Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses Among Food Services Workers: A Literature Review

The food services sector until a few years ago was not considered one of the most dangerous in terms of occupational safety, so much so that it is classified as a low-risk economic activity. The cases of accidents and so-called "white deaths" in recent years have led to greater attention being paid to the regulation of this category on safety risks in workplaces. Professional cooks are the category most at risk and the most frequent causes of accidents are slipping, sudden movements and loss of control of utensils and sharp objects. The most frequently reported occupational diseases concern the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, followed by nervous system. The aim of the paper is to present a literature review on the work-related injuries and illnesses among workers by analysing statistical data and studies and results conducted by other authors in the last 20 years. The methodology involved different and subsequent steps among which: i) definition of the field and boundary of investigation; ii) selection of research papers on Scopus databases and the study of results coming from other authors; iii) data assessment and outcomes comments. The findings from this study can support efforts by the food services industry, safety and health services and offices to observe the influence and the effects of work safety culture within workplaces. Prevention measures would be more effective by implementing actions of promotion of safety and health in addition of actions on occupational risks.