What Should You Do When An Employee is Injured at Work?
As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure your workplace is safe and secure. Your workers should never feel as though they are in danger, and you should take every precaution to minimize the risk.
Although workplace injuries are more commonly associated with manual professions, like construction work and manufacturing, they can happen anywhere. An employee could slip on a wet bathroom floor or cut themselves while making a snack in the kitchen. Such an injury may or may not be your fault. Perhaps it occurred because you didn’t have the correct health and safety procedures in place, but maybe your employee tripped on their untied shoelace. Whatever the cause and the consequences, you need to have a plan in place for dealing with such an incident.
In the worst-case scenario, you could be dealing with a life-changing injury or an impending lawsuit. It could prove disastrous for your company and cost you a colossal amount of time and money. Following the correct procedures will help you to avoid these eventualities.
Be prepared
No matter what precautionary measures you take, something can always go wrong. Prepare your business for such an eventuality by ensuring that your employees are trained in first aid and emergency procedures. You should have first aid kits and medical supplies readily available and fully stocked. Any dangerous tasks such as operating machinery should fall under the remit of a safety officer.
Respond quickly
The quicker you respond to the injury, the less severe the consequences will be. The first step is to check for danger and make sure everyone is safe. Move the injured worker out of harm’s way and clear other employees out of the area. Assess the injury and get the first aid kit ready for use.
Get medical help
Unless the injury is minor, you will need to call for medical help. Even if the employee claims they don’t need it, not seeking medical assistance could come back to haunt you if they take legal action at a later date. Ensure there is ample space outside for an ambulance if needed and keep the injured party calm and supported while you wait.
Document the incident
No matter the nature or severity of the injury, you should always take care to document it. Any workplace should have an accident report book to note down any injuries or incidents. This will allow you to dictate exactly what happened while it is still fresh in your mind.
Provide assistance
An employee who injures themselves at work might be entitled to make an insurance claim. If they go down this route, they may ask you for a claim form. Give them the assistance they need throughout this process and be as helpful as possible. If you do anything to obstruct them, they may need a workers comp lawyer to take action.
Prevent future injuries
Once the injured employee is safe from harm, you should take steps to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. Assess what happened and whether there is anything you can do to minimize future risk. Possible steps include providing training for employees and regular inspections of the workplace.
