Youth 2 Work OSHA Title U.S. Department of Labor
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Drive-thru

The Drive-thru area of a restaurant offers teen workers an opportunity for direct interaction with the customer, while learning food service and money handling skills. Teen workers in this area may also be exposed to the following hazards:

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Safety Poster
 
Strains and Sprains
Potential Hazard

Employee exposure to strains and sprains from tasks that require repetitive motions. Tasks such as excessive reaching, lifting, and leaning out of drive-thru windows to hand customers their orders may lead to injuries. 
Reaching Out Drive-thru Window
Possible Solutions

Teen Worker Solutions

Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.

  • Avoid twisting while lifting.

  • Avoid overreaching. Walk food out to customers if they are parked too far away for you to safely reach from the drive-thru window.

  • Stay fit to help avoid injuries.
     
Employer Solutions
 
Employers have the primary responsibility for protecting the safety and health of their workers. Employees are responsible for following the safe work practices of their employers.
 
  • Rearrange workstations to provide for easy access to items used most frequently and to enable employees to keep their elbows close to the body.

 
  • Redesign drive-thru windows to alleviate employee reaching. Rather than having employee reach across a window to deliver food, install a drop box to put orders into to deliver orders to customers. Customers then reach into the drop box to get their order.

  • Rotate workers through the drive-thru area to limit their exposure to excessive reaching and lifting and the development of musculoskeletal disorders.
Drive-thru Drop Box
Drop box
Additional References
Go on to Drive-thru Module - Workplace Violence Go on to Drive-thru - Workplace Violence
   
 
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