Drive-thru Safety
The drive-thru area of a restaurant gives workers the opportunity for direct contact with the public. However, they may also be exposed to the following hazards:
- noise
- strains and sprains
- workplace violence
- prolonged standing
- car exhaust
Noise
Restaurant workers may be exposed to noise, especially while working in the drive-thru area. Workers often wear headsets to hear orders when working at drive-up windows and they may be exposed to loud headset background noise while wearing headsets.
Possible Solutions
There are several things workers can do to help reduce the level of noise in a drive-thru. Here are a few suggestions:
- Fit headsets properly to your head.
- Don’t turn headset volumes up excessively high.
- See your doctor if you are experiencing ringing in your ears or problems with hearing.
Safe Work Practices
Employers can implement safe work practices to help prevent noise exposure, such as:
- Use acoustical limiting devices in headsets. These types of headsets are designed to provide sufficient protection to the keep noise levels below those required by OSHA.
- Use good quality microphones to improve reception capabilities.
- Ensure the headset fits the worker properly. Adjustable headsets work the best.
- Reduce the duration of exposure to loud noises by rotating workers through jobs in the drive-thru area.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-1. How can employers reduce exposure to loud noises in the drive-thru area?
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