In San Diego and across California, restaurant workers face specific dangers while on the job. It is a high-pressure atmosphere with a significant chance of falling, suffering cuts and bruises, burns and other unforeseen issues. There are certain jobs in the restaurant industry that are riskier than others. A recent study says that cooks are in greater jeopardy of injuries and losing their lives during the current health situation. In many cases, that is not directly connected to the current health crisis. Those who have been hurt should be aware of their rights to receive workers’ compensation and other benefits.
Study sees spike in fatalities for food workers
A study from the University of California-San Francisco spotted a worrisome rise in deaths for people who work in the food and agriculture industries. In general, across the spectrum of workplace deaths, there was a rise of 22% during the health crisis of 2020. For food and agriculture workers, it was significantly higher – 39%. This was the highest of all categories the researchers studied.
Overall, 828 people whose job was labeled “cook” lost their lives. Bakers came in fourth in the rankings. Also in danger were head cooks and bartenders. Researchers made sure to note that the deaths were not only due to the ongoing health crisis. Latino and Black workers were more vulnerable than others. For Latinos, there was a 36% rise in fatalities in general with a 59% rise for food and agricultural employees. The rise was 28% for Black workers.
Understanding what steps to take after restaurant worker injuries
While this study examined worker fatalities, it is also important to consider the number of workers who are injured seriously enough that they cannot work, but not so badly that there is a fatality. Seeking workers’ compensation benefits can be essential to make ends meet. Medical expenses, lost income and more can be covered via workers’ compensation.
Still, not every case is automatically approved and there are disagreements about the severity of the injury, if the employer is responsible and whether the claim should be approved. After restaurant worker injuries, it is important to have professional assistance to try and receive workers’ compensation. Calling for advice and help can provide information on the necessary steps.