If you are studying, summer break is an excellent opportunity to earn some money. Some of the easiest jobs to come by when you can only stick around for a few months involve working in restaurants and bars. Yet getting injured at work could end up costing you money instead of saving it.
Your employer needs to ensure you receive adequate training to help you stay safe on the job. Yet, if you join once the summer season is in full swing, the training might not be as good as if you started when they were less busy. So it pays to be aware of hazards and safety practices yourself:
Food and beverage create plenty of hazards to workers
Heat is one of the principal dangers in the food and beverage industry. Whether you are flipping burgers over a searing grill, frying donuts in a pot of spitting oil, steaming expressos in a cafe or carrying an armful of hot plates to hungry customers, you need to take great care to avoid being burnt or scalded.
Even if you only serve salads, there will still be dangers as you still need to cut things. One misplaced cut through a tendon in your hand will make typing college essays a whole lot slower. The need for speed can add to the danger, especially if you are not used to working at the pace of permanent colleagues.
Thankfully, North Carolina law requires most employers with more than three staff to hold workers’ compensation insurance. If you are injured on the job, you should be able to claim against this, even though your employer only hired you for the summer.