Restaurant Risk Assessment Template

Typical hazards & measures

• Kitchen fire prevention — Clean hoods, baffles, and ductwork to TR19 or insurer frequency; remove grease daily from filters and splash zones. Never leave ranges unattended; maintain suppression, alarms and emergency lighting. Keep correct extinguishers and blankets at points of use and drill shutdown/evacuation quarterly.
• Cross-contamination of food — Separate raw and ready-to-eat foods with designated storage, colour-coded chopping boards, and dedicated utensils. Train staff in handwashing between tasks, sanitise worktops after raw prep, and store raw meat below other foods in fridges. Monitor practices with daily HACCP checks.
• Hot surfaces and steam — Fit heat-resistant guards and lids, maintain thermostats, and use long gauntlets and face protection for oven, grill and steamer work. Open ovens away from the body, purge steam before lifting lids, and stage hot passes to avoid crowding. Brief and refresh burn-first-aid monthly.
• Ventilation and heat stress — Provide effective canopy extraction and tempered make-up air; verify airflow and capture at source. Rotate staff off hot stations, schedule extra breaks and hydration, and insulate hot pipes. Monitor kitchen WBGT/temperature, record measures on heat alerts, and brief heat-illness signs.
• Knife handling and sharp tools — Issue task-appropriate knives, keep them sharp, and provide magnetic racks or sheaths—never drawers. Teach the claw grip, cut on stable boards, and carry blades point-down announcing ‘behind’. Ban glass scrapers; use cut-resistant gloves for de-boning and bin damaged blades immediately.