the shoes must offer slip resistance to prevent slip and fall accidents.

Waterproof Shoes

For areas with plenty of moisture and water, it’s essential to have strict guidelines on footwear. Make sure employees are provided with waterproof shoes with slip-resistant soles. Washing and meat prepping stations will have more water on their surface and surrounding floor area than any other station. To prevent any unfortunate accidents, dependable insurance and risk management experts suggest appropriate footwear for staff.

Shoes Made from Right Material

Picking the right shoes with the right material is an essential part of maintaining workplace safety in a restaurant. Some of the best shoe materials for a restaurant are rubber and canvas. However, canvas shoes would need aluminum or plastic toecaps for added safety.

If you want to learn more about shoe safety in restaurants or wish to find more risk management solutions, contact SIA Insurance Group by calling at (630) 325-4000.