You are auditing a site of Good Food Shack, a restaurant chain. In the kitchen area, you notice a half-filled open drum sitting in a pool of liquid, which is dribbling across a work area. You ask the head Chef what is in the drum and are told it is waste the frying process. When you ask why it is kept there, You are told that it is not normally kept there, but it not a problem and says that he will arrange it to be moved to a storeroom and will give the floor a good clean.

You are auditing a site of Good Food Shack, a restaurant chain. In the kitchen area, you notice a half-filled open drum sitting in a pool of liquid, which is dribbling across a work area. You ask the head Chef what is in the drum and are told it is waste the frying process. When you ask why it is kept there, You are told that it is not normally kept there, but it not a problem and says that he will arrange it to be moved to a storeroom and will give the floor a good clean.

Look around the kitchen, you observe knives and cleavers lying around on worktops, staff wearing no protective gloves and a large pot of boiling water with nobody near it. There is no evidence of any fire extinguishers of fine blankets within sight.

You decide to raise a nonconformance. Select one of the options that best describes the finding against clause 8.1.2 of ISO 45001.

A. Failure to reduce risks associated with working in the kitchen.

B. Measures to prevent slippage in the kitchen from waste cooking oil were not taken.

C. Staff are at risk of serious injury while working in the kitchen.

D. Training of the kitchen staff was not effective enough to prevent poor safety awareness in the kitchen area.

View Answer

Answer: A

Explanation:

Comprehensive Detailed Explanation along with All ISO 45001 Audit Reference

Clause 8.1.2 of ISO 45001 pertains to Eliminating Hazards and Reducing OH&S Risks. Organizations must implement appropriate controls to manage workplace hazards effectively.

Issue Identified:

The kitchen environment at the audited site presents multiple hazards, including:

Oil spillage creating a slip hazard.

Open drums of waste material posing a chemical or hygiene hazard.

Unsecured knives and cleavers increasing the risk of cuts.

Boiling water left unattended, posing a risk of burns.

Lack of visible fire extinguishers or fire blankets, increasing fire risk.

Analysis of Options:

A. Failure to reduce risks associated with working in the kitchen.

This option accurately captures the broader failure to implement effective measures to eliminate or reduce hazards across multiple areas in the kitchen.

B. Measures to prevent slippage in the kitchen from waste cooking oil were not taken.

This is specific to one hazard (oil spillage) and does not address other significant risks observed, such as fire safety or sharp tools.

C. Staff are at risk of serious injury while working in the kitchen.

While true, this is more of a general observation and does not address the root cause of the hazards or the failure of controls.

D. Training of the kitchen staff was not effective enough to prevent poor safety awareness in the kitchen area.

Although training deficiencies may contribute to the issue, this option does not reflect the overarching systemic failure to manage hazards effectively.

Best Description of the Nonconformance:

Failure to reduce risks associated with working in the kitchen (Option A) is the most comprehensive finding, reflecting the organization’s lack of adequate controls to mitigate hazards. ISO

Reference: Clause 8.1.2: Organizations must establish controls to eliminate or minimize OH&S risks

systematically.

Clause 7.2: Ensuring competency through training is important but must be coupled with hazard control measures.