It’s a gas consumed by millions every day.  Plants need it for survival. In fact we exhale it with every breath we take.  Virtually every restaurant uses Carbon Dioxide (CO(2)) in bulk form to put the fizz in soft drinks.  It’s used as an important ingredient in certain fire extinguishers.  Carbon dioxide is a heavy gas and displaces oxygen, settling at the lowest levels.  It is odorless, colorless, and cannot be detected by human senses.   Exposure can lead to dizziness, unconsciousness, even death.

I first noticed the unmistakable sound of a mop bucket being pushed across a tile floor.  I glanced over at the shift manager as he rolled the bucket of hot sudsy water toward the doors.  It was mid morning and I was sitting in a regional bagel chain store.  The morning rush was over and the employees were cleaning up, restocking and taking a breath.   The industrious shift manager stopped in the hallway between the entrance doors, withdrew the mop from the sudsy bucket, held it out, and slopped the sudsy water over the tile floor.  He then repeated the procedure all the way down the corridor, the sudsy water splashing in every direction.  At one point he actually tipped the bucket to get even more water on the floor.

The restaurant environment is highly prone to accident and injury, particularly Quick Service and Fast Casual as crew members attend to their tasks, maneuvering around the frenetic kitchen. Boiling water, extremely hot oil, sharp knives and graders, heavy boxes, caustic chemicals, and slippery wet floors all present hazardous conditions. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been developed to protect against injury and have been around the workplace for a very long time. We know that the medieval knights wore suits of armor to protect them from injury. While the iron suits may be a bit clumsy in the restaurant environment, there is protective equipment readily available. In fact, providing employees with protective equipment and making sure they are compliant in using them is a requirement according to OSHA.

An employee of a fast food (QSR) or Fast Casual restaurant walks across the kitchen floor slips on a wet, greasy tile floor and falls. He or she gets up and brushes debris from their clothes and go back to work. A few minutes later another employee slips on the same wet or greasy tile floor. He or she hits their head on the edge of the sink on the way down, a knee twists awkwardly and ligaments snap. Within minutes emergency services rushes the employee to the hospital.

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

A headline in this week’s St. Pete Times sports section stated “The Times Forum floor is deemed too slick as officials cancel Magic-Heat game in Tampa.”  The NBA pre-season basketball game was canceled 30 minutes before game time because “playing conditions were not commensurate with NBA standards … While some felt the court was indeed playable, our sole focus was player safety and leaving nothing to risk.” 

The slip and fall claims for the fast food (QSR) restaurant had increased dramatically for both employees and customers.  The quarry tiles were in good condition and according to the management they were cleaned regularly and according to procedures.  My inspection of the tile surfaces did not show neglect or poor cleaning procedures usually indicated by a glossy sheen or greasy feel.  But when water was placed to the tiles they were indeed slippery.  So, what was going on?