Food Truck Workplace Hazards

Food trucks have become more popular than ever before. They can make a great addition to festivals, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and a wide range of other events. A gathering of food trucks can even be an event unto itself. People love being able to try food from different establishments and it can be great business for restaurants to be able to expand their services beyond a brick-and-mortar location. 

Like working in a regular restaurant kitchen, working in food trucks comes with risks for things like burns, cuts, and slip and falls, making it important for employees to be trained in how to work safely. But food trucks in particular can have some unique risks that a standard commercial kitchen doesn’t.

Vehicle Accidents

Being able to take a business on the road can be fun, exciting, and good for business. But taking a food truck out on the road means that there’s the risk of crashes happening along the way. Food trucks can take extra effort to safely maneuver and there’s always the risk of another negligent driver on the road causing an accident. Accidents can also potentially occur if a person gets stuck between the truck and something like a wall. 

Small, Confined Spaces

Under the best of circumstances, working in a kitchen is difficult. People are trying to work as fast as possible while using sharp tools and near hot grills and fryers. But since food truck kitchens tend to be very small, it’s more likely that things can go wrong with multiple people trying to do all that work in a more confined space. For example, one person could accidentally bump into someone else who is slicing an ingredient, resulting in a cut to the hand. Or, if a fire gets out of hand, a small space can make it difficult for people to quickly get out. 

Fire

Very often, food trucks use propane tanks to power their grills. While this may be convenient and effective, it’s extremely important that propane tanks and hoses be kept in good condition, stored correctly, and have proper connections. There have been incidents where food trucks have caught on fire because of problems with propane tanks. 

Robbery & Assault

Food trucks often carry cash with them, which can make them a vulnerable target for people looking to commit a robbery.  Brick-and-mortar restaurants are also a popular target for robbers, but brick-and-mortar restaurants can have more options for security to protect employees, such as installed alarms and doors with strong locks. 

Contact a Michigan Workplace Injury Lawyer

If you were injured while working in a food truck, you may be eligible for worker’s compensation benefits and it’s extremely important to make sure your claim is handled correctly from the very beginning. At Goodwin & Scieszka, you’ll be able to get help from a Michigan-based workplace injury lawyer who can help with your claim for worker’s compensation benefits to make sure you get all of the benefits you’re entitled to. Contact us today to get started.

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