Risk Assessment for Universities and Hospitals Restaurants in Gaza– Palestine

Abstract

Risk assessment process is a systematic method which was considered the start of the health and safety management approach. It is a dynamic process that allows enterprises and organizations to put in place a proactive policy of managing, although its importance for managers in ranking priorities and best using for available resources, but there is a distinct lack of scientific studies in risk assessment in restaurants. A descriptive cross sectional analytic method was used to assess health and safety risks that really matter in restaurants of universities and hospitals in Gaza strip and affect on workers, customers and others. On May 2012 forty structured self reported questionnaire were filled by workers in all universities and governmental hospitals restaurants in Gaza strip. Another 30 questionnaire were filled by universities students, in addition to 40 checklist and 40 personal meeting were conducted by the researcher. The collected data have been analyzed by risk score matrix to detect the risk level ( low, medium, high and very high) for each risk factor. In general universities and hospitals restaurants were the same of being at risk, but the details different; the universities questionnaires results showed 22.7% of physical and electrical risk factor was very high risk level. It was found that 50.0% of cleanliness of place and equipment risk factor was high, and 60.0% of machinery and equipment risk factor was moderate risk level, and the most frequent risk factor was workers, customers safety and health. On hospitals restaurants results showed 75% were moderate, and the same percentage high levels on physical and electrical risk factor and machinery and equipment risk factor respectively. The most frequent risk factor was slips and falls. Significant differences between universities and hospitals restaurants were found in machinery and equipment, and food deliveries risk factors. Only half of universities restaurants workers (10) doing regular medical examination for infectious diseases, and 41.6% of them used the same oil for frying 6 times and more. Specialized companies in hospitals restaurants controls insects and rodents while restaurant workers in universities do that. Workers in 100%, 25.0% in hospitals and universities restaurants respectively were wearing uniform. Universities students mentioned lack of appropriate places of receipt meals and discomfort of their bodies there as very high, narrow corridors between tables in restaurants as high risk levels and represents 66.7%, 68.8% respectively. Special and clear form for restaurants risk assessment in Gaza should be prepared to be used regularly. Develop and implement plan with specific mitigation measures is necessary to address the identified risks.