While cuts, falls and strains make up a large portion of workers’ compensation claims for restaurants, injuries from a worker’s extremities being crushed, and injuries related to mental stress and fainting are on the rise post-2020, according to an analysis published Wednesday by AmTrust Financial Services Inc.

In studying injuries post-pandemic, comparing 2021 with 2019 as a baseline, AmTrust found that crushing injuries are up 89%; mental stress claims are up 71%, the largest jump historically; and fainting claims are up 61%. The report did not state costs related to these claims, noting that the typical restaurant injuries — cuts, falls and strains — still remain the costliest injuries among restaurant workers.

The analysis examined 48,486 cut, puncture and/or scrape claims — the most reported — and found that the average cost per claim stood at $1,519. Less common were falls and slips, at 37,399 claims but costing on average $10,041. Strains were reported in 19,407 claims, costing on average $9,277, according to the report. Slightly less common were burns, with 19,227 claims averaging $3,160 per claim, according to the report.

In analyzing the number of reported injuries each month from 2015 to 2021, AmTrust found that injuries peak in late spring and into the summer, particularly July, which the researchers suggested is due to a seasonal summer staff that has less training, less experience and is thus more likely to get injured.

January, February, September and November tend to see the lowest number of injuries, AmTrust reported.

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