A serious accident in the workplace can affect small business owners in a big way. As an employer you have a legal responsibility to prevent people being harmed or becoming ill the workplace. Serious injuries or accidents in the work place can not only cause disruption to the business and lead to extra expense, it can also damage your reputation. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So it is in your best interest to take steps to prevent these accidents from happening in your workplace. Here are 5 tips to do just that.
- Communicate with your team
With regular training and risk assessments, workers should know if they’re able to take on a task. If you’re on site, check with workers who are exposed to danger if they’re wearing the correct uniform and have taken part in the correct training. If you feel that the task will expose them to great danger, reassess the situation.
- Never risk the health and safety of your employees
Profit may be the main motivation of businesses but employees should earn their keep without exposing themselves to hazard. Your employee’s health and safety should always take priority, no matter what.
- Make some rules
Business owners should always post signs or rules that can be clearly observed by their employees in order to prevent any possible accidents happening at work. These posters should be placed in areas that are highly visible to the workers so they will be able to read them.
- Always be observant
Always be on the lookout for possible cause of accidents. There are workers who are already aware of a disaster waiting to happen but they refuse to see the warning and go on with their work. If you see signs of a possible cause of accident in the workplace like a ceiling that is about to give way or an unsteady ladder, then you should report it to the proper authority immediately. Do not wait for the accident to happen as it might happen to you.
- Be wary of the weather
Both inside and outdoor work can expose you to extreme conditions and have an impact on your employee’s health. If your staff is exposed to cold conditions, install on-site heating devices. If your workers are exposed to extreme heat, make sure there is adequate ventilation and airflow — open windows and make use of fans.
If the unlikely case of a serious injury does happen on your business’s premises, as an employer it is up to you to make this process as stress-free as possible for your employee. The personal injury claims process may seem daunting, so it’s a good idea to seek the help of a serious injury expert like First4SeriousInjury to ensure that both yourself and your employee are handling everything correctly.
