Kitchen and Food Preparation Hazard Checklist
Safety is a priority for every commercial kitchen to protect chefs and catering staff while also upholding excellent hygiene standards. There are all sorts of hazards in kitchens that must be identified, and effective control measures implemented. Carrying out a kitchen risk assessment for any restaurant, pub, takeaway, café, and business that prepares food is essential.
Sharp objects, electricals, and fire all help create kitchen safety hazards. Knowing what the risks are and putting in place control measures improves the safety of your commercial kitchen. This helps uphold your responsibilities as a safe employer and to comply with the Food Safety Act 1990.
Our health and safety experts have put together a comprehensive list of kitchen safety hazards to help guide your risk assessments. You can try our risk assessment software to create unlimited risk assessments online. Use this kitchen and food preparation hazard checklist to inform your catering risk assessment.
Kitchen risk assessment template
Save time and identify all hazards in your food preparation environment with this free kitchen risk assessment template. Common kitchen safety hazards are separated into sections that group together related risks. Answer each question to identify potential dangers in your commercial kitchen and work out control measures to improve safety standards.
This commercial kitchen inspection checklist is a guide to highlight problems and where you require a risk assessment. It covers everything from low risks such as trips to electrical and fire hazards that could cause serious damage and health problems. Copy, paste, and adapt the following kitchen risk assessment template to meet your needs.
Slips, trips, and fall hazards in kitchens
Are there any obstructions or poor surfaces that could cause a slip, trip, or fall from:
- Stored materials, food boxes, storage bins, and pallets?
- Moveable electrical equipment?
- Trailing leads supplying kitchen implements, blenders, and mixers?
- Loose mats and/or decking?
- Wet floors?
- Greasy floors?
- Slippery floor surfaces (polished or smooth surfaces)?
- Uneven floors?
- Access routes blocked by general debris or waste bins?
- Open access panels in the floor?
- Unguarded stairwells?
- Unguarded edges on ramps and loading bays?
- Cleaning equipment such as vacuum cleaners and floor polishers?
- Could slips be reduced by supplying non-slip footwear?
Falling object hazards
Are there any objects that could fall on people in the kitchen such as:
- Foodstuffs and kitchen implements on shelves and racking?
- Unstable freestanding stacks of goods or materials?
- Pots and pans?
- Objects carried by overhead hoists?
- Loose electrical or mechanical equipment like lighting, pipework, and ventilation equipment?
- Loose ceiling tiles?
- Ladders or access equipment?
Electrical kitchen hazards
Is there any risk of persons receiving an electrical shock from:
- Loose or broken sockets, switches, light fittings, conduits, and trunking?
- Worn, frayed, or split cables or conduits?
- Missing lids on trunking and control panels?
- Trailing leads?
- Overloaded extension leads or multi-socket adaptors?
- Exposed cables into plugs, kettles, mixers, and microwaves?
- Exposed live parts of electrical switchgear like controls, motors, and pumps?
- Is any item of portable electrical equipment overdue for a portable appliance test (PAT)?
- Is any item of electrical equipment poorly or dangerously positioned?
Electrical equipment hazard checklist
Substance-related hazards
Are there any substances used that could cause harm from contact or inhalation, such as:
- Cleaning or degreasing chemicals?
- Dusts from powdered goods or supplies (flour dust can cause asthma)?
- Smoke or exhaust fumes?
- Do the procedures for cleaning up organic and chemical substance spills need improving?
- Does the disposal of waste products from spills need improving?
- Is there asbestos in fire retardant panelling, ceiling tiles, or oven linings?
- Are there any new substances being used since the last review?
- Has any staff member complained of any persistent or increasing allergic reactions, running nose or eyes, coughing, sneezing, and/or itching skin?
Kitchen equipment hazards
Is kitchen and food preparation equipment installed and used in a safe manner to minimise danger to others, such as:
- Are there any moving or rotating parts of machinery that require guarding?
- Does existing machinery guarding need repair or replacement?
- Can materials be ejected from moving machinery (like meat from a bandsaw)?
- Do you have to raise your voice above the working noise?
- Do workers require protection against the effects of vibrating tools or machinery?
- Can exposed hot surfaces burn skin if contact is made?
- Can hot oil fryers be guarded more effectively?
- Has any new machinery been introduced since the last review?
- Do staff need extra protection against using sharp implements (like knives and cleavers)?
- Do staff need extra training in the use of sharp implements?
- Do staff need extra training in the use of hot items (oils, burners, and ovens)?
Kitchen fire hazards
Are flammable materials stored or used in a manner that could cause a fire, such as:
- Any flammable substances on or near sources of heat or direct sunlight?
- Any flammable substances that are not correctly stored in flameproof cupboards (like solvents and adhesives)?
- Any potential for a flammable substance to be spilled onto sources of heat or electrical equipment?
- Flammable waste materials left in waste bins overnight?
- Ovens covered by towels or clothing?
- Heaters in ovens or fryers left on unattended or overnight?
- Oily paper towels or rags disposed of carelessly?
- Clogged or greasy extract filters?
- Do fire extinguishing methods need improving (extra fire blankets or extinguishers)?
Kitchen ventilation hazards
Are there any hazards associated with ventilation, such as:
- Insufficient ventilation – natural and forced?
- Fumes getting into the area caused by delivery vehicles (like lorries and fork-lift trucks)?
- Contamination of air conditioning filters by dust or bacteria?
Manual handling and workstation hazards
Do working positions pose a hazard that could cause muscular strains, such as:
- Poor lifting positions?
- Heavy or large and awkward objects?
- Bad posture over benches or kitchen equipment?
- Repetitive twisting or turning?
- Does any kitchen equipment show signs of damage or imminent collapse (benches, shelving, and steps)?
Food preparation hygiene hazards
Do hygiene provisions require improving to reduce the risk of infection or contamination, such as:
- Hot water temperature requires raising to remove legionella risk (60°C)?
- Toilet and hand basin cleaning needs improving?
- Improved hand washing and drying facilities?
- Do rubber gloves need to be issued to reduce contamination?
- Does the provision of barrier creams and hand cleaners need to be improved?
- Do foodstuffs need better segregation (cooked from uncooked)?
- Do fridges and freezers need more regular monitoring of storage temperatures?
- Do staff need extra training in food and/or personal hygiene?
Accidents and first aid
- Does accident treatment require improving?
- Is there a requirement for a (or additional) trained first aider?
- Do those trained as first aiders need refresher training? (required every three years)
- Do accident records need reviewing?
- Is there anything in the first aid boxes past its use by date?
- Are extra first aid boxes required?
- Are there any specific requirements for accident treatment?
Any identified food preparation and commercial kitchen hazards should be evaluated using a risk assessment. Start a free 15-day trial of our health and safety software to create unlimited risk assessments and improve your kitchen and food preparation safety standards.