An official website of the United States government
Reaching overhead was required for 44.5 percent of workers in all occupations in 2018. Among food preparation and serving occupations, however, reaching overhead was required for 65.0 percent of workers. Each of the five cook occupations requires most workers to reach overhead. Nearly all cook jobs also require workers to reach at or below the shoulder.
Occupation | Reaching at or below the shoulder |
Percent of workday standing or walking |
Stooping | Reaching overhead | Medium strength |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
All workers |
81.9% | 59.4% | 56.8% | 44.5% | 35.5% |
Food preparation and serving related |
96.7 | 96.4 | 75.9 | 65.0 | 56.0 |
Chefs |
97.7 | 85.0 | 56.5 | 62.5 | - |
Fast food cooks |
93.3 | 98.2 | 64.5 | 67.3 | 51.6 |
Institution and cafeteria cooks |
98.0 | 93.8 | 87.1 | 74.3 | 68.8 |
Restaurant cooks |
96.7 | 97.8 | 71.5 | 72.9 | 75.5 |
Short order cooks |
97.2 | 97.1 | 81.2 | 75.2 | 68.6 |
Note: Dash means data do not meet publication standards. |
Workers in food preparation and serving occupations spend most of their workday standing or walking. Fast food cooks spent 98.2 percent of their workday standing or walking in 2018. They were followed closely by restaurant cooks (97.8 percent of workday), short order cooks (97.1 percent of workday), and institution and cafeteria cooks (93.8 percent of workday).
Fifty-six percent of food preparation and serving related jobs required a medium strength level in 2018. Even higher percentages of cook jobs required medium strength.
The average maximum weight restaurant cooks were required to lift or carry on the job in 2018 was 36.6 pounds. Institution and cafeteria cooks were required to lift 34.3 pounds, and short order cooks were required to lift 33.8 pounds.
Occupation | Pounds |
---|---|
All workers |
27.1 |
Food preparation and serving related occupations |
27.2 |
Restaurant cooks |
36.6 |
Institution and cafeteria cooks |
34.3 |
Short order cooks |
33.8 |
Chefs |
32.5 |
Fast food cooks |
30.3 |
These data are from the Occupational Requirements Survey. For more information, see “Occupational Requirements in the United States — 2018.”
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Physical requirements in food preparation and serving jobs at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2020/physical-requirements-in-food-preparation-and-serving-jobs.htm (visited October 31, 2024).