Section 7 · Lesson 7.1
Typical injuries in catering and service
The work environment in HoReCa combines extreme temperatures, sharp machines and constant rush. In the event of an accident, the first minutes (and sometimes seconds) determine how long the victim will recover. See how to properly provide pre-medical first aid for typical industry injuries.
Thermal (oil, steam) and chemical burns
Burns with hot oil (deep fryers) or a blast of steam (combi steamers, dishwashers) are some of the most painful injuries in the kitchen. Oil has a much higher boiling point than water and sticks firmly to the skin, causing deep tissue damage.
- Cooling time and method: The burned area should be immediately placed under a stream of lukewarm (not ice-cold!) running water and cooled for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Cooling stops the process of destroying deeper layers of the skin.
- Clothing: If hot liquid has soaked into clothing, remove or cut it open as soon as possible. WARNING: If the clothing has stuck/melted to the skin, absolutely do not tear it off! Cool through the material.
- Dressing: After cooling, apply a sterile hydrogel dressing (which should be in every kitchen first aid kit) or sterile gauze. Never pop blisters or smear the wound with fat, butter, or yogurt!
- Chemical burns: In case of splashing with strong chemicals (e.g., dishwasher liquid, descaler), immediately take off the soaked clothing and rinse the skin under running water for a minimum of 20 minutes to completely wash away the corrosive substance.
Mechanical injuries: cuts, bleeding, and fingertip amputations
In a rush, it is easy to get a deep cut with a chef’s knife or slip a hand onto a meat slicer blade. Due to the strong blood supply to the hands, these wounds bleed profusely.
- Stopping bleeding: The basic method is direct pressure on the wound. Apply a thick layer of sterile gauze to the wound and press firmly. Elevate the injured limb above the level of the heart – this will naturally reduce pressure and bleeding. If the dressing soaks through, do not remove it! Put another layer of gauze on top and press with an elastic bandage.
- Fingertip amputation (slicer): Secure the stump with a strong pressure dressing. What to do with the severed fragment? Wrap it in sterile, dry gauze and put it in a tight plastic bag (ziploc). Put this bag into a second container (or a larger bag) filled with ice water. Never place the severed finger directly on ice or in water! (This will cause irreversible frostbite and tissue destruction, preventing replantation).
Musculoskeletal injuries (bruises and sprains)
Slips on a greasy kitchen floor often end in painful ankle sprains or hip bruises. First aid in such cases is based on the PRICE principle:
- P (Protection): Secure the victim, stop their work.
- R (Rest): Forbid the victim from walking and putting weight on the painful limb. Sit them down or lay them down.
- I (Ice): Apply a cold compress to the injury (ice wrapped in a cloth, cold-pack). Cooling constricts blood vessels, reducing pain and swelling. Cool intermittently (e.g., 15 mins of cooling, 15 mins break).
- C (Compression): Lightly wrap the joint with an elastic bandage to stabilize it.
- E (Elevation): Elevate the injured limb above the heart level to prevent swelling from increasing.
Fainting due to overheating and poor ventilation
Working in the hood dishwasher area (humidity reaching 100%) or near hot ovens (air temperature exceeding 40°C) places a very heavy burden on the circulatory system. Combined with stress and a lack of proper hydration, this often leads to sudden fainting (short-term loss of consciousness due to brain hypoxia).
- Safe fall: If you see a co-worker turning pale and weak, try to catch and secure them while they slide to the floor, protecting their head from hitting hard tiles.
- Anti-shock position: Lay the employee on their back on the floor and raise their legs (e.g., resting them on an inverted box or holding them up). Blood from the legs will flow to the brain, speeding up the recovery of consciousness.
- Air supply: Loosen the employee’s tight collar, tie, or apron. Ensure a supply of fresh air (open the door to the back room). After they regain consciousness, do not let them get up abruptly!
Electric shocks
Industrial catering equipment powered by three-phase electricity, operating in the wet environment of a kitchen, is a deadly hazard in the event of an insulation failure (so-called breakdown to the casing).
- RULE NO. 1: Take care of your own safety. If a co-worker is electrocuted and their body remains in contact with a live device (e.g., a hand convulsively clenched on a live metal counter) – YOU MUST NOT TOUCH THEM WITH YOUR BARE HANDS! If you do, the electricity will transfer to you.
- Cutting off the power: The first step must be to cut off the electricity. Unplug it from the socket (using an insulator, e.g., a wooden broom handle, not your bare hand!), turn off the main power switch in the kitchen (often a red mushroom button by the exit) or turn off the fuses on the switchboard.
- First aid: Only after the power is completely cut off (or the victim is safely moved away using, e.g., a dry wooden mop stick) can you proceed to check vital signs (breathing, consciousness) and possibly call an ambulance (112) and start CPR if cardiac arrest has occurred.
Question 1 — Traumatic amputation
While slicing on a slicer, an employee accidentally cut off his fingertip. The hand is bleeding heavily. After calling an ambulance, how should you handle the amputated finger fragment?
Question 2 — Handling fainting
A kitchen helper working at a sterilizer, in a zone of very high humidity and heat, suddenly turns pale, says she feels faint and slumps to the floor, losing consciousness for a moment. How do you provide first aid?