Kitchen Safety Course for Cooks and Dishwashers: Lessons

Lesson 1: Kitchen hazards and your safety rights

A restaurant kitchen is hot, busy and crowded. CCOHS lists hazards for cooks such as knives and other dangerous equipment, burns and fire from ovens, deep fryers and steam, slips and falls, lifting heavy items, cleaning chemicals, extreme temperatures, stress and long shifts.

Who makes the rules

Each province and territory has its own occupational health and safety (OHS) law, and the details differ. Examples: Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act, Alberta's OHS Act, and the rules WorkSafeBC sets and enforces in British Columbia. Your employer must follow the law of the province you work in.

Your three basic rights

The right to know: to be told about hazards at work and how to work safely.
The right to participate: to take part in health and safety activities, such as reporting hazards or joining a committee.
The right to refuse unsafe work.

The law also protects you from being punished for raising a safety concern or using these rights.

Employer duties (examples)	Worker duties (examples)
Take every reasonable precaution to keep the workplace safe	Follow the law and safe work procedures
Train workers on hazards and how to work safely	Use the protective equipment you are given
Fix hazards that are reported	Report hazards, incidents and injuries to your supervisor

Refusing unsafe work

The steps differ by province. Two examples:

Step	Ontario	British Columbia
1	Report the refusal to your supervisor or employer. Stay in a safe place.	Report the problem to your supervisor or employer right away.
2	The employer investigates with you and a worker representative present.	If it is not fixed, you investigate together with a worker representative or another worker present.
3	If you still believe it is unsafe, a Ministry inspector is called and gives a written decision.	If it is still not resolved, you contact WorkSafeBC and a prevention officer investigates.

In BC, your employer may give you another task for a while, with no loss of pay. In Alberta, workers can also refuse dangerous work, and employers cannot take or threaten disciplinary action against a worker for using their rights.

Young and new workers

CCOHS says young and new workers are especially at risk, and many injuries happen in the first month on the job. Ask your supervisor: What are the hazards? What training will I get? What protective equipment do I need? Who do I tell if I get hurt?

Minimum ages differ by province:

Ontario: at least 15 to work in a restaurant kitchen, and 14 in the serving area.
British Columbia: 14- and 15-year-olds may do listed light work, such as food preparation, dishwashing, bussing and hosting. Operating machinery that could harm them is not light work.

Reporting hazards and injuries

Report hazards as soon as you see them: a broken tile, a frayed cord, a missing guard. If you are hurt, get first aid and tell your supervisor right away, even if it seems small. In BC, employers must report a worker's injury to WorkSafeBC within 72 hours of learning about it, and WorkSafeBC also wants to hear from the injured worker. Other provinces have their own workers' compensation boards and rules.

Practical exercise: spot the hazards

It is 6 p.m. in a busy kitchen. For each thing you notice, say what the hazard is and what you would do.

A chef's knife is sitting at the bottom of the pot sink, under soapy water.
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Someone could reach in and be cut. Warn the dishwasher, drain the sink or remove the knife carefully, and remind staff to wash knives right away or use the marked container.
There is a puddle of fryer oil by the line, and the wet-floor sign is in the office.
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Slip hazard. Clean it up right away and put out the sign.
The meat slicer's blade guard is missing.
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Do not use it. Take it out of service, tag it if your workplace does, and tell your supervisor.
A new 15-year-old dishwasher in Ontario has been asked to help on the cook line.
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Ontario's minimum age for a restaurant kitchen is 15, so they may work there, but they must be trained and supervised for any new task. Tell the supervisor if they are being asked to use equipment they were not trained on.

Topic quiz 1: Kitchen hazards and your safety rights

Lesson 2: Knives, slicers and kitchen machines

Knife basics

Keep knives sharp. A dull blade needs more force, so it is more likely to slip.
Use the right knife for the job and a stable cutting board. A damp cloth or non-slip mat underneath stops it sliding.
Cut away from your body, and keep your fingers curled in on the hand that holds the food.
Never try to catch a falling knife. Step back and let it land.
Carry one knife at a time, point down at your side, and call out "knife behind".
Never leave a knife in soapy water. Wash it right away or put it in a marked container by the sink.
Store knives in a rack or drawer, handles facing the front.
Wear a cut-resistant glove on the hand holding the food when your employer requires it.

