When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and hospitality & catering teams carrying out commercial kitchen risk assessment — typically because a principal contractor or client has asked for a risk assessment and method statement before work can start. It covers the recognised site & general hazards for this task, with the controls a reviewer expects to see.
What this RAMS includes
- ✓ 8 task-specific hazards scored on a 5×5 matrix (initial → residual)
- ✓ Specific control measures for each hazard, in hierarchy-of-control order
- ✓ A 9-step method statement (sequence of works)
- ✓ PPE, plant/equipment, permits and competence requirements
- ✓ Emergency arrangements and operative briefing / sign-off section
Scope of works
Commercial kitchen risk assessment — hot surfaces/oil, knives and manual handling, slips, electrical and cleaning chemicals.
Sequence of works
- 1STEP 1 — RISK ASSESSMENT REVIEW: Before commencing work, review the current commercial kitchen risk assessment. Confirm that COSHH assessments for all cleaning chemicals are available, current, and understood by all staff. Competent person must sign off the assessment.
- 2STEP 2 — EQUIPMENT INSPECTION: Inspect all cooking equipment, electrical appliances, and mechanical cutting equipment for defects. Check guards are in place on slicers and processors. Remove and label any defective equipment as out of service and report to supervisor.
- 3STEP 3 — KITCHEN PREPARATION AND LAYOUT: Ensure all walkways and working areas are free from obstructions. Check that anti-slip mats are positioned at wet work areas (sinks, dishwashers). Confirm drainage channels are clear. Set out trolleys and handling aids for deliveries.
- 4STEP 4 — COOKING OPERATIONS: Set cooking equipment thermostats correctly before use. Ensure extraction ventilation is operating. Apply no-unattended-cooking rule. Use correct PPE (heat-resistant gloves, chef whites) when handling hot equipment. Follow safe opening procedure for steam ovens.
- 5STEP 5 — FOOD PREPARATION (KNIVES AND CUTTING): Select the correct knife for the task. Maintain the clean-as-you-go policy during preparation. Use chopping boards on stable surfaces. Apply knuckle grip technique. Wear cut-resistant gloves for mandolin and high-risk tasks.
- 6STEP 6 — DELIVERIES AND MANUAL HANDLING: Use trolleys and sack trucks for heavy deliveries. Do not exceed recommended individual load weights. Brief staff on correct lifting techniques. Store heavy items at mid-height (waist level) where possible to reduce handling risk.
- 7STEP 7 — SPILLAGE AND HOUSEKEEPING: Enforce immediate clean-up of all spillages. Deploy wet floor signs while floor is being cleaned. Dispose of waste oil safely into designated sealed containers — never pour down drains.
- 8STEP 8 — END OF SERVICE CLEANING: Isolate and switch off electrical appliances before cleaning. Don correct chemical PPE (gloves, goggles, apron) before using cleaning products. Ensure ventilation is operating. Follow dilution instructions on SDS. Never mix chemicals.
- 9STEP 9 — POST-CLEAN CHECK AND CLOSE DOWN: After cleaning, check all appliances are correctly isolated, turned off, or set to standby as required. Confirm fire suppression system indicator lights are normal. Secure chemical storage. Complete any incident or near-miss reporting before leaving.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Burns from hot surfaces and hot oil
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Fit fryers and deep-fat equipment with lids, splash guards, and automatic shut-off thermostats to reduce contact risk.
- › Establish and enforce clear procedures: allow equipment to cool before cleaning, never fill fryers above the marked level, and prohibit wet food being placed into hot oil.
- › Provide and enforce use of heat-resistant gloves, long-sleeved chef whites, and aprons when handling hot trays, pans, and fryer baskets.
Cuts from knives and sharp equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Ensure the correct knife type and size is selected for each cutting task and that blades are kept sharp — blunt knives require greater force and are more likely to slip.
- › Ensure all mechanical slicers, mandolins, and food processors have blade guards fitted and interlocks in working order before use.
- › Train staff in correct cutting techniques (knuckle grip), use of chopping boards, and safe knife storage in blocks or magnetic strips — never loose in drawers.
- › Provide cut-resistant gloves (EN 388 rated) for use during mandolin, oyster shucking, or high-risk slicing tasks.
Slip on wet or greasy floor
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Install anti-slip floor surfaces rated for wet and greasy conditions (R11 or higher) and adequate floor drains to remove standing water.
- › Implement a clean-as-you-go policy: all spills, grease drips, and water must be cleaned up immediately with appropriate absorbent or mop and 'wet floor' cones deployed.
- › All kitchen staff must wear closed-toe, anti-slip safety footwear with oil-resistant soles (SRC-rated) at all times in the kitchen.
