Many retail workers had to put in much longer, more stressful hours during the recent Black Friday frenzy. Customers were not afraid to get up before the sun to take advantage of money saving opportunities. While some shoppers were quick to complain about the crowds, many workers got the harder end of the deal.
Merchandise moved fast and retail workers had a lot of lifting and moving to do to keep shelves stocked. There are many injuries that can be sustained by employing improper lifting techniques such as strained muscles and even broken bones in order to meet the demands of the customers.
Fatigue from long hours can also take a toll on retail workers. Workers must try to provide good customer service while being tired and overwhelmed can be stressful, especially for workers who had to miss out on their own family holiday celebrations to earn a living.
Black Friday may be a much-anticipated event for shoppers hoping for a bargain but for the person on the other end of the register, the day can be long and difficult. Standing on your feet for long periods of time without suitable rest can be draining and harmful to one’s health.
Other consequences of the Black Friday events around the state during past years have included employees being assaulted or trampled by over-aggressive customers. Broken bones and other injuries were incurred by workers just doing their jobs.