As an entrepreneur there are many things that are thrown at you pulling you in all different directions. One thing that entrepreneurs don’t often consider, or wish to even think about it, is what they will do if an accident occurs in their workplace. Unfortunately, accidents in the workplace do happen, and while statistics show they are currently in a decline, the fact is that they do remain.
So how concerned should you be about these possible accidents? What can you do to help protect employees? And what should you do if the unthinkable happens and an accident on the job happens? Let’s take a closer look.
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Fatalities on the Decline
When it comes to accidents in the workplace, fatalities is an area that has seen a drastic decline over the past 40 years. Where there were once 14,000 deaths on the job per year in the U.S., today’s stats show it is near the 5,000 mark. This shows a clear improvement which can be attributed to stricter rules, regulations, safety measures, and just a better understanding of how to protect employees in general.Non-fatal deaths have also been on the decline and have been for the past 13 years in a row.
Unfortunately there are some industries where injuries and fatalities are more common and these include the construction, logging, and trucking industries. Then you have industries such as the oil and gas industry which has gotten better over the years, but still has its fair share of hand and finger injuries.
How Can You Protect Employees from Injuries
As a responsible employer it’s only natural to ask how you can protect your employees and ensure that their personal safety is always a priority. One of the most important things to do is to train employees on safety and wellness in the workplace, making clear what hazardous and dangerous behaviour and materials are. A clear code of conduct should be laid out that employees can follow and refer to when they have questions about safe practices.
Education is another important factor in keeping everyone safe. Training management and staff shouldn’t just happen once, rather it should be an on-going process. Employees should also feel safe and encouraged to speak to management with any safety concerns they may have.
Taking shortcuts where safety is concerned is never a good idea. Whether that means using old or ineffective equipment, not having enough staff on-hand, and not providing enough qualified people to perform a task.
Take a look at the following expert tips to help protect employees from injuries:
- Invest In Appropriate Employee Safety Devices
Investing in high-quality employee safety devices is worthy because it protects both the employees and employers. Employers are bound to promote a safe and healthy working environment for employees, reducing safety hazards as much as possible, most especially for hazardous jobs.
An increased rate of workplace accidents would not only lead to an increased risk of physical injury but it would also result in the financial loss and staining of company reputation. Early interventions and proactive safety measures are crucial to protect employees from injuries.
- Hire Occupational Health Professionals
Because health and safety are important, hiring an occupational nurse and in-house physician is a smart decision. In this way, someone who is highly knowledgeable in providing first aid treatment and other medical interventions during emergency and employee sick days will always be available.
Make sure to hire OSHA qualified and trained healthcare professionals. Onboard them to the most common injuries happening in the workplace to help you create a contingency plan if an emergency arises. Creating your own company in-house clinic is a worthy investment, outweighing the cost of medical, workers compensation, and legal expenses for aggravated employee injuries.
- Hire A Legal Advocate
Slips and falls may occur in the workplace, even with strict safety and health protocols set in place. Hiring a fall accident lawyer is a good idea for the benefit of employees and employers. It only goes to show that you’re willing to stand by your workers and demand their rights should the insurance company fails to do their part.
A legal advocate can also help employers set the appropriate health and safety guidelines and protocols, along with the expert advice of the company occupational health professionals. Such a good collaboration will strengthen your employee relationship and company overall.
What to Expect If a Workplace Injury Does Occur?
Should a workplace injury occur, be prepared for the employee to contact an attorney that has represented similar cases in your particular industry. Take for instance the oil and gas industry, there are specific attorneys that take on workplace injury cases in that specific industry. It will also be important that you have an attorney that represents you as the business owner.
While the stats are definitely showing progress in terms of cutting down the amount of workplace injuries, they do still occur so it’s important to be sure you do what you can to prevent them from happening.
About Carson Derrow
