How to Do a Kitchen Risk Assessment in Hospitality

Date modified: 1st June 2025 | This article was written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones. You can email Liam directly; he reads every email. Alternatively, book a demo to see how hospitality businesses use Pilla to manage health and safety.

Understanding What's Required of You

A kitchen risk assessment identifies the hazards in your kitchen, who could be harmed, and what controls you have in place to manage those risks. It's not a one-off exercise. It's a living document that should be reviewed regularly and updated whenever something changes, whether that's new equipment, a change of layout, or an incident.

In the UK, risk assessments are a legal requirement under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. If you employ five or more people, you must record your findings. But regardless of where you operate or how many staff you have, carrying out a kitchen risk assessment is good practice. Kitchens are high-risk environments by nature, and documenting your hazards and controls is the foundation of keeping your team safe.

Kitchens need their own dedicated risk assessment because the hazards are specific: hot surfaces, sharp tools, heavy lifting, gas and electrical equipment, wet floors, and constant movement under pressure. A general site risk assessment won't cover this level of detail. Every part of a business has different risks, and kitchens need focused attention.

The person best placed to complete the assessment is someone who knows the kitchen well, usually the Head Chef or Kitchen Manager. They understand the layout, the equipment, the daily routines, and the real risks their team faces. Set a reminder to review it at least once a year, or sooner if you add new equipment, change the layout, have an incident, or bring in inexperienced staff.

If you also need to assess front of house risks, check out our article on doing a front of house restaurant risk assessment.

Carry It Out as a Work Activity in Pilla

Pilla has a pre-built kitchen risk assessment template covering the 11 key hazard areas below. The template gives you a structured starting point, but depending on how your kitchen operates, you may need to add extra items to cover all your specific hazards.

When you create the work activity, give it a tag (e.g. "Kitchen Risk Assessment"). Tags make it easy to find and filter later, and they're also what Poppi uses to track completion across different risk assessment types in automated reports.

You have two options for how to set it up. You can create it as a one-off work form using the template, complete it, and then manually create a new one when it's due for review. Or you can set it up as a recurring yearly work schedule, in which case Pilla will create the risk assessment now and automatically create a new one in a year's time. Either approach works. Choose whichever fits how your business operates.

1. Slips, Trips and Falls

Who might be harmed and how: List the staff roles who work in the kitchen and could slip, trip, or fall, and describe how they could be harmed. Kitchens are high-risk environments for this. Wet floors from spills, washing, and condensation combine with fast-paced movement and carrying heavy or hot items. Falls can result in burns, cuts, and serious injuries when staff land on or near dangerous equipment.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place to manage slips, trips and falls, and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about flooring, spillage procedures, drainage, footwear, lighting, and how walkways are kept clear.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "Head Chef, Sous Chef, Commis Chefs, and Kitchen Porters are at risk from slips on wet floors, trips over cables or equipment, and falls on greasy surfaces."

Controls: "We currently have non-slip flooring, immediate spillage clean-up procedures, drainage channels near wash areas, and anti-fatigue mats at key stations. Staff are briefed during induction on keeping walkways clear and cleaning as they go."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"The floor gets mopped at the end of the shift." — End-of-shift cleaning doesn't address mid-service spills. Implement clean-as-you-go procedures.

"Everyone knows to be careful." — Careful behaviour doesn't remove hazards. Provide non-slip surfaces, proper drainage, and clear walkways.

2. Manual Handling

Who might be harmed and how: List the staff roles who lift, carry, push, or pull heavy items in your kitchen and describe how they could be harmed. Kitchen staff regularly handle stock deliveries, large pots, trays of food, and equipment. Poor lifting technique combined with rushing during service leads to back injuries, muscle strains, and long-term health problems.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place to manage manual handling risks and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about training, equipment (trolleys, sack trucks), storage height, two-person lift policies, and how loads are assessed before lifting.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "All kitchen staff are at risk from back injuries and muscle strains when receiving deliveries, moving large pots, lifting trays, and restocking walk-in fridges."

