Workplace Injury: What to Do If an Employee Gets Hurt
You never expect it to happen when it does. A workplace injury is something that typically happens quickly and in the least likely areas. A steel door slams on an employee's hand, someone slips and falls, a worker's hand gets caught in machinery, or another incident occurs that causes an employee to suffer from an injury on the job.
There were 2.8 million non-fatal workplace injuries in 2019. Knowing what to do before an accident occurs may help keep your business rolling smoothly. Read on to learn more about handling a workplace injury.
Steps to Take Following a Workplace Injury
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes the safety standards for workplace safety. Having a plan in place prior to a worker’s injury may help save your company time and money.
Prepare by creating a response plan for the different types of accidents that may occur at your business and train employees on emergency response plans. Make sure you also have a first aid kit, and all your employees know of its location.
Your business should have emergency contact information on file for every employee. Make sure it is kept up to date, so you are not scrambling for contact information if an injury occurs.
If an accident happens and it is possible to move an injured worker to a safer place without injuring them more, do so. You should assess the severity of their injury and decide on appropriate treatment.
- Treat minor cuts, burns, and scrapes with an on-site first aid kit.
- For severe injuries call an ambulance or provide transportation to a medical facility.
- Write down all relevant information about the accident after its occurrence as soon as possible.
- Take witness statements from anyone who saw the incident happen.
- Keep all evidence of the accident including equipment, photographs of the area, etc.
Even if an employee claims they are fine, make sure you record the incident. In the event the employee later needs medical treatment, you have a record on file for the Workers’ Compensation claim.
Filing A Workers' Compensation Claim
If the injury requires medical treatment, assist the employee in filing a Workers’ Compensation claim immediately. Keep open communication between the employee, your business, medical providers, and the claims adjuster. This will help to speed up the process.
It is a good idea to prepare and have on hand documents that explain the Workers’ Compensation insurance your company utilizes and the filing process. You can give this information to employees following an injury. Knowing they may have coverage for medical bills, wage loss, ongoing care, and more following a work-related injury could help to improve employee-employer relationships.
This is also a perfect opportunity to evaluate what went wrong and take appropriate steps to help prevent similar injuries from happening in the future. Employee injuries happen, but the steps you take in response to those injuries are what can help to keep moving your business forward.
Once the employee is able to return to work, welcome them back. It is illegal to terminate an employee or penalize them for filing a Workers’ Compensation claim. Failing to comply with the law can also lead to costly legal repercussions.
Coverage May Help to Protect Your Business
Before you find yourself dealing with a workplace injury, contact PolicySweet® for a free no-obligation insurance quote. You may call us at 1-800-625-8257 or submit a quote request online.
Simply request an online quote or reach out to us if you have any questions. Contact us today!