Employee safety is a very serious topic that requires a lot of consideration. Each year, over 5,000 employees die from workplace accidents. A much larger number of employees are injured and survive. Many of these accidents could have been prevented. This leaves employers dealing with the cost, guilt and trauma of employee accidents.
Workplace safety is one of the most important things that businesses should be focusing on. The truth of the matter is that employees are the ones who drive a company’s success and income. With this in mind, accidents at work can happen at any time. It’s an inevitable part of daily life and most workers experience it at least once in their lifetime a work-related accident.
Therefore, if you are a business owner, you must find out the common causes of work-related accidents, and how to avoid them.
Most common workplace accidents
For example, head injuries are a common occurrence in the workplace. Depending on the extent of the accident, an injured worker may experience concussion, skull fractures, or brain injuries. In this case, hiring a medical professional like a workers comp neurologist can be a good idea as they can help develop a treatment plan to recover and help you get back on the road quickly.
Treatments for head injuries may require surgery and long-term rehabilitation, resulting in increased medical bills, lost productivity, and reputational damage. Therefore, it’s important to address any harm we experience at work. There would be fewer accidents at work if employers would take the right measures to create a safe environment. According to recent research, the most common causes of work-related accidents are the following:
- Handling, lifting, and carrying
- Slips falls, and trips
- Violence
- Being stuck by objects
- Falls from height
The most common type of work-related accidents are slips, falls, and trips. They ordinarily occur when working in an unorganized environment. These falls, trips, or slips can cause major chronic neck, back, and spine problems. Any company should create formal instruction on how to lift, bend, or carry any object. Even the slightest wrong move can cause stress on the body, leading to possible injuries or other health-related problems. You might have a business that requires doing the job manually. But it is mandatory that you introduce new technology and equipment that will help your employees complete the tasks safely.
Some jobs require their employees to interact with the public, which can come with a lot of danger. They can find themselves in violent situations at any time. For example, in the retail industry, the security guards are usually the ones who get involved in acts of violence more often.
Another example falls from height. Sometimes, employees are required to work from heights and it’s risky. In this case, they fall above ground and can lead to serious injuries. The solution is often simple and cost-effective: the employee will ask for compensation for the injuries suffered. 95% of the major slips can result in broken bones and other wide range of health complications. The reason why this happens is that people don’t take risks seriously. Poor application of risk assessment will simply cost a company a fortune! Thus, ensure that you are responsible to keep the workplace safe and free of risk of damage.
You may wonder how much compensation you can receive for the injuries suffered, or what factors are considered. Making a claim and find the best attorney is mandatory for you in such cases. Or, maybe you would like to know how the compensation is calculated. Some companies may use the compensation calculator UK for accidents at work. Nobody is prevented from making a personal injury claim if they’ve suffered injuries at work, and no fault is theirs. Some business owners may try to put mental pressure and financial barriers against their employees. Do not let yourself intimidated – you have the right to seek compensation. If your claim succeeds, you will receive compensation for covering the damage you suffered. Make sure to work with a dedicated attorney to help you receive a favorable outcome. Whether you file a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury lawsuit, they can help you get compensated for your injuries and return to your normal life as soon as possible.
Avoiding injury at work
This is especially important for lone workers. Safety measures must be taken to avoid cases in which employees are hurt or injured. Sometimes, accidents at work are unavoidable, but if you use the right tools, it is possible to prevent serious damage. Just a simple workplace accident can have a huge impact on your business.
For instance, when a worker is hurt, they may be unable to report to work for a certain period. This can lead to lost productivity as you must find someone to cover the injured team member’s duties and responsibilities. Your business may also be responsible for paying for the medical expenses and the workers’ compensation insurance.
Moreover, workplace injuries can cause reduced morale among employees. They may fear getting injured or be angry that their co-worker is suffering from perceived negligence. This can result in increased absenteeism and turnover. Dealing with injured workers clumsily can also damage your business’s reputation.
Besides the medical bills, employees’ compensation, lost productivity, the costs can be really high. The best way to avoid injuries at work is to follow the next tips:
- Teach your employees to continually encourage others to follow safety measures all the time. Lifting and moving can be a good example for employees to train before.
- Overtime hours can be a major problem for some employees. They might not be able to work too many hours per day. Hire part-time or seasonal staff members, so you can prevent accidents at work.
- Provide protection equipment – Personal equipment will help your employees stay safe while working. Take time to teach your employees how to properly use the equipment.
- Reach safety weaknesses – any business has its unique safety measure. For this reason, pay careful attention to common accidents and develop strategies to ensure you keep hazards away.
- Be clear about safety measures at the workplace – Make sure you organize everything in such a way that none of your employees skips the instructions.
- Keep the work environment organized – Poor organization at the workplace can lead to hazards.
Accidents can occur at the workplace regardless of how much you try to avoid them, and employees can get hurt. When it happens, make sure you are well-prepared to provide them with the care they need. Clearly, thousands of people are victims of workplace injuries. But this has a devastating impact on both the employees and the employers. Thus, it’s vital to understand that accidents at work can have several physical and emotional impacts on you and the employees.
Workplace accidents can result in physical injuries, psychological repercussions, fatalities, increased costs, loss of morale, etc. Therefore, it’s essential to use the above strategies to reduce the risk of injuries happening in your workplace. As we have already discussed, workplace injuries are really costly, which means that they can have severe repercussions on your business. So, make sure you invest in keeping your employees safe.
Design a written health and safety policy. Show your employees that you take their health seriously, which will increase their trust in your company. Also, don’t forget that your employees need appropriate training in safety measures, so they know how to handle all their tasks.
