Cashiers are usually pretty busy during their shifts, but there may be some time to rest, stretch and work out the kinks between customers at some point during the day. During the holidays, they may spend even more time behind the register without much time in between customers to take a break. This could easily lead to injuries.
Unfortunately, you can’t necessarily slow down during your shift. Your customers probably wouldn’t accept you taking a few minutes to rest in order to help prevent injuries. Therefore, you may need to adjust how you work in order to reduce your likelihood of suffering an injury during the holiday rush.
The way you move makes a difference
Stockers and truck unloaders probably think you have the cushy job in the store. You don’t really have to lift much or bend down. So, you move a few items across a scanner; it’s not a big deal, right? Wrong. It is a big deal, and if you aren’t careful, you could end up with serious injuries. The following tips could help you stay pain-free this holiday season:
- Stay close to the belt and scanner. Limit the amount of reaching you have to do in order to move products across the scanner.
- Stand on an anti-fatigue mat.
- Keep close to your register, the scanner and the belt as much as possible to reduce strain.
- Try to situate yourself so that you can stand up straight while using your arms instead of having to constantly reach for items.
In a perfect world, you could adjust all of the equipment to suit you every shift. However, most equipment is stationary, so you will need to find a way to work with it the way it is. If you are unable to avoid overextending or reaching, you could end up with injuries.
What happens if you do suffer injuries?
Because you hurt yourself at work, you can apply for workers’ compensation benefits. You can receive benefits to cover your medical expenses and a portion of your lost wages. Depending on the circumstances, you may also be eligible for other benefits. However, working your way through the system may not be an easy task. You should be able to focus on your recovery so that you can get back to your life as quickly as possible; therefore, you may want to enlist some help.