What kind of occupational risks do grocery workers face?

On Behalf of | Jul 1, 2022 | Workers' Compensation |

While they are often underappreciated, grocery workers provide a vital service to individuals across the state of California. These individuals ensure that food and other vital products are ready and waiting for customers to collect and take home. 

The job is hard work and often that hard work can cross the line into becoming hazardous. Outlined below are some of the more common injuries associated with grocery workers. 

Slips and falls 

The grocery store can be a fast-paced environment, especially during busy hours. Grocery workers are constantly restocking the shelves, cleaning up spills, etc. Such environments make slip-and-fall accidents much more likely, not just for customers, but for staff too. Employers have a legal duty to ensure that the premises are as safe as possible for everyone who enters. 

Cuts and lacerations 

The shelves and displays of grocery stores don’t just magically appear in a presentable fashion. It takes time and effort to make a store look good.

Workers are constantly unpacking boxes and making the interior of the store look presentable. A lot of thought goes into making items as accessible as possible for the consumer. During this process, grocery workers may be using knives, box cutters, scissors and different blades. All of these have the potential to be dangerous. A severe cut or laceration can leave an employee out of work for several weeks or potentially even longer. 

As a grocery worker, you are entitled to carry out your duties in the safest manner possible. If you’ve been hurt on the job, then you are going to need some time off. During this period, you may want to think about workers’ compensation so that you don’t fall behind with bills, living costs and medical payments. 

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