Controls: "We provide manual handling training during induction, use trolleys and sack trucks for heavy items, store heavy stock at waist height, and encourage two-person lifts for large items. Staff are trained to assess loads before lifting."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"Chefs are strong enough to handle it." — Strength doesn't prevent injury. Technique and equipment matter more.

"We don't have room for trolleys." — Find space or adjust storage. The cost of equipment is less than the cost of injury.

3. Contact with Steam, Hot Water, Oil and Surfaces

Who might be harmed and how: List the staff roles who work near hot equipment and describe how they could be harmed. Burns and scalds are common kitchen injuries. Steam from ovens and steamers, hot oil from fryers, boiling water from pans, and hot surfaces throughout the kitchen all present serious risks. These injuries can be severe and may require hospital treatment.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about PPE (heat-resistant gloves, aprons), warning signs on hot equipment, training on safe use of fryers and steamers, communication protocols ('hot behind', 'coming through'), and burns kit availability.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "All kitchen staff are at risk of burns and scalds from contact with steam, hot oil, boiling water, and hot surfaces."

Controls: "We provide heat-resistant gloves and aprons, display warning signs on hot equipment, train staff on safe use of fryers and steamers, and maintain clear communication ('hot behind', 'coming through'). Burns kits are located at the first aid station and in the kitchen."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"Staff know what's hot." — New staff and busy periods lead to mistakes. Use warning signs and clear procedures.

"Burns are just part of kitchen work." — Preventable burns indicate poor controls. Review and improve your measures.

4. Knives

Who might be harmed and how: List the staff roles who use knives and sharp tools and describe how they could be harmed. Knife injuries are one of the most common kitchen accidents. Cuts can range from minor to severe, and poor knife practices cause most injuries. Dull knives are more dangerous than sharp ones because they require more force and are more likely to slip.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about knife skills training, sharpening schedules, storage systems, cut-resistant gloves for high-risk tasks, and first aid availability.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "All kitchen staff who use knives, including Head Chef, Sous Chef, Commis Chefs, and prep staff, are at risk of cuts ranging from minor to severe."

Controls: "We provide knife skills training during induction and refresher training annually. Knives are sharpened weekly by a designated person and stored in magnetic racks. Cut-resistant gloves are available for high-risk tasks. Blue plasters and first aid supplies are readily accessible."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"Chefs bring their own knives." — You're still responsible for training and safe storage systems.

"Knives are sharpened when they get dull." — Reactive sharpening is too late. Schedule regular maintenance.

5. Food Handling

Who might be harmed and how: List the staff roles who handle food and describe how they could be harmed. This hazard is about the risks to staff, not to customers eating the food. Frequent hand washing can cause skin damage, and contact with certain ingredients (fish, shellfish, flour, citrus) can trigger allergies. These conditions worsen over time if not managed.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about emollient hand cream, skin checks, rotation of staff away from allergen exposure, and how staff are encouraged to report skin changes early.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "All kitchen staff who handle food are at risk of skin problems from frequent handwashing and contact with allergens."

Controls: "We provide emollient hand cream and encourage regular use, conduct skin checks during return-to-work meetings, and rotate staff away from allergen exposure if symptoms develop. Staff are trained to report skin changes early."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"Handwashing is a food safety issue, not a staff issue." — It's both. Protect staff from the skin damage caused by frequent wet work.

"Staff would tell us if they had problems." — Many don't. Conduct regular skin checks and create a culture of early reporting.

6. Contact with Chemicals

Who might be harmed and how: List the staff roles who use cleaning chemicals and other hazardous substances and describe how they could be harmed. This could be all staff. Prolonged contact with water and detergents can cause skin damage. Direct contact with bleach and other cleaning products risks skin irritation or eye damage. Vapour may cause breathing problems. COSHH regulations require you to assess and control these risks.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about COSHH data sheets, training on safe use, PPE (gloves, eye protection, aprons), labelling, secure storage of stronger chemicals, and who is authorised to use them.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "All kitchen staff, particularly Kitchen Porters who do deep cleaning, are at risk from chemical exposure including skin irritation, eye damage, and breathing problems."

