The Hidden Dangers of Working in the Food Industry

THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF WORKING IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY It's A Scary World Out There. Thirteen people are killed every year when vending machines fall on them, but in a word of razor-sharp knives and 700-degree ovens, res- taurant workers have much more to fear than the candy machine in their break room. VENDING MACHINE Just check out these shocking stats: The Top 5 Restaurant Injuries FRACTURES So how exactly do restaurant workers get injured on the job? The severity and the complications of each injury vary from person to person, but most on-the-job injuries fall into one of the follow- ing categories: 7% Like all injuries, fractures range in severity. A hostess may fracture a finger by slam- ming his or her hand in a door. A line cook may slip on a greasy floor and break a hip. Some of these injuries have a quick recovery time, but others can put people out of work for months, years or life- times. Workers can occasion- ally die as a result of fractures. SPRAINS& STRAINS BURNS 8% Deep fryers, pizza ovens and cast- iron skillets are real workplace hazards. An industrial deep fryer can reach temperatures exceeding 400°F, and a commercial pizza oven can hit a whopping 700°F. These kitchen appliances and tools help contribute to 8% of the restaurant injuries caused by burns. Chemical and electrical burns can also occur, so don't think you're safe from this type of injury just because you work in a trendy raw foods restaurant. 42% Sprains and strains account for 42% of all on-the-job restaurant injuries. Sprains that cause injury to joints and strains that occur when muscle tissues tear are extremely painful, and they can cause mobility issues that make working and daily tasks difficult or even impossible. LACERATIONS &PUNCTURES SKIN DISORDERS 17% Lacerations can happen anywhere. A prep cook can slice a finger while peeling red potatoes. A distracted Hives, rashes, ringworm, warts - these are just some of the skin disorders that restaurant work- deli worker can cut his hand on a meat slicer. A waitress can rip open her calf on a sharp cabinet door. Punctures can be caused by every- thing from kitchen knives to bamboo skewers, and they're just as common. Lacerations and punctures can be superficial or life-threatening, de- pending on their depth and location. ers can contract on the job. They're not pretty, some of them can be pretty painful, and those that are contagious can cause determined workers to miss work and spend money on medi- cations and healing treatments. Restaurant Injuries by Job Title Who's most likely cooks are the most likely to be inured - they do spend a lot of time with knives and deep fryers, after all. But cooks aren't the only restaurant workers who suffer from accidents on the job. Here's the breakdown by job title: leave work on a stretcher? Unsurprisingly, 4% 5% 9% Food Preparers Bartenders Cashiers 2% I 15% Waiters 24% Cooks Scary Kitchen Stats Warning: you're going to spend a lot more time eating in after you read these statistics. Ready? Here we go. The average cutting board has at least 200% Sponges and kitchen sinks both have more Kitchen faucets are Restaurant ice cubes covered in far more germs than toilet handles. can carry more germs than restaurant toilet more fecal bacteria than bacteria than toilet a toilet seat. seats. water. SPONGE Hurt yourself on the job and need a Chicago workplace injury attorney? Contact Ankin Law Office. *... Dish Washers