How do managers keep staff from slipping?
To prevent slips and falls, a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) ensures everyone wears non-slip shoes and uses rubber floor mats with holes to prevent water from pooling. They also make sure the floors are cleaned every day with the right soap and that any spills are wiped up right away.
Keeping your customers’ food safe is a big job, but keeping your workers safe is just as important. Slipping and falling is one of the main reasons kitchen staff miss work. Nationally, falls are a major workplace hazard, resulting in 844 deaths and nearly 480,000 injuries that require time off in 2024. In fact, falls account for 24% of all preventable deaths in the United States. Here is how a food manager can help prevent these injuries and keep the kitchen running smoothly.
The Certified Food Manager’s Role in Preventing Slip Injuries
As a manager, your main job is to show the team that staying safe is the top priority. Preventing accidents is something everyone has to do together. It starts with you giving your staff the right gear and clear instructions so they can work safely.
Most slips happen because of the wrong shoes. Make sure everyone follows these simple rules:
- Wear the right shoes: Use only non-slip shoes designed for kitchen work.
- Check the grip: Pick shoes that can handle wet and oily floors.
Even with the best shoes, you still need to set up the kitchen correctly. Use heavy-duty rubber floor mats with drainage holes. These allow water and grease to sink below the surface rather than pooling on top, keeping the walking area much safer for everyone.
The Certified Food Manager’s Role in Preventing Slip Injuries
As a manager, your main job is to show the team that staying safe is the top priority. Preventing accidents is something everyone has to do together. It starts with you giving your staff the right gear and clear instructions so they can work safely.
Most slips happen because of the wrong shoes. Make sure everyone follows these simple rules:
- Wear the right shoes: Use only non-slip shoes designed for kitchen work.
- Check the grip: Pick shoes that can handle wet and oily floors.
Even with the best shoes, you still need to set up the kitchen correctly. Use heavy-duty rubber floor mats with drainage holes. These allow water and grease to sink below the surface rather than pooling on top, keeping the walking area much safer for everyone.
Clean Mats For Safety
To keep everyone safe, managers must also clean mats and the floors underneath them every day. Grease and liquids build up on the mats over time, making them just as slippery as the floor itself.
Use a good floor cleaner to cut through grease and keep the mats from sliding around. It is best to let the floor dry completely before putting the mats back down. If you trap water and soap under the mats, they stay wet longer and can cause someone to slip during the shift.
Always wipe up spills right away. Don’t assume a floor mat will catch everything. Ignoring a small spill could result in a painful injury to one of your coworkers.
While these daily steps are important, the best way to stay safe is to get proper training.
Pick the Best Class for Your Schedule
Whether you work in a kitchen in St. Paul or a restaurant in Minneapolis, safe habits start with good training. To get your Minnesota food manager license, you can choose between in-person and online classes. Both teach you what you need to know, but they work in different ways:
|
Details |
In-Person Class |
Online Class |
|
The Setting |
A quiet classroom where you can talk with others. |
Study at your own pace at home or work. |
|
Passing the Test |
More people pass because they can ask the teacher questions right away. |
Good pass rates, but you have to be disciplined on your own. |
|
Help with Your Kitchen |
We can talk about the specific safety setup in your kitchen. |
General safety rules that work for every kitchen. |
|
Who is it for? |
People who learn best by talking and doing hands-on work. |
People with busy schedules or who live far away. |
Ready to Get Certified?
Safety is a habit, and the best way to keep your kitchen compliant and your staff injury-free is through up-to-date certification. You can choose the class that works best for your schedule and get the personalized training you need right away. View the full schedule, or secure your spot for one of our next in-person classes today!
Common Food Safety Questions
Some of the most typical questions we get include:
Q: What is the primary service that Safe Food Training offers?
A: We offer 8-hour classes for food professionals across Minnesota to get their food manager license. We also provide the continuing education hours you need to keep your license current.
Q: Who should take these courses?
A: Anyone in Minnesota who needs a food manager license for their job or business. It is also for managers who need to finish their 4 hours of continuing education before their 3-year license expires.
Q: What does "personalized training" mean?
A: Our instructor, Jeff Webster, makes sure the class is useful for you. We talk about the specific safety issues you face in your workplace, whether you run a school kitchen, a restaurant, or a catering company.
Q: What happens if I do not pass the Certified Food Protection Manager exam on my first attempt?
A: We want you to succeed. If you don’t pass the test the first time, you can come back to a future class and retake the exam for free.
