Waiter/Waitress
Work Injuries

Restaurant Work Injuries in Illinois

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that more than 67,000 food prep, waiters, and waitresses were hurt on the job badly enough to lose at least one day of work in 2008. At least 20 percent of those hurt on the job lost 31 or more days of work. In fact:

• More than half of the waiters’ and waitresses’ injuries involved a cut, burn, sprain or strain;
• Approximately 32 percent involved an injured hand or wrist; and
• About 22 percent involved an injured back or shoulder.

The sprains, strains, and injuries to backs and shoulders were associated with the carrying and handling that waiters and waitresses commonly engage in. Certain types of injuries – such as back pain, tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome – are most often due to chronic overuse of the muscle, and develop over time. These types of injuries are known as repetitive motion injuries. Other injuries occur suddenly, perhaps from a slip and fall.

Workers in the food service industry must usually complete their work at a fast pace. When this is combined with hot food, heavy trays, and floors that may have spills or grease on them, it is easy to see why accidents are common. Restaurant owners have a responsibility to protect their employees from accidents and injuries, and when wait staff are injured on the job, they are entitled to workers’ compensation, and may also have a third-party personal injury claim.

Some of the most common factors involved in waiter and waitress injuries at work include the following:

• Balancing and lifting heavy trays;
• Slip and fall accidents, particularly on a greasy kitchen floor;
• Uneven floor surfaces or broken steps on stairways, which cause falls;
• Burn injuries resulting from carrying hot food or drinks;
• Back strain from lifting and moving tables and chairs;
• Excessive noise, leading to hearing loss; and
• Exposure to harmful chemicals.