Workplace injury claims in food manufacturing facilities are down 13% compared to before the pandemic, according to the AmTrust 2023 Food Manufacturing Report.
AmTrust analyzed 15,000 claims between 2018 and 2022, and found that the industry has made positive progress. “Post-pandemic has been a very volatile time for the food manufacturing industry due to labor shortages, supply chain issues, and inflationary costs. In general, though, workplace injuries were down in 2020, 2021 and 2022 compared to 2019,” said Matt Zender, SVP, Workers’ Compensation Product Manager.
Strains, which account for 28% of all injuries, are both the most common injuries and the most expensive to treat. Strains have a variety of causes, including slips and falls, awkward or repetitive motions, and lifting heavy objects. These injuries are particularly expensive because they can impact multiple body parts, most often the lower back, hands, shoulders, and knees. In Q4 of 2022, injuries by strains were down 27% compared to their peak in Q3 of 2019.
“Food manufacturing involves various forms of manual material handling which could involve lifting and moving objects, and pushing and pulling equipment – all actions that could lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and strain/sprain injuries,” said Woody Dwyer, Director of Loss Control for AmTrust and a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE). AmTrust recommends food manufacturers adopt a variety of workplace safety measures, including guard rails around elevated platforms and non-slip closed-toe shoes.
Download the full report for more information about workplace injuries and steps you can take to prevent them.
