Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts. At the time of the 2010 census, the population was 40,318, and according to the American Community Survey 5-year Estimate, it had grown to 40,419. Fitchburg has 17 public and private elementary and high schools, and is the home of Fitchburg State University.
Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, and the surrounding area employs 49,610 workers. Of the more occupied occupational sectors, Sales and Related Occupations employ 6,300 workers, accounting for 127.024 per 1,000 jobs. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations employ 5,570 workers, accounting for 112.258 per 1,000 jobs.
Fitchburg Workers Are At Risk
The Food Preparation and Serving as well as the Sales Occupational sectors include occupations such as:
- Waiters and waitresses (1,010 employed workers)
- Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food (950 employed workers)
- Cooks: restaurant and cafeteria (520 employed workers)
- Cashiers (1,530 employed workers)
- Retail salespersons (2,560 employed workers)
A news release by The Bureau Of Labor Statistics reported that, in the Food Preparation and Serving Occupational sector, there were 76,450 incidents of workplace injuries or illness that resulted in time away from work in 2014. In the Sales and Related Occupations, there were 55,900 incidents of workplace illness or injury. Clearly, workers in these sectors are at risk each time they step into their workplace.
Were You Hurt At Work?
In occupations such as those in the Food Preparation and Serving sector, as well as Sales and related occupations, injuries happen every day. Some injuries are caused by other people, some are caused by failure to follow safety procedures, and others are caused by unavoidable hazards in the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overexertion and bodily reaction were the most common cause of injury in the workplace; the 2014 incidence rate for overexertion or bodily reaction was 35.6 cases per 10,000 full-time workers. In total, there were 384,260 cases nationwide that year, accounting for 33% of total cases. Lifting is often a job requirement for cooks when receiving deliveries, or servers when taking inventory or stocking workstations, as well as for retail salespeople when organizing stockrooms and bringing out new merchandise. Another common cause for workplace injuries, falls, slips, and/or trips, accounted for an additional 27 percent of the total in 2014, with 316,650 injuries that resulted in time away from work at an incidence rate of 29.3. Injuries with varying degrees of severity can cause a worker to miss time at work, and miss precious pay as a result.
A Fitchburg Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help
If you were hurt at work and require time off to recover, you may be worrying about how you will be able to pay your medical bills. A workers’ compensation attorney can help to answer your questions, and fight for you so you can get the compensation you deserve and the care you need. The dedicated and experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at Keches Law Group can assist you with your case from start to finish. Don’t hesitate to call with any questions or concerns.
If you’ve been hurt at work, schedule your free consultation with a Keches Law Group attorney today. Call us at 617-898-0808, or visit our website and chat with us online.