Slicers, mixers and other machines

CCOHS tells cooks to know how to use all their equipment, inspect it regularly for defects, and take faulty equipment out of service until it is fixed or replaced.

Use only machines you have been trained on (and are old enough to use under your province's rules).
Keep guards in place. Use the slicer's food holder, never your hand, to push food.
Never reach into a moving machine, such as a mixer bowl. Turn it off and wait for all parts to stop.
Tie back long hair, and avoid loose sleeves and jewellery near moving parts.
Report missing guards, strange noises or damaged cords right away.
Do not plug in an electrical appliance while you are touching a wet surface.

Lockout and cleaning

Cleaning, clearing jams and repairs are the times when people reach near blades and moving parts. Before you clean a slicer or clear a jam, turn the machine off and isolate the power: unplug it, or follow your workplace's lockout procedure. For a slicer, also set the blade dial to zero.

CCOHS defines lockout as placing a lock and tag on a machine's energy-isolating device (such as a switch or breaker), following a set procedure. The goal is a zero-energy state, where no hazardous energy is left and the hazard is gone. Removing or bypassing a guard is exactly the kind of danger lockout is meant to prevent.

Topic quiz 2: Knives, slicers and kitchen machines

Lesson 3: Burns, hot oil and kitchen fires

Ovens, grills, fryers, steam and hot liquids can all cause burns. CCOHS lists burns and fire among the main hazards for cooks.

Preventing burns

Use dry oven mitts or towels. Heat passes through wet cloth quickly.
Open pot lids, oven doors and steamers away from you so the steam escapes on the far side.
Turn pot and pan handles inward, away from the edge and walkways.
Call out "hot behind" when you carry anything hot past others.
Dry food before frying and lower it into the oil slowly. Water makes hot oil spatter and boil over.
Do not overfill fryer baskets, and never leave a fryer or hot oil unattended.
Change or filter fryer oil only when it has cooled, following your employer's procedure and wearing the right protective equipment.

If you are burned, get first aid right away, cool the burn under cool running water, and tell your supervisor.

Grease fires and Class K extinguishers

A fire in cooking oil or fat is a Class K fire. Never use water on it: CCOHS says water spreads these fires. Wet chemical extinguishers are designed for cooking oil fires and help stop them from starting again.

Class	What is burning
A	Ordinary materials such as paper, wood, cloth and plastic
B	Flammable liquids, gases, oil and paint
C	Electrical equipment that is switched on
D	Combustible metals
K	Cooking oils and fats

Many commercial kitchens also have a fire suppression system in the hood over the cooking line, with a manual pull station. Learn where it is and when your employer wants you to use it. Never block or disable it.

Using an extinguisher: PASS

Pull the pin.
Aim the extinguisher at the fire.
Squeeze the handle.
Sweep the spray across the fire area until the fire is out. For a fire on the floor, sweep from the edges in.

Keep your escape route behind you, and watch for the fire starting again.

When to get out

Do not fight a fire if you do not know what is burning, do not know which extinguisher to use or how to use it, the fire is spreading beyond where it started, or your instincts tell you to leave. Instead, pull the fire alarm, leave the area and call the fire department (911).

CCOHS says cooks should learn their workplace's fire safety and evacuation procedures, including how to help customers leave, and should never block fire exits or extinguishers.

Practical exercise: fire and burn scenarios

Decide what you would do in each situation, then compare with the model answer.

A new cook is about to put a basket of wet, freshly washed potatoes into the fryer.
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Stop them. Water makes hot oil spatter and can boil over. Dry the potatoes first and lower the basket slowly.
Oil in a fryer catches fire. A coworker grabs a pitcher of water.
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Stop them: water spreads a grease fire. Use the Class K (wet chemical) extinguisher or the hood system's pull station if you are trained, and pull the fire alarm.
You used the extinguisher, but flames are climbing into the hood and spreading.
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Stop fighting it. Pull the alarm, help guests and staff leave, and call 911 from a safe place.
Write a short incident note for a burn.
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Model: "Oct. 14, 7:40 p.m., fryer station. Jordan was splashed on the right forearm when wet fries went into the fryer. First aid given (cool running water), supervisor told at 7:45 p.m." Stick to the facts.

