Suffering a workplace injury can prove tremendously challenging, both because of the physical and financial hardships it can present, and because it may affect your ability to continue to earn a living. Virtually all workers across all industries face at least some degree of injury risk, although workers in some fields are far more likely to suffer an injury on the job than those in others.
As someone who makes a living working in a restaurant or food service setting, you face considerable on-the-job risks that can affect your health and negatively impact your quality of life. More specifically, as a restaurant worker, know that you run the risk of experiencing or suffering from the following:
Burns
Burn hazards are plentiful in restaurant and food service settings, and workers in both front and back-of-house roles face such risks. Kitchen workers can suffer burns caused by hot cooktops, splashing grease, dishwashers and other hazards, while servers can suffer burns from carrying hot plates or trays, spilling hot foods or liquids and so on.
Falls
Falls are also not uncommon in restaurant settings. Many restaurants are fast-paced environments, and when everyone is rushing around to prepare and serve food, people can collide with one another, and particularly when people are working in close quarters. Spilled liquids or foods can also increase your risk of falling, and especially if those responsible for such spills do not clean them quickly and efficiently.
Repetitive motion injuries
Repetitive motion injuries can impact many parts of your body, and they are also common in food service settings. Say, for example, you are a server, and you religiously carry your heavy trays on your right shoulder. This can lead to head, neck and back exertion, and related injuries. You can also suffer sprains, strains and bulging discs, among other possible injuries, because of your job in a restaurant.
Restaurant jobs present inevitable dangers, and while this list highlights some of the most common injuries suffered by food service workers, please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all possible hazards.
