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Texas coffee shop employees at risk for workplace injuries

On Behalf of | Dec 31, 2018 | Firm News, Workplace Injuries |

Many Texas residents earn a living in coffee shops. While coffee shops may not necessarily rank high on lists for most dangerous jobs in the nation, those who work as baristas are, in fact, at great risk for workplace injuries. Current data shows that coffee shop workers take approximately 45 percent more time off work for injuries than other restaurant employees.

When accidents happen at work, they don’t always occur suddenly. Repetitive strain injuries, common among coffee shop workers, usually develop over time when a worker uses a repeated motion to carry out job duties. Coffee shop employees often suffer from a condition that has been termed “barista wrist,” which reportedly causes people to have to miss work for a year or more in recovery.

Strains from lifting, lacerations from sharp objects and accidents involving falls are also injuries that are common in the restaurant industry, including coffee shops. Summertime appears to be an especially dangerous time to work in a restaurant. Managers often staff additional employees to cover the increase of business they get during summer months, which may in turn lead to a higher rate of injury on the job.

When workplace injuries occur in Texas coffee shops or any job location, the workers who are injured must report the incidents to their employers, the sooner the better. Workers’ compensation benefits often help injured baristas and others to pay their medical expenses. Benefits can also provide replacement funds for hourly workers who lose income when injury prevents them from returning to their duties.

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