KITCHEN HAZARDS AND CONTROL ON RESTAURANT OPERATIONS IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF SELECTED RESTAURANTS IN OGOJA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

The study investigates the effect of kitchen hazard and control on restaurant operation in Nigeria using selected restaurants in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State as a case study. Specifically, the study intends to examine the effect of work-related injuries/illness on training and certification, to ascertain the effect of operational efficiency on management practices and to determine the effect of regulatory compliance scores on work environment condition. Research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a survey research design and the population for the study is thirty-three (33) staff of the selected restaurants in Ogoja Local Government Area. Taro Yamane's formula was used in selecting thirty (30) respondents, sources of data were from primary and secondary and simple percentage was used as technique of analyzing the research questions while linear regression was used to test the research hypotheses. The findings of the study were; there is a significant influence of work-related injuries and illnesses on the level of training and certification in restaurant operations, the study finds that the level of operational efficiency significantly influences management practices and regulatory compliance scores significantly influence the condition of the work environment. The study concludes that safety, efficiency, and regulation are deeply intertwined and form the foundation of a successful and sustainable restaurant operation in Ogoja. The study recommends that instead of waiting for an injury to occur, restaurants should proactively invest in comprehensive and continuous training and certification programs for all staff.