A heuristic outlook on the occupational accidents of food & beverage staff in hotels

The labor-intensive structure, 24/7 service availability, diversity of departments including kitchens, housekeeping, and technical services, the high labor turnover ratios, along with the long working hours and shift systems inherent in accommodation establishments all play a role in the occurrence of occupational accidents (OA). Fundamental reasons underlying OA are unsafe behavior and unsafe working conditions. This study analyzes with a qualitative method the OA that occur in the food & beverage (F&B) service department of accommodation establishments from the viewpoint of employees. The study concludes that the majority of these accidents are not high risk, and generally result from unsafe conditions. Occupational safety and health (OSH) training is one of the most effective methods of preventing OA. Data collected from interviews revealed that OSH training of employees provided by the accommodation establishments involved in this study is inadequate. Apart from regularly scheduled training, establishments need to take measures to ease the pressure on employees during rush hours and should also reduce and eliminate potential environmental risks.