Many people work at restaurants and fast food establishments for their first job. People can learn basic skills and lessons during their time working at restaurants that often translate into their next career. While waitstaff members learn on their feet when handling customers, cooks develop process skills.
People often don’t realize that there are many dangers when working at restaurants and fast food businesses. Hazards that put employees at risk of developing health issues or debilitating them could cause them to lose their job. You may want to watch out for these:
Slip and falls
Cooks and waitstaff often have to deal with wet floors and spilled food and liquids. These hazards could cause someone – without the right sign – to slip and fall. Slip and fall accidents can often cause traumatic spine and head injuries.
Broken glass and plates
Employees and customers alike can drop and break plates, bowls and cuts. Shattered dishware could cause potential harm when left out. Employees may even cut themselves when handling broken dishware in the sink (which could allow bacteria to enter the wound and develop an infection).
Hot pans and ovens
There’s a lot that happens in a kitchen that may cause hot objects to be left unattended. If someone accidentally presses against a lit oven or hot pan, they could experience burns. While some thermal burns can leave minor redness, other burns could cause third-degree burns.
Overexertion and exhaustion
If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant then you realize just how hot the kitchen can get. Workers often have to spend several hours standing in hot environments with few breaks to accommodate them. Cooks and waitstaff may feel overexerted and exhausted after many hours of work, which could lead to dizziness and fatigue.
If you’ve experienced injuries on the job that prevents you from returning to work, then you may need to take steps to receive workers’ compensation.
