As a California restaurant employee, you face unique workplace hazards that differ from those faced by others in America’s workforce. At the Law Offices of Hussain & Gutierrez, we have a firm understanding of just how debilitating restaurant workplace injuries often are, and we have assisted many hospitality workers who suffered on-the-job injuries seek appropriate recourse.
According to QSR magazine, injuries among restaurant workers are so prevalent nowadays that one in every 20 work-related injuries nationwide occurs in a restaurant setting. Furthermore, many of these injuries fall within the same four categories, and these include cuts and lacerations, burns, sprains and strains, and eye injuries. Cuts and lacerations, as you might expect, often affect restaurant workers because of their use of knives, slicers, glassware and so on.
Burns, which are the cause of about 12,000 reported restaurant injuries in the country each year, range broadly in terms of severity, and they can develop because of numerous circumstances. You might suffer a burn because of carrying hot plates, spilling hot foods and drinks, or working around fryers and stovetops. You also run a high risk of suffering a sprain or strain as a restaurant worker due to heavy lifting of trays and supplies, and your risk of suffering such an injury increases if you fail to utilize proper lifting techniques.
Eye injuries are also common among restaurant workers like you, and they often arise because of working around cleaning chemicals and hot grease. While there are steps you can take to lower your risk of a restaurant injury, such as donning protective eyewear and engaging in safe lifting practices, your employer, too, benefits from prioritizing safety. Studies show that employers can save between $4 and $6 for every $1 they invest into employee safety programs. More about workplace injuries is available on our website.