No matter what field you work in, there should be one word that should be prioritized above all others: safety. A dangerous work environment is one that puts your employees at risk and you in incredibly precarious situations due to liability. However, you need to make sure that you have a plan in place in the event of a workplace accident. Here’s how to protect yourself and your employees should they get injured.
Find out What Happened
As an employer, it’s your absolute right to find out the circumstances of any injury that happens at your workplace. You need to know as much as possible so that you know who is at fault and what needs to change. Following an injury, you should make sure to get accounts, not only from the injured parties but also from witnesses. Not everyone will have the same recollection, but you should be able to gather something of a consensus account. Having high-quality surveillance cameras can also help.
Review Safety Training
Depending on what kind of company you work for, there might be mandated safety training following an accident (such as a corporate environment). It’s always good to make sure that all employees are understanding of safety procedures and how accidents happen. You should participate in these lessons as well. You’re never too experienced to become properly trained in safety protocols.
Determine What Needs to Change
There could be seemingly minor circumstances of your workplace that lead to major problems. When reviewing the injury, consider how likely it would be to happen again. Maybe there was something that wasn’t secured properly. Maybe a certain chemical wasn’t properly labeled and secured. Whatever it is, you need to do your best to prevent it from happening in the future. This might mean disciplining or terminating someone who was responsible for the accident.
Determine Compensation
Should an injury leave someone unable to perform their job functions, they should be entitled to worker’s compensation to some extent. You need to consult with an injured employee, learn what their medical bills are, and how much they expect to receive. Work with attorneys from places like Westralian Insurance to see what would be fair. You shouldn’t be stingy. You want your employee to recover as well as possible.
We hope this has given you a great idea of how to protect yourself and your employees in the event of an injury. The workplace needs to be safe and secure. With these tips, you can help your employees feel safe, even after an injury.