Controls: "We maintain COSHH data sheets for all products, provide training on safe use during induction, supply appropriate PPE (gloves, eye protection, aprons), and use clearly labelled spray bottles. Stronger chemicals are stored securely and only used by trained staff."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"We use the same products everywhere." — Different areas need different products. Kitchen-grade chemicals need specific controls.

"The bottles have instructions on them." — Staff need formal training. Labels aren't sufficient for chemical safety.

7. Gas

Who might be harmed and how: List the staff roles who use gas-powered equipment and describe how they could be harmed. Staff and customers could suffer serious or fatal injuries as a result of explosion or release of gas. Gas also poses risks of carbon monoxide poisoning. Most kitchen gas incidents result from poor maintenance, faulty equipment, or staff not recognising warning signs.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about servicing schedules, Gas Safe registered engineers, staff training on recognising leaks, emergency shut-off locations, and ventilation.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "Head Chef, Sous Chef, and Commis Chefs use gas-powered equipment including ranges, ovens, and griddles. Staff and customers could suffer serious injury from explosion or gas release."

Controls: "Gas appliances are serviced annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Staff are trained to recognise the smell of gas and what to do if a leak is suspected, which is to turn off the supply, ventilate, evacuate, and call for help. Emergency shut-off locations are clearly marked and known to all staff."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"The gas company checks it." — You're responsible for arranging regular servicing. Annual Gas Safe inspection is the minimum.

"We'd smell a leak." — Not always. Train staff on all warning signs including pilot light failure and unusual flames.

8. Electrical

Who might be harmed and how: List the staff roles who use electrical equipment and describe how they could be harmed. Staff could suffer serious or fatal injuries as a result of electric shock. Kitchens combine water with electrical equipment, which increases the risk significantly. Frayed cables, faulty plugs, and lack of testing are common causes.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about PAT testing schedules, fixed wiring inspections, staff training on checking cables before use, fault reporting procedures, isolation and labelling of faulty equipment, and RCD protection near water sources.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "All kitchen staff use electrical equipment including ovens, fridges, mixers, slicers, and dishwashers. Staff could suffer electric shock, particularly where water is present near equipment."

Controls: "Equipment is PAT tested annually and fixed wiring is inspected every five years. Staff are trained to check cables before use and report any damage immediately. Faulty equipment is isolated and labelled 'Do Not Use' until repaired. RCDs protect circuits near water sources."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"It's commercial-grade equipment." — Commercial equipment still needs regular testing and inspection.

"We tape up damaged cables." — Temporary repairs aren't acceptable. Replace damaged cables immediately.

9. Fire

Who might be harmed and how: All persons in the premises will be affected if fire were to break out. Kitchens are high fire risk areas. Cooking oil, open flames, hot equipment, and gas all create ignition sources. Fat build-up in extraction systems is a common cause of serious kitchen fires. Fire in a commercial kitchen can spread rapidly and endanger everyone on the premises.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about fire risk assessment reviews, extraction hood cleaning schedules, fire blankets and extinguishers, suppression systems, fire safety training, evacuation routes, and drill frequency.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "All staff and customers are at risk if a fire breaks out. The kitchen has multiple ignition sources including gas ranges, fryers, and electrical equipment."

Controls: "The kitchen has a fire risk assessment reviewed annually, extraction hoods cleaned according to schedule, fire blankets and CO2 extinguishers located at key points, and an automatic suppression system above the fryers. All staff receive fire safety training during induction, know evacuation routes, and practice drills twice yearly."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"We've never had a fire." — Kitchen fires can start and spread in seconds. Prevention and preparation are essential.

"The extraction is cleaned when it looks dirty." — Schedule professional cleaning based on use, not appearance. Grease build-up is often hidden.

