Attorney Esequiel Solorio is a certified specialist in workers’ compensation law as certified by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

How restaurant workers get burned on the job

On Behalf of | Jul 11, 2019 | Blog

Working in a restaurant may be your lifelong passion or something you do until you find another way to support yourself. Either way, you are not alone. In fact, there are more than 15 million restaurant workers in the United States. Unfortunately, though, going to work in an eating establishment may be harmful to your health. 

If you sustain a burn at work, your life may never be the same again. Depending on the severity of the burn, you may have to endure surgery, rehabilitation and therapy. You may also find it difficult to enjoy life or pursue your dreams. While you may be able to pursue compensation for your injuries, you likely want to avoid them altogether. To help minimize your chances of getting burned on the job, you should understand how burns occur in restaurants: 

Using a pressurized cooker 

Many chefs love the way pressurized cookers make food taste. Still, someone must properly clean and maintain pressurized cookers. If the one in your restaurant is not in good condition, it could explode, spewing steam and hot liquid everywhere. 

Slipping or tripping 

You do not have to sustain a burn for a slip or fall to injure you at work. Nonetheless, if you trip over a rug or slip on a wet floor, you may instinctively try to grab onto the nearest surface to steady yourself. If that surface is a cooktop, you may also burn yourself. 

Cooking 

Restaurants can be busy places. If you try to prepare several orders, you may forget cooking safety. Still, whenever you work with hot surfaces, pans, liquids or anything else in the kitchen, you must keep your skin safe to prevent burns. 

Microwaving 

While generally safer than hot cooktops, microwave ovens also present a burn risk. When you remove items from the microwave, you must be careful not to let hot steam or liquid come into contact with your skin. 

As a restaurant worker, you must take burns seriously. By understanding how burns tend to occur in commercial kitchens, you can develop a plan for staying safe at your job.

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