Did you know that around 600,000 people in Illinois earn their money in the foodservice industry? That’s about 10% of the state’s employees. Unfortunately, the work can be dangerous, and many restaurant and grocery staffers are injured on the job. Here’s a breakdown of the most common accidents.
#5: MSD
MSD stands for Musculoskeletal Disorder, and examples include everything from sprained ankles to pinched nerves. Any injury that affects muscles, bones, and tendons qualifies as an MSD. People who work in restaurants and grocery stores are more likely to be on their feet for long stretches of time, so they’re more prone to these types of injuries.
#4: Hearing loss
Since industrial kitchens are noisy places and many restaurants play loud music, people who work as chefs, servers, bartenders, and bussers experience hearing loss at higher rates. However, the likelihood of winning a workers’ compensation lawsuit for audial issues is low because it’s often difficult to tie that type of impairment to a workplace.
#3: Lacerations
Bartenders, chefs, and line cooks are most likely to incur lacerations on the job since they do a lot of knife work. Cooks may cut their hands slicing meat or produce, and bartenders all too frequently nick their fingers when prepping lemons and limes for cocktails.
#2: Slips and falls
Slips and falls are common in restaurants and marketplace warehouses. These injuries can lead to successful workers’ compensation claims if OSHA violations precipitate the fall.
#1: Burns
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, burns are among the most common injuries among food service workers. Reports indicate that 8 out of 100,000 restaurant workers will experience a burn at some point in their careers.
If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans working in the foodservice industry, knowing what injuries to watch out for can help you stay safe. If you do get injured, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation while you recover.