Whenever someone prepares food, they interact with heat, flames and various fuels. Therefore, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And fire could lead to burn risks. Both food service employees and their patrons face burn risks whenever they enter a restaurant.
With the correct care, restaurant owners can effectively reduce the risks of burns to their employees and patrons. However, from time to time, unfortunate accidents may occur. When burns do happen, a restaurant should possess the proper insurance to cover the resulting damage.
What Type of Insurance Offers Protection for Burns?
Steam, flames, candles, stoves, ovens, hot plates and a myriad of other restaurant items could cause burns to both patrons and employees. Therefore, restaurants should consider carrying various insurance policies to reduce the ramifications of burn risks.
- General Liability Insurance: Whenever a patron steps onto your property, they could get burned. Buffets, coffee pots, and even hot food are just some of the restaurants items that could burn clients. A burned client might seek financial compensation for their medical bills or lost income. They might even file a lawsuit because they allege that the restaurant didn’t do enough to protect them from the burn risk. General liability coverage might help the restaurant compensate the injured party or afford legal fees.
- Health Insurance: Employees often look for health benefits to help them maintain wellness. But should an employee sustain an on-the-job burn, they might be able to use the coverage to seek affordable care. With the right burn treatment, employees might be able to return to work unaffected. This could prevent hardships for both them and the business.
- Workers’ Compensation: Often, general liability coverage for burns only extends to patrons. What if an employee seeks compensation or files a lawsuit because of a burn they receive at work? In this case, workers’ compensation may help. Most states require businesses to carry this coverage. It will help the restaurant pay an employee who sustains injuries or illness on the job. Workers’ compensation may help a burned employee make up for lost wages, afford treatment and receive other rehabilitation. It is often a valuable asset to helping injured employees come back to work.
Preventing Restaurant Burns
Most insurance policies only cover unavoidable and unpreventable risks. Therefore, restaurants should do everything they can to reduce the risk of a burn occurring. If a restaurant doesn’t follow proper safety precautions, it may be negligent for burns to another person. This could lead to lawsuits, and even the potential that a restaurant insurance provider could deny a claim.
Restaurants should take every step possible to reduce burn risks. This should include maintaining strict employee training on hazardous items and proper caution when preparing to serve customers. It should also involve proper maintenance of flammable items in the store.
We’ve got you covered. Call Buschbach Insurance at 708.423.2350 for a fast, free restaurant insurance quote.
Looking for more Restaurant Information?
Diagnosing Risks in Your Restaurant
Keeping Your Food Safe for Your Customers
What to do After Restaurant Property Damage