When you make the decision to run your own business, you have to appreciate the level of responsibility that you will be taking on.
It can be difficult to prioritise these responsibilities, especially if you are a sole leader. The one responsibility that you as a business owner should never forget about, is workplace safety.
This doesn’t just apply to your own employees, but to third parties that are affected but the actions of your company.
Injuries can happen anytime in the workplace, but it’s going to be how you handle it as an employer that will truly count.
The injury risks in the workplace differ and greatly depend on the company and type of industry you are in.
A company dealing in construction and manufacturing will always be higher in risk than a company based in an office.
For example the most common injuries in the workplace come as a result from overexertion. This includes things like lifting, pulling or pushing equipment or heavy loads.
Contractors who work on site not only have to think about their own personal safety and the safety of their colleagues, but the safety of the public.
The risks of injury to a third party should always be looked at in the same way risks to employees are looked at.
This means ensuring the right public liability insurance for contractors is in place so that they are covered if a third-party injury should occur.
After overexertion injuries, slips, trips and falls in the workplace are second most common. These injuries have to be handled in a specific way to avoid liability and as a business owner, caring for your employees and those working around your company is vital.
There are five steps you should take when you have an employee injured while they are at work and we have detailed these for you below:
Seek Medical Help
Employees at work should always go through rigorous health and safety training before starting on the job. This doesn’t mean accidents won’t happen, it just means that everyone is versed in what to do when they happen.
Providing your employee with the right help immediately is more important than worrying about the financials of an accident. If you do not do this, you could find yourself negligent.
File An Accident Report.
As an employer, it’s your obligation to write a report detailing the accident, how it happened and what you plan to do to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
You also should provide the employee with a claim form for insurance and discuss with them whether they plan to make a claim.
Cooperate
It’s not the nicest thing to go through as an employer, but you must support and cooperate when it comes to compensation. Hand over reports, witness statements and photographs to insurance so that you are covered.
Welcome Back.
Time off after an injury at work is common, and welcoming your employee back to work is important. Regardless of whether a claim is made, you should ensure that you put their needs first.
Prevention
Ensuring this accident doesn’t happen again is so important as you need to keep the rest of the office safe.
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