Mental stress and other injuries have risen among restaurant workers since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from AmTrust Financial Services.

The 2022 AmTrust Restaurant Risk Report examined common injuries and resulting time off for restaurant workers. The report examined nearly 170,000 claims and found that while overall injuries fell, specific injuries – including crushing, fainting, inflammation, strains and mental stress – were significantly up compared to pre-pandemic numbers.

Key findings included:

• Injuries were highest in July and lowest in January, February, September and November
• Strain injuries were up 23% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019

The report also included loss-control tips on how to reduce the most common injuries.

Examining the industry over a 10-year period, the report found:

• Motor vehicles cost the most on average at nearly $20,000 per claim
• While cuts are 30% more common than falls, falls resulted in 410% more incurred claim expenses

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“Restaurant workers can face high stress levels, especially with staffing shortages,” said Matt Zender, senior vice president of workers’ compensation strategy at AmTrust. “Restaurateurs should lean on their onboarding experience to ensure employee safety. They can use this opportunity to help demonstrate what makes their operation unique and use resources from their workers’ compensation carrier to help address injury risks in advance of an accident.”

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