Pathfinder Networks: Evaluating Injury and Safety Using Restaurant Workers’ Mental Models

Abstract

Safety is essential in the fast-paced and potentially hazardous environments of restaurant kitchens. This study explored the mental models that chefs and managers have regarding safety protocols. Pathfinder networking was employed to analyze participants’ perceptions of safety. The findings suggest a positive correlation between expertise and the quality of mental models: individuals with more skills or experience demonstrated superior mental models. The study also confirmed that greater skills or experience correlated with increased network coherence, similarity, and mental models. Notable differences in network coherence between chefs and managers were revealed, highlighting diverse expertise levels within these groups. The study underscores the critical role of comprehensive safety training and continual skill development in enhancing kitchen safety and efficiency. Understanding mental models and network coherence can enable restaurant workers to effectively manage complex tasks and uphold safety standards in dynamic environments.

Safety and injury prevention are critical in the dynamic, often hazardous environments of restaurant kitchens, where the fast pace and close quarters increase accident risks. Injuries like muscle sprains, fractures, cuts, burns, and bruises are common, with the food service industry experiencing high injury rates (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). In 2018, food and drinking service places reported nearly three total injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time employees, with more than one case per 100 resulting in days away from work. This high injury occurrence highlights the need for thorough safety training for all kitchen staff, especially newcomers.

Traditionally, safety training in restaurants has been conducted through lectures and on-the-job training (Wen et al., 2023). Ensuring kitchen staff are knowledgeable about personal protective equipment—such as slip-resistant shoes, aprons, gloves, and hairnets—is essential to mitigate burn and cut risks. This study assesses the mental models of restaurant chefs and managers regarding their understanding of kitchen safety protocols. We hypothesize that individuals with greater skills or more experience will exhibit more comprehensive and effective mental models. Mental models are cognitive frameworks shaped by individuals through their interactions with complex systems (Jonassen & Henning, 1999). They aid in the rapid assimilation of information and quick decision-making, especially in environments like restaurant kitchens.

This study uses Pathfinder networking, a cognitive modeling technique, to assess how individuals perceive and categorize complex concepts (Schvaneveldt, 1990). This approach is relevant in collaborative environments like kitchens, where chefs, waiting staff, and managers coordinate their activities. Proper understanding and application of Pathfinder- derived mental models can help prevent accidents by enabling the formulation of detailed safety protocols. However, outdated mental models can affect the adoption of new safety measures. Therefore, it is important for kitchen personnel to regularly refresh their mental models through up-to-date training modules.

This study uses Pathfinder networking, a cognitive modeling technique, to assess how individuals perceive and categorize complex concepts. This approach is relevant in collaborative environments like kitchens, where chefs, waiting staff, and managers coordinate their activities. Proper understanding and application of Pathfinder-derived mental models can help prevent accidents by enabling the formulation of detailed safety protocols. However, outdated mental models can affect the adoption of new safety measures. Therefore, it is important for kitchen personnel to regularly refresh their mental models through up- to-date training modules.

This research project maps out mental models related to kitchen hazard awareness by analyzing data from a survey (Reynolds & Dolasinski, 2019) focused on kitchen safety perceptions among chefs and managers. The survey’s findings informed a detailed questionnaire distributed among restaurant managers and chefs. Responses were processed using JRate software to generate a network graph matrix, analyzed using Pathfinder networking to evaluate network properties and similarities among groups. Twenty-five participants were involved, including 15 chefs and 10 managers. Among managers, 75% were male, 25% female; 20% held ownership stakes in their restaurants, and all worked full-time. Chefs were 70% male, 30% female, with 40% possessing more than 10 years of culinary experience. All participants confirmed receiving formal kitchen safety training. The network graph matrix analysis revealed a 41.7% difference in network coherence concerning injury risks and safety protocols between chefs and managers, with more skilled or experienced groups demonstrating better mental models. For chefs, central nodes in their networks included inadequate ventilation, lifting heavy equipment, and overcrowded workspace. For managers, central nodes included high stress levels, inadequate on-the-job training, poor communication, and crowded conditions. Chefs exhibited lower coherence values with higher variance compared to managers.

This study confirms the hypothesis that groups with more skills or experience have better-developed mental models, crucial for safely and efficiently navigating complex kitchen tasks. The findings highlight the significant relationship between skills, experience, and the quality of mental models, demonstrating that enhanced expertise correlates with more effective network interactions within the group. Thus, this research underscores the importance of skill and experience in developing robust mental models and improving safety outcomes in restaurant kitchens.