Manual handling injury
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use sack trucks, pallet trucks, or mini-hoists to move bulk bags and materials to the work area rather than manual carrying.
- › Where possible, order ingredients and supplies in smaller, lighter units rather than bulk sacks to reduce individual load weight below 25 kg for males and 16 kg for females.
- › Train all staff in safe lifting techniques. Conduct individual manual handling task assessments, particularly for repetitive tasks and awkward loads such as stockpots.
Electric shock from kitchen electrical equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Switch off and isolate all electrical appliances at the socket or isolator before cleaning, maintenance, or when defects are suspected — never clean live equipment.
- › Establish a documented PAT testing programme for all portable electrical appliances. Frequency should be risk-based; commercial kitchen equipment should be tested at least annually or per manufacturer guidance.
- › Implement a clear procedure for staff to report damaged cables, plugs, or appliances immediately. Defective equipment must be taken out of service and labelled until repaired by a competent electrician.
Exposure to hazardous cleaning chemicals
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Provide chemical-resistant gloves (EN ISO 374), eye/face protection (goggles or face shield, EN166), and where inhalation of mist cannot be controlled, an appropriate respirator (RPE) selected from the COSHH assessment.
- › Where possible, select cleaning products with lower hazard classifications that still achieve the required food safety standard, reviewed against Safety Data Sheets.
- › Produce a COSHH assessment for each chemical product in use, including review of SDS, identification of exposure routes, and specification of required controls. Assessments must be reviewed when products change.
- › Ensure adequate kitchen ventilation (mechanical extraction system) is operating when using chemical cleaning products to prevent inhalation of vapours and fumes.
Fire from cooking equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Install and maintain an automatic kitchen fire suppression system (e.g. wet chemical system) over fryers, griddles, and range equipment in accordance with manufacturer specification.
- › Schedule and record regular deep cleaning of canopy filters and extraction ductwork by a competent contractor to prevent grease accumulation. Frequency should reflect cooking volume (typically quarterly minimum for high-use kitchens).
- › Enforce a policy that hot oil and naked-flame cooking must not be left unattended. Thermostats must be set correctly and checked at start of service.
Scalding from steam
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Establish and train a safe procedure for opening combi-oven and steamer doors: stand to the side, open partially and pause to allow initial steam release before opening fully.
- › Provide heat and steam-resistant gloves of sufficient gauntlet length to protect forearms when opening steam equipment and lifting pot lids.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ Eye/face protection
- ✓ Flame-resistant gloves
- ✓ Insulated gloves where live work is unavoidable
- ✓ RPE per the COSHH assessment
- ✓ Chemical-resistant gloves
Competence
- ✓ Site induction completed; CSCS or equivalent where the site requires it
Schemes (CSCS, PASMA, IPAF…) evidence competence; they are not statutory requirements in themselves.
Plant & equipment
- › Welfare units and signage
- › Barriers, cones and pedestrian segregation
- › First-aid kits and eye-wash
- › Spill kits
- › Communication (radios / lone-worker device)
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ Welfare provision matching CDM 2015 Schedule 2
- ✓ Traffic management and pedestrian routes
- ✓ Lone-working check-in arrangements where relevant
- ✓ The document is site-specific — real address, access arrangements and dates, not a generic template
- ✓ Hazards match the actual task and the controls are specific (not “take care” and “use PPE”)
- ✓ Named supervisor and competent person, with operative sign-off space
- ✓ Emergency and rescue arrangements that work for this site
The report builder runs these as pre-submission checks before you download — or run an existing document through the free RAMS pre-submission checker.
Frequently asked questions
Who should write a commercial kitchen risk assessment RAMS?
Someone competent to plan the work — usually the contractor doing the job or their supervisor. A template like this gives you the recognised hazards and controls for commercial kitchen risk assessment, but the person signing it off must review it as the competent person and confirm it matches the actual site and method.
How long is the RAMS valid for?
Until something changes — there's no fixed expiry in law. Review it if the method, site conditions, equipment or people change, after any incident or near miss, and at sensible intervals on longer jobs. Date the review and re-brief the team.
What regulations apply to commercial kitchen risk assessment?
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, PUWER 1998 — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are the main ones, alongside Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and CDM 2015 apply to all construction work.
Does a RAMS need to be site-specific?
Yes — this is the most common reason documents get sent back. Principal contractors reject generic copy-paste RAMS. Your document should name the site, access arrangements, dates, supervisor and any site-specific hazards. The RamsDocs builder fills these in for you and flags what's missing before you download.
Is this template free?
Yes — everything on RamsDocs is free during early access, including building a site-specific version of this RAMS and downloading the PDF. No card required.