Our client was a commercial kitchen cleaner. His job was to clean the stainless steel hoods in various restaurants in Boston during the overnight hours. During one such night, he slipped while cleaning a hood causing his foot to be submerged in scalding vegetable oil in the fryolator. He suffered 3rd-degree burns requiring skin grafting.
The case was litigated and liability was vigorously contested. Our theory of liability was that due to his inexperience in the business, he should have been made aware that the area under where he was standing was in fact an oil reservoir. Also, the area was not properly covered as the covers being used did not fit. Lastly, the fryolator was never turned off as required by management prior to the cleaners beginning their evening work.