What To Do When an Accident Occurs in the Workplace
The Bureau of Labor Statisticsstates that there were “nearly 3.0 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2014.” Accidents are inevitable – they are going to happen. It’s important to be prepared for them when they do occur and seek the appropriate attention immediately. You want to make sure you can prevent accidents from occurring in the future no matter how minor they are. Here are our recommendations for what to do if an accident should occur in your workplace.
Assess the situation.
What happened and is anyone injured? Not all accidents that occur in the workplace cause injury, but can cause damage to property. It is important to make sure all employees, or customers, are not injured. Take care of anyone if they are injured and move away from the accident, especially if it could continue to cause harm to an individual’s health.
Get help.
Do you need first-aid or professional medical assistance? Figure out what it is you need to attend to the injured in a safe, but efficient manner. It is important you act fast if professional help is needed.
Gather information and report.
Record the accident while you can remember all the details and report a clear picture of the events that happened. It is easy to forget details and some people can remember events differently after they have occurred, especially depending on the severity of the accident. Keep any evidence, if there is any, as it is a vital piece for lawsuits and claims. Know your insurance information and report the accident.
Think about the future.
Think about how are you going to prevent further accidents from happening. Use this accident as an opportunity to know what you need to do for next time and how you can be more prepared. Make sure the proper paperwork is filled out with insurance and consult with your human resources department to make sure everything is settled.
The best way to ensure there are no future accidents is to make sure you and your staff are informed of safety measures that need to be taken. Make sure all safety information is displayed for everyone to see to ensure they are aware of it. It is essential to update these measures and practices so they remain up-to-date.
There are several ways to avoid accidents in the workplace. Confirm that your employees are well-rested and do not exceed their job duties past a point that they can cause harm to themselves or others. Be aware of their behavior at work and make it known that it’s important not to be careless, especially because their decisions could affect your health and your employees’ health.