This Kitchen Operations Risk Assessment/JSA (Job Safety Analysis) is pre-filled for the day-to-day work in a commercial kitchen, from food preparation and cooking to cleaning and cool room entry. It covers 16 activities, from the daily pre-start meeting to gas appliances and emergency response, with the hazards, control measures and risk ratings before and after controls for each. It's written by WHS specialists, aligned to Australian WHS legislation, and fully editable in Microsoft Word.
 
Who it's for
Restaurants, cafes and takeaway shops
Commercial kitchens and catering businesses
Pubs, clubs and hotels
School canteens and event caterers
A risk assessment, also called a JSA, JSEA or task risk assessment, records the hazards of a task and how you control them. If the task is part of high risk construction work, the law requires a SWMS for that work, so use our Kitchen Operations SWMS instead.
 
Use it to
Show clients, insurers and auditors how you manage the risks
Apply for tenders, contracts and supplier panels
Get through prequalification with Avetta, Cm3 and other contractor portals
Induct new workers and train them in the task
 
What this risk assessment covers
Daily pre-start meeting to share new or changing hazards
Knife handling and cuts, including keeping knives sharp
Manual handling of heavy or bulky items
Burns and scalds from steam, hot water, hot oil and hot surfaces
Food handling, hygiene and skin damage from frequent hand washing
Bleach and cleaning chemicals, including skin and eye damage
Electrical safety for appliances, portable equipment and leads
Using urns, toasters, sandwich makers and microwaves
Housekeeping, waste and pest control
Entering a cool room or freezer, including entrapment, cold injury and refrigerant leaks
Gas appliances, gas leaks, carbon monoxide and flashback when lighting burners
Emergency response to burns, cuts, chemical exposure, electrical faults or fire
 
What's included
Hazards and control measures for 16 work activities
Risk ratings before and after controls, with a 5x5 risk matrix and the hierarchy of controls
PPE requirements checklist
Plant and equipment list, from knives and urns to dishwashers and mixers, plus the cleaning chemicals used
Daily pre-start checks, electrical testing and the induction and equipment training each worker needs
Site specific hazards section for anything unique to your job
Further controls action plan to track anything still to be done
Worker sign-off sheet and worker consultation record
 
Why use this template
Saves hours compared with writing a risk assessment from a blank page
Covers the most common hazards and control measures for this work, ready to use out of the box
Fully editable, so you can add, remove or change anything to suit your workplace and how your team works
Helps your business stay compliant, with risk ratings, an action plan, worker sign-off and consultation records already set up
Comes with a step-by-step implementation guide
 
How it works
Buy online and download straight away. You'll also get an email with your link.
Add your logo, ABN, area and site details.
Check it suits your workplace and task, edit anything you need to, and consult your workers before you finalise it.
Brief your team and collect signatures.
 
Common questions
Do I need a SWMS or a risk assessment for kitchen operations?
No. Kitchen work isn't high risk construction work, so a SWMS isn't a legal requirement. You still have to manage the risks, like burns from hot oil and steam or a gas leak, and a risk assessment or JSA is a practical way to record how. Clients, insurers and prequalification portals often ask for one.
Does it cover cool rooms and freezers?
Yes. It covers being trapped inside a cool room or freezer, cold injury from extended exposure, slips on ice or wet floors at the doorway, and oxygen displacement from a refrigerant leak.
Can I change it?
Yes. It's a Microsoft Word file, so you can add, remove or change any hazard, control or rating, and add your own logo and details.
Does it suit my state?
Yes. It's written to the model WHS laws and suits all states and territories, including Victoria under the OHS Act and Regulations.
What if it doesn't suit my work?
You're covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee if it isn't fit for purpose.