The pressure to deliver high-quality dishes at rapid speeds is relentless in bustling restaurant kitchens, and this fast-paced environment regularly contributes to dangerous accidents. In 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 93,800 injuries in full-service restaurants, necessitating safety guidelines from OSHA. These regulations protect both employees and customers.

Unfortunately, even with OSHA’s rules in place, restaurants routinely experience violations. One innovative Denver restaurant is addressing these shortcuts in safety protocols with an unexpected new technology. With Huvr’s AURA platform, this restaurant proves that a combination of artificial intelligence with fiber optic interferometer technology can also elevate safety in the kitchen.

How the surveillance platform monitors restaurant safety

In this application, we installed AURA and connected her to the camera and microphone sensors in the kitchen area. Once installed, the system’s sophisticated AI algorithms learn the sounds, look, and feel of the new environment and then continuously observe for minute deviations from any patterns in the kitchen environment the sensors captured.

One safety issue the system quickly learned to identify was the improper use of protective equipment. Inconsistent use of gloves and aprons poses a significant risk when staff are handling raw meat, using sharp knives, or working near hot surfaces. Violations potentially lead to severe injuries and food contamination.

We worked with restaurant management to train the AI on the specific sounds and movements associated with employees who were not correctly wearing gloves. By using high-resolution cameras and microphones, we were able to help the restaurant determine if changes the system picked up within the kitchen’s environment signaled proper glove use. However, the system quickly learned to recognize when kitchen work happened without protective equipment.

Another prevalent safety concern in restaurant kitchens is slip, trip, and fall hazards. These incidents often stem from wet or greasy floors, cluttered walkways, and poor lighting. OSHA standards mandate that floors be kept clean and dry and that pathways remain clear, but enforcing these standards consistently can be challenging in a high-paced kitchen environment. With this in mind, we worked with restaurant management to train the system’s AI to recognize environmental changes that could indicate spill hazards.

When the AI detects a potential safety violation, it immediately directs one of the restaurant’s security cameras to record a 60-second video clip. Next, it analyzes the footage to determine if a violation is occurring. In the case of a safety hazard, it sends a real-time text alert to restaurant management with a detailed description of the issue.

Real-time notifications 

Real-time notifications from the system’s AI allow restaurant management and kitchen supervisors to address violations as they happen. This enables them to handle issues proactively before they escalate.

The system logs each incident, providing valuable data that helps understand patterns. By identifying specific compliance issues, management tailors training sessions to address these gaps, continuously reinforcing the importance of safety protocols. This proactive stance transforms potential disciplinary actions into educational opportunities, fostering a culture of safety and accountability.

Scaling technology beyond restaurants

With this technology proving to be a game-changer in restaurant kitchens, we can predict applications in other settings characterized by complex safety requirements. Industries such as manufacturing, construction, and chemical processing could greatly benefit from this technology.

In factories and manufacturing plants, OpticSense can watch for minute cues from machinery, such as abnormal vibrations, to detect costly equipment malfunctions before they occur. On construction sites, OpticSense can watch for potential hazards, enabling preemptive action before accidents happen.

One restaurant has already taken the lead in ensuring compliance with OSHA safety standards by employing advanced AI to monitor audio anomalies. Thanks to AI’s ability to adapt and learn, a wide array of industrial settings can also introduce real-time safety observations, report events so that management can facilitate immediate corrective action, and revolutionize workplace safety.