Working as a bartender can be a fun job. You get to make a lot of different beverages and interact with entertaining customers. However, bartending is also a physically and emotionally demanding job. Making and serving alcoholic beverages is not for the faint of heart.
As a bartender, you encounter all the hazards of working in a kitchen and restaurant, but you generally have a small space to call your own. Here are a few ways you may sustain an injury while mixing cocktails.
1. Back injuries
Bartending can take a toll on your back. At first, you may not even realize how much you are putting your back through during a shift. Twisting and bending to serve drinks and grab bottles can aggravate your back over time. You may even have to lift heavy kegs with little or no help. These tasks are repetitive and strenuous.
2. Carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis
Your hands, wrists and arms are the most important tools in the service industry. Stirring and lifting may cause you to develop carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis in your wrists. It is also common for bartenders to develop tendonitis in their elbows.
3. Cuts and lacerations
In order to create certain cocktails, you must slice fruit. If one thing goes wrong while cutting a lemon, you may suffer a cut. Additionally, if any glasses break, you are at risk of lacerations from the shards.
4. Burns
You may need to use open flames, infused syrups or hot water to make certain drinks. If you come into contact with any hot liquids, you may suffer a serious burn. The ignition of alcohol is also a possibility.
5. Slip and falls
Your bar probably has floors covered in spilled drinks and melting ice. Even having a nonslip mat does not always help, especially if it is not in the proper position. This may cause you to slip and fall.
