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What Cashiers Need To Know About Workplace Injuries

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Working as a cashier is a good way to earn money while you have a flexible schedule. Just like at any job, however, there is a chance you can suffer an injury while working as a cashier. All employers must provide employees with a safe place to work without hazards that can lead to injury. If you are injured, you can file for worker's compensation benefits to pay for your medical expenses when you are out of work. Cashiers have certain vulnerabilities when at work than other professions. Here are some examples of ways cashiers can experience injuries while on the job:

Injuries Due to Robbery

No matter where you work as a cashier, there is always the risk of getting hurt due to an armed robbery in the store. No matter if you work at a convenience store or a designer department store, the risk of armed robbery is always there. Cashiers are among the most commonly injured parties during an armed robbery.

Exposure to Illness

When you work around a lot of people each day, you are more susceptible to illnesses. Touching multiple surfaces, exchanging currency, and touching items that have been handled by others can result in you getting sick and needing to be out of work for a few days. Your employer should provide you with proper handwashing stations, hand sanitizer, gloves, and anything else you might need to avoid illness. If you do get sick and require hospitalization, your employer should cover your medical expenses.

Injuries From Sprains and Overextensions

Using your hands and wrists constantly as you do your work can result in straining your hands and wrists. You could even end up with carpal tunnel syndrome requiring surgery to fix. You can also suffer from injuries due to overextension of your body and muscles. Cashiers often have to lift and carry heavy items. Repeatedly using these areas of your body without enough rest can cause you to damage the soft tissues in your back, neck, and shoulders.

Muscle Pain

 A cashier will be required to stand for hours at a time without the chance to sit for very long. This can result in foot pain, leg pain, back pain, and swelling. Your employer may be able to provide you with a chair to sit in throughout the day. You may also ask for floor mats to help absorb some of the pressure you may feel as you stand. If your pain gets too severe, you need to get medical attention and file for worker's compensation benefits so you can take the time you need to heal.

Speak to a workers' compensation attorney to find out more.


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