It’s simple. As a restaurant, it’s important that you take care of your employees and your customers. If missing one, the other, or both, you can’t function as a profitable restaurant. Having a Restaurant Safety Program in place helps ensure that they (and your interests) are protected. As the Endorsed P&C Restaurant Insurance Provider for the Washington Restaurant Association, we believe it’s important to equip you with all the tools possible to prevent accidents and losses.

We both have the same goal – to ensure your success as a business – and eliminating risks and minimizing your danger exposures is a large part of that. Thus, we’ve created a complimentary checklist to help ensure the safety of your customers, reduce your risks and liabilities, and improve the livelihood of your employees and yourself. Our free checklist is a guide to help you see where there may be dangerous exposures. The formula is simple: Reducing your hazards and liabilities reduces your costs – and often, increases your profits. Our checklist is not a complete Restaurant Safety Program, but may help you hone in on where your energies should start to be focused with your business.

A Solid Restaurant Safety Program:

• Reduces accidents and injuries
• Reduces your risks, liabilities, and exposures
• Lowers insurance costs
• Improves productivity and morale
• Reduces operating costs
• Increases quality and customer satisfaction

A vital part of loss prevention is the recognition and correction of unsafe activities or conditions before a loss occurs. This checklist provides you with a tool to identify areas that might need attention. A “NO” response to any question indicates corrective action may be necessary. Use this list on a quarterly basis to continually improve your business, management, staff, and to catch slippages in any areas. With a little persistence and follow through, this list will help ensure your business stays on top of it – and grows. Due to space limitations, this complimentary list will only be available online.

CLICK TO GET RESTAURANT SAFETY INSPECTION CHECKLIST.

STORAGE / COLD STORAGE / REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT

1. Stock properly and securely stacked; stored on racks, shelves or pallets (light items on top, to avoid toppling)?
2. Good housekeeping maintained, aisles clear, storage room orderly, floors free of debris, storage has proper clearances from hot-water heater and sprinklers?
3. Shelving and racks secured to avoid tipping, ladder is secured, and all in good condition?
4. Refrigeration and air-conditioning compressors clean, well ventilated, kept clear of combustibles?
5. Refrigeration system regularly serviced?
6. Walk-in cooler and freezer doors provided with operable interior-release mechanisms in good repair, and an alarm system?

   Sample questions from Restaurant Self-Inspection Checklist

   By taking these steps, you are committing to becoming a better manager and restaurateur, and committing to the success of your restaurant. If you want to create a more comprehensive Restaurant Safety Program, several of our insurance carriers have tools available to clients that help you build a program tailored to your restaurant’s needs.

   For more information on building a program, or for a restaurant insurance quote, please contact: Scott Balcos Balcos Insurance, inc. (877) 354-3654 Get a Restaurant Insurance Quote