Topic quiz 3: Burns, hot oil and kitchen fires

Lesson 4: Slips, lifting and walk-in coolers

Kitchen floors are often wet, greasy and crowded, and cooks lift heavy pots and boxes all day. CCOHS lists slips, trips and falls, lifting, and extreme temperatures among the hazards for cooks.

Floors and footwear

Housekeeping comes first. CCOHS calls it the first and most important way to prevent slips and trips.
Clean spills right away and mark the wet area so people can see it.
Keep walkways clear of boxes and hoses, and secure loose or curled mats.
Use the installed lights and report burned-out bulbs.
Walk, do not run, and call out when you are coming around a corner.
Wear safety shoes with non-skid soles. No shoe is slip-resistant on every surface, so choose footwear made for wet and oily floors.

Storage and reaching high

Do not overload shelves: CCOHS tells cooks not to exceed shelf capacity. Store heavy items on middle shelves. Use a proper step stool or ladder to reach high shelves, never a crate, bucket or the edge of a shelf.

Lifting and carrying

Plan the lift. Check the weight and size of the load and make sure the path is clear and not slippery.
Get close. Keep the load close to your body and centred.
Bend your knees as needed so you do not bend your back too much.
Lift smoothly, without jerking.
Do not twist. Move your feet to turn.

If a load is too heavy, use a cart or dolly, get help from a coworker, or split it into smaller containers (for example, moving soup from a large stockpot in smaller batches). Take short breaks between lifts.

Walk-in coolers and freezers

Check that the inside door release works. If it does not, tell your supervisor right away.
Keep the floor free of ice, water and loose boxes.
Wear gloves and warm layers in the freezer, and take warm-up breaks.
Let someone know if you will be inside for a long time.

In British Columbia, workers under 18 may not work in confined spaces, but BC's rules make an exception for entering freezers or coolers to place and retrieve items.

Topic quiz 4: Slips, lifting and walk-in coolers

Lesson 5: Chemicals, WHMIS and dishwashing

Kitchens use strong chemicals such as dish machine detergent, oven cleaner, degreaser and sanitizer.

WHMIS basics

WHMIS is the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, Canada's system for hazard information about workplace chemicals. It is aligned with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS). Health Canada is responsible for the supplier rules, and the provinces and territories regulate WHMIS in workplaces. Its main parts are labels, safety data sheets (SDSs) and worker education and training.

Your employer must give you training specific to your workplace and the products you use, even if you learned WHMIS somewhere else.

Labels and pictograms

Supplier labels must be in English and French and show the product name, the supplier, pictograms, a signal word, hazard statements and precautions. "Danger" is used for more severe hazards and "Warning" for less severe ones.

Pictogram	What it warns about	Kitchen example
Corrosion	Severe skin burns or eye damage, or damage to metals	Some dish machine detergents and oven cleaners
Exclamation mark	Less severe hazards such as skin or eye irritation	Some general cleaners
Skull and crossbones	Severe poisoning (acute toxicity)	Rare in kitchens. Ask your supervisor before using any product with this symbol
Flame	Fire hazard	Some aerosol sprays and fuels
Gas cylinder	Gas under pressure	Gas cylinders for drinks

If you pour a product into another container (decanting), that container needs a workplace label unless you use it right away, or only you use it during your shift. Even then, write the product name on it. A spray bottle shared by the whole team needs a full workplace label.

Safety data sheets

Every SDS has 16 sections. Section 4 gives first aid, section 7 safe handling and storage, and section 8 protective equipment. SDSs must be readily available to workers who use the product. Know where they are kept.

Consumer products

Everyday store-bought cleaners do not need WHMIS labels or SDSs, but your employer must still train you to use, store and dispose of them safely. They use their own symbols (corrosive, flammable, poison and explosive container) with the words CAUTION, DANGER or EXTREME DANGER.

Never mix chemicals

Never mix cleaning products. Bleach mixed with ammonia cleaners, or with acids such as vinegar or toilet bowl cleaner, can release gases that harm the eyes and lungs.
Keep products in their original containers, and label any diluted solution.
When diluting, follow the label and add the concentrate to the water, not the other way round.
Work with good ventilation, and wear the gloves and eye protection the label or SDS calls for.

