HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICES OF EMPLOYEES IN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT KITCHENS IN ACCRA

Abstract

This study assessed employees' health and safety practices in selected hotel and restaurant kitchens in Accra, Ghana. A cross-sectional design was used. Data were collected through structured interviews with 320 kitchen staff and unstructured observations of staff practices between June and August 2021. The data were analysed using the chi-square test of independence. The study found that kitchen staff at hotels and restaurants in Accra primarily used personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure their health and safety. However, the PPEs used were inappropriate, and there were lapses in the execution of staff roles as stipulated in the Occupational Safety and Health Convention (No. 155) and the Ghana Labour Act (Act 651). It was also established that demographic factors such as sex, educational level, and positions held within hotel and restaurant kitchens significantly influenced all health and safety practices undertaken by staff, including updating knowledge and skills, use of PPE, reporting hazards/accidents, and adhering to established instructions/procedures carried out by the staff. It is recommended that the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Ghana Fire Service continue to sensitize hotel and restaurant staff and to ensure that managers supervise and enforce adherence to health and safety measures.