A Public Service Message

[lesanglierrouge]

One of my coworkers permanently injured his back recently while removing a stock pot from an ice bath. So now his choices are 1. learn to deal with being in pain all of the time. 2. Get monthly steroid treatments for life. Or 3. get a temporary fix surgery that will require follow-up surgeries likely for the rest of his life (he's under 30). Right now he is only able to work after swallowing a handfull of meds.

We've all done this and most of us are lucky. But in recent years as I get older sometimes, just sometimes wisdom prevails over machoism and I ask for a hand or scoop it out with a sauce pot. I consider my back more valuable than a batch of veal stock.

Aside from the suffering this could cause consider the expense of the injury in workman's comp and lost wages. It's really bad for all parties involved. Maybe we should all take a look at our production systems for such hazards. Just thought I'd share.

[holeshot]

back injuries can be a real [email]b@tch.[/email]
i suffer every day and have to take meds which really dont help much,just one of those things i spose.
i do exercise which helps alot more than the meds.
doctors dont seem to be able to do anything for me,or i just cant find one who knows thier stuff..

thanks to the bloke who did not see the red light and crashed into me,your a bloody idiot mate...where ever you r..

rant rant

[Derek Cooks]

Aye-yup, there's nothing wrong with asking for help - I do it all the time. I was a fortunate one - after a month flat on my back, mine healed enough that I only get occassional "twinges". Unless of course I do something stupid...

[FishinChef]

One of my coworkers permanently injured his back recently while removing a stock pot from an ice bath. So now his choices are 1. learn to deal with being in pain all of the time. 2. Get monthly steroid treatments for life. Or 3. get a temporary fix surgery that will require follow-up surgeries likely for the rest of his life (he's under 30). Right now he is only able to work after swallowing a handfull of meds.

Guilty here! I had surgery on a ruptured disc in my lower back at 27. The injury was directly caused by dumping a large stockpot solo; I'll always remember that stock. I know I should have asked for help, but I was young and invincible, not to mention that my chef at the time was pretty brutal. I used to get chewed up and spit out whenever I hesitated or showed weakness. Went through intense pain and a medicated lifestyle for about 4 years before I made a decision on surgery. A better decision would have been to ask for help.

I made a promise not to let the body manage me; instead I manage it. A higher sense of body awareness helps; so does an active lifestyle and working out. I swore off pain drugs/muscle relaxers and self medication (if you know what I mean). The drugs and pain meds have numerous side affects and make the quality of your life pretty poor. I usually do okay at work, as my mind is on my body movements. At home wrestling with the kids is where I'm most vulnerable.

I'm always on my staff's case about lifting products or moving equipment. As their leader I don't want them to get hurt; but as the department head I don't want to pay for their workers comp claim. I make them very aware of both reasons, personal and business. I've been through the workers comp thing (not for my back but for another work related injury) and wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

[Frantastic]

The older you get, the more it will intensify.
I had an idiot boss who insisted I lift a 60 quart mixing bowl full of cookie dough onto a roller stand. She was, of course, 300 lbs and almost 6' tall, mean as a rattle snake, and stupid as a stump. I was, and still am, 5' tall and weigh under 130.

Working the night shift in the bakery at a hotel with short (no pun intended) staff makes it difficult to ask for help from other departments, but it was me or the bowl. Just lifting the bowl to wash in our own 3-compartment sink was a huge chore, but dang it, I did it.

Now that I'm in my mid 50's, I still work 18 hour days but I work for ME - so I do try to take care of myself. My mixer is a 20 quart and that's big enough and heavy enough thank you very much. 15 quarts of cake batter is freakin heavy!

Catering is the worst for lifting and moving heavy stuff. There are some things that you just can't put on a cart and the distance you have to carry something without putting it down can be fierce.

[evaccooker]

As "the chick in the kitchen" it will take a lot to make me ask for help. Still, I'm not going to cripple myself. I know of a woman whose career is pretty much over for a month because of a slipped disk. I can't afford it. I'm strong for my size, but I'm not stupid. Besides, worker's comp is not mandatory in Texas! So I'd only be screwing myself.