Pivoting Safety: Leaving the Restaurant Industry Behind (Part 2 of 10)

Everyone Wants Safety Experience... Until It Comes from a Restaurant

For most of my career, I’ve worked in foodservice operations. I’ve investigated injuries, managed workers compensation claims, led accident investigations, conducted root cause analyses, implemented corrective actions, trained employees, managed OSHA-related concerns, addressed ergonomic risks, and balanced employee safety with operational realities.

In other words, I’ve done many of the same things’ safety professionals in manufacturing, warehousing, healthcare, or construction do every day. Yet as I’ve explored opportunities outside the restaurant industry, I've learned something frustrating:

Many people don’t see restaurant leadership experience as safety experience.

They see food.

They see customer service.

They see kitchens.

What they don’t see are the hundreds of safety decisions being made every day.

Restaurant environments are complex. We manage slips, falls, burns, cuts, chemical exposure, ergonomics, vehicle incidents, workplace violence concerns, equipment hazards, and regulatory compliance, often all in the same shift.

The challenge isn’t a lack of transferable skills. The challenge is convincing others those skills are transferable.

One lesson I've learned during my own career transition is this:

Sometimes the hardest part of a pivot isn’t learning something new. It helps others understand the value of what you’ve already done.

For anyone trying to break into a new industry, don’t let someone else’s perception diminish your experience.

The skills are there.

Sometimes we just must tell the story better.

#SafetyLeadership #CareerPivot #WorkplaceSafety #RiskManagement #FoodServiceLeadership #SafetyProfessional #LeadershipDevelopment nbsp;