Some employers see uniforms as an expensive waste, but they are a necessity to not only create a professional image, but also to help make a safe working environment for employees, and kitchens are no different. If you are in the catering industry, then this is something that you need to pay attention to, and you can get plenty of information about what is required from the local government website and various resources online. Here are some of the things that you need to look at when choosing a uniform for your kitchen.
A High-Quality Chef Jacket
A chef’s jacket is a recognisable sight that we are all familiar with; and although they do come in a variety of colours, by far the most common one is white. You will usually find that the jacket is double breasted to help protect the wearer from any spills of hot liquids. The sleeves are also long and baggy to help protect from spillages and also steam which is common in a kitchen. It is always worthwhile purchasing high-quality chef clothing from Be Smart Clothing, or other such suppliers, as uniforms in a kitchen take a lot of abuse, so you will want them to last for as long as possible.
Caps, Hats, And Hairnets
It is also a common sight for kitchen workers to wear headgear, and this is not to protect them, but to make sure that they keep hair from contaminating the food. At the very least, a kitchen worker preparing food should be wearing a hairnet, and hair should be tied back and not be kept loose on the head.
An Additional Barrier With An Apron
As well as wearing a chef jacket, you should also have kitchen workers wearing aprons, and these can be changed more than once a day. An apron will give you an additional barrier against anything that is spilt and offers an extra layer of protection on top of your jacket.
A Comfortable Pair Of Shoes
Kitchen workers will often spend most of their day rushing about on their feet, so it is important that they have a pair of shoes that not only offers protection but are also comfortable to wear. Shoes should be slip resistant to help prevent accidents from spillages in the kitchen, and they should also protect falling objects, including kitchen knives.
Protecting Your Hands
It is also important to make sure that we help to protect the hands of kitchen workers and this can come in a few different forms.
- Cut Resistant Gloves– Good for when cutting very hard produce as well as training people on how to use sharp kitchen knives.
- Oven Gloves– When you take something out of a hot oven, it is also going to be hot! Make sure that you have good quality oven gloves that are also fire resistant to help protect workers hands in the kitchen.
- Vinyl Gloves– These are commonly blue and help protect hands when dealing with potentially irritating foodstuff such as chillies.
When you create a safe working environment, you will also see an increase in happiness in the workplace, and when workers are happy they are more productive. You not only get to adhere to the law and create a professional and safe working environment, you also get to streamline your operation and make it more cost-effective!
