WASHINGTON The number of foodservice workers who missed at least a day of work to recover from on-the-job injuries showed a dramatic decline in 2006, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
The total number of restaurant workers injured on the job also declined, but by a slim margin, the BLS said.
According to numbers just released by the government agency, some 60,300 restaurant workers were hurt badly enough to require a day or more off from work or were reassigned to a different position as a result of their injuries. That compares with the 74,300 workers in 2005 who were hurt and needed time off or were reassigned, a 19 percent decline.
But the total number of employees at "food services and drinking places" who were injured on the job declined by less than 1 percent, to 239,500 from 241,300, the annual reported said.
The BLS estimated that the number of people employed in the industry grew to 9.2 million, up 2.3 percent over the 9.01 million of 2005.
Of the persons who needed time off from work to recover from injuries or who were reassigned, 18,950 of the cases stemmed from "contact with objects," or being bruised by objects. Of that number, 2,090 were "caught in or compressed or crushed," which apparently refers to mishaps like being hit with swinging doors.
About 13,930 workers lost work days because of "falls on the same level," as opposed to falling down stairs.
Overall, 4.1 million workers in all industries were hurt on the job in 2006, of which 1.18 million needed at least a day off from work.