Dishwashing and sanitizing

Food safety law requires dishes, utensils and food-contact surfaces to be properly washed and sanitized. For example, BC's Food Premises Regulation requires food service establishments to have written procedures for cleaning and sanitizing. Follow your workplace's procedure exactly.

By hand: scrape, wash in hot soapy water, rinse, sanitize, then air-dry. Use the sanitizer at the strength and contact time in your procedure, and check it with test strips if your workplace uses them.
Dish machine: check the temperature or sanitizer readings at the start of the shift and as often as your procedure says, and record them. Report readings that are off.
Wear gloves and eye protection when changing chemical containers on the machine.

If a chemical splashes you

Start flushing with water right away. First-aid guidance quoted by CCOHS says to rinse eyes for at least 15 minutes. Remove contaminated clothing, check section 4 of the SDS, and get medical help. Know where the nearest eyewash station is before you need it.

Practical exercise: read the label

Read this made-up supplier label for an oven and grill cleaner, then answer the questions.

Label item	What it says
Product	GrillMaster Heavy Oven and Grill Cleaner
Pictogram	Corrosion
Signal word	Danger
Hazard statement	Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
Precautions	Wear protective gloves and eye protection. Do not breathe spray. Store in original container.
Supplier	Made-up Chemical Co.

What protective equipment do you need?
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Protective gloves and eye protection, as the label says. Check SDS section 8 for the exact type.
What does the signal word "Danger" tell you?
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That this is a more severe hazard. WHMIS uses "Danger" for higher-risk hazards and "Warning" for less severe ones.
A coworker wants to add bleach to make it work faster. What do you say?
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No. Never mix cleaning products: mixtures can release harmful gases or react dangerously.
The cleaner gets in your eye. Where do you look for first aid, and what do you do first?
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Flush your eye with water right away, for at least 15 minutes. SDS section 4 has the first-aid steps. Then get medical help and tell your supervisor.

Topic quiz 5: Chemicals, WHMIS and dishwashing

Key terms

The 16 words and rules to know for this test. Read the list or study them as flashcards: flip each card, then mark it "Know it" or "Still learning".

Right to refuse unsafe work: One of three basic worker rights. Report the refusal to your supervisor; if unresolved, an inspector or WorkSafeBC officer investigates, depending on province.
New worker risk: Young and new workers are especially at risk, and many injuries happen in the first month. Ask about hazards, training and protective equipment.
Minimum kitchen age (Ontario): Workers must be at least 15 to work in an Ontario restaurant kitchen and 14 in the serving area.
72-hour injury report (BC): BC employers must report a worker's injury to WorkSafeBC within 72 hours of learning about it.
Knife safety: Keep blades sharp, cut away from your body, never catch a falling knife, and never leave one in soapy water.
Knife behind: A call-out used while carrying a knife point down at your side past coworkers. "Hot behind" does the same for hot items.
Machine guards: Covers that keep hands away from blades and moving parts. Never use a machine with a missing guard; take it out of service and report it.
Lockout: Placing a lock and tag on a machine's energy-isolating device so it reaches a zero-energy state before cleaning, clearing jams or repairs.
Hot oil safety: Dry food before frying and lower it slowly, since water makes oil spatter. Never leave a fryer or hot oil unattended.
Class K fire: A fire in cooking oils or fats. Never use water, which spreads it; use a wet chemical extinguisher or the hood system.
Hood suppression system: A fire system in the hood above the cooking line, with a manual pull station. Learn where it is and never block it.
PASS: Extinguisher steps: Pull the pin, Aim at the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep across the fire area until it is out.
Safe lifting: Plan the lift, keep the load close and centred, bend your knees, lift smoothly and move your feet instead of twisting.
Walk-in cooler safety: Check the inside door release works, keep the floor free of ice and boxes, wear warm layers and tell someone if staying in long.
Decanting: Pouring a product into another container. A shared spray bottle needs a full workplace label; even short-term use needs the product name.
Sanitizing dishes: Scrape, wash, rinse, sanitize and air-dry, using sanitizer at the strength and contact time your procedure sets and checking machine readings.

Kitchen Safety Course for Cooks and Dishwashers: Lessons 2026