The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that consumers spend $1.53 trillion per year on food and beverages. And according to the USDA, about one third of every dollar spent by U.S. consumers on food is spent in foodservice establishments; $0.15 of every dollar goes to food processors, and $0.13 to food retailers.
The food industry as a whole encompasses millions of American laborers. From production to service, food workers constitute 17% of the workforce. They grow, harvest, process, distribute, prepare, and serve food to consumers across the country. Their jobs bring a unique set of risks and hazards, some of which result in injury or illness. In 2014 alone, food workers suffered over 116,000 non-fatal workplace injuries.
Here’s a closer look at the most pressing challenges in safety and wellness facing the frontline workers that make up a vital part of our food industry.
Sources
Center for Research and Public Policy. (2015). The Mind of the Food Worker: Behaviors and Perceptions that Impact Safety and Operations [Measurement instrument]. Retrieved from http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/403157/Mind_of_the_Food_Worker_Report.pdf
Newman KL, Leon JS, Newman LS. (2013). Estimating occupational illness, injury, and mortality in food production in the United States: a farm-to-table analysis. J Occup Environ Med. 2015;57(7):718-25.
Syamlal, G., Jamal, A., & Mazurek, J. M. (2015). Current Cigarette Smoking Among Workers in Accommodation and Food Services — United States, 2011–2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 64(29), 797-801. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6429a5
UC Berkeley Labor of Occupational Health Program. (2011). A Menu for Protecting the Health and Safety of Restaurant Workers. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/dte/grant_materials/fy10/sh-20864-10/rest_worker_manual.pdf