10. Equipment

Who might be harmed and how: List the staff roles who use kitchen equipment and machinery and describe how they could be harmed. Commercial kitchen equipment includes many hazards: moving parts on mixers and slicers, hot surfaces on ovens and grills, sharp blades, and pressurised systems. Staff can suffer serious injuries if not properly trained or if equipment isn't maintained.

What controls are in place: Describe the measures you currently have in place and any additional actions you plan to take. Think about SOPs for each piece of equipment, training and sign-off procedures, maintenance schedules, guards and safety features, and how you prevent bypassing of safety controls during busy service.

What good answers look like:

Who and how: "All kitchen staff use equipment including mixers, slicers, ovens, fryers, and dishwashers. Staff could suffer cuts, burns, or crush injuries from moving parts, hot surfaces, and sharp blades."

Controls: "Each piece of equipment has a designated SOP. Staff receive equipment training during induction and are signed off before using high-risk items like slicers. Equipment is maintained according to manufacturer schedules. Guards and safety features are checked before each use and never bypassed."

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"Everyone's used this stuff before." — Don't assume competence. Provide and document training for each piece of equipment.

"The guard slows us down during service." — Safety features exist for a reason. Never bypass guards.

11. Extra Hazards

Apart from the 10 hazards identified above, are there any further hazards which are not already documented that you would like to add to this assessment? Every kitchen is different — you may have specific hazards that need addressing.

Why it matters:

The 10 hazards above cover the most common kitchen risks, but your kitchen may have specific hazards not listed. This section ensures nothing is missed.

What good answers look like:

"Additional hazard: Walk-in freezer. Staff could become trapped inside or suffer cold-related illness. Current controls: Internal release mechanism tested monthly, time limits for work in freezer, buddy system for extended freezer work, warm clothing provided. No incidents to date."

"Additional hazard: Carbon dioxide from beer gas system. Staff could be at risk of asphyxiation if leak occurs in confined space. Current controls: CO2 sensors installed, staff trained on warning signs, area ventilated, gas system maintained annually."

How to answer this for yourself:

• Walk through your kitchen — are there any hazards not covered above?
• Have there been any near-misses or incidents that don't fit the categories?
• Are there any temporary hazards (building work, new equipment, seasonal changes)?

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them):

"There are no other hazards." — Every kitchen has something unique. Take time to identify it.

"We'll add it if something happens." — Risk assessments are proactive. Identify hazards before incidents occur.

Automate the Follow-Up with Poppi

Completing a risk assessment is one thing. Knowing whether it's still current is another. In practice, risk assessments get done once and then forgotten about until someone asks for them, usually during an audit or after an incident. The problem isn't that people don't care. It's that there's no system reminding anyone to check.

Once your kitchen risk assessment is set up as a work activity in Pilla, you can use Poppi Actions to set up a scheduled report that tells you when it was last completed. The report also shows how many incomplete instances exist since the last completion, so you can see at a glance whether something was assigned but never finished.

You can set this up to cover multiple risk assessment types in a single rule. So rather than creating a separate automation for your kitchen risk assessment, fire risk assessment, and manual handling risk assessment, you tag each one and include all the tags in one rule. Poppi sends the report on whatever schedule you choose, whether that's monthly, quarterly, or at whatever interval makes sense for your business.

Poppi

Kitchen Risk Assessment: last completed 15 Sep 2025 (6 months ago) Fire Risk Assessment: last completed 20 Nov 2024 (16 months ago), 2 incomplete since then

Review freshness report

Track when tagged work items were last completed and flag any that are overdue for review. Useful for risk assessments and audits that need regular updates.

Trigger

Condition

Action

Recipient

Poppi

Kitchen Risk Assessment: last completed 15 Sep 2025 (6 months ago) Fire Risk Assessment: last completed 20 Nov 2024 (16 months ago), 2 incomplete since then

The best time to set this up is right after you've created your risk assessment templates and assigned them for the first time. That way the tracking starts from day one and you never have to wonder whether something has slipped.