***Common work related injuries in the foodservice industry1. Lacerations and punctures.2. Burns. As many as a third of occupational burns occur in restaurants, totalling about 12,000 reported cases per year, although the actual number is projected to be much higher. 3. Sprains and strains. Misplaced or hard-to-reach items can cause worker injury due to overreaching or trips. Restaurant workers can also suffer from strains due to improper lifting.4. Eye injury. Splashes from grease or sanitizing chemicals frequently used in foodservice environments can result in injury to the eye.

***Reasons for occupational safety and health standardsThere are three main reasons that have been generally accepted as why we carry out moves to improve occupational safety. As the name suggests, it is the idea that the workplace is as safe as possible for those who work in it. This means that a great deal of scrutiny is foisted upon every aspect of the workplace, because danger can come from a wide variety of things.

The first reason that occupational health and safety has been taken up with such vigour, is moral. It is the idea that no-one should have to risk their health for the sake of work, and that any risks at work can be reduced or eradicated altogether. In the past, some workplaces were particularly dangerous, especially in factories. In extreme cases, people have even lost limbs in accidents.

The second reason is economic. If someone is injured at work, then it can cost the whole of society a great deal of money. Primarily, it can cost the tax payer a lot of money, because of medical costs associated with any injury. In the United Kingdom this medical burden falls on the National Health Service and depending on the injury can be very costly when you take into account surgery, medication and rehabilitation costs. There is also a significant cost to the employer too, who might need to pay sick pay. They will also have a potentially valuable worker missing for a long time, or possibly forever. Economics is quite clearly a big reason for the importance of occupational health and safety.

The third reason is legal. Firms are legally required to invest in occupational health and safety in order that they never face legal proceedings resulting from an injury in the workplace. If they take precautions to prevent any injuries, then the likelihood of them being prosecuted is greatly reduced.

****The objective of this issuance is to protect every workingman against the dangers of injury, sickness or death through safe and healthful working conditions, thereby assuring the conservation of valuable manpower resources and the prevention of loss or damage to lives and properties, consistent with national development goals and with the States commitment for the total development of every worker as a complete human being.