All employers have the risk of an employee getting hurt while they are working. Even seemingly low risk environments such as offices can present dangerous situations from time to time. The bottom line is that a workplace injury could happen at any place and at any time. If one of your employees does get injured, it is important to know what you should do. Many employers are concerned about what type of compensation they will be liable for if a personal injury happens at their workplace. Being prepared for workplace injuries can help you to avoid negative legal consequences for both your company and yourself.
If an employee does get hurt, your number one priority should be to make sure the employee gets the proper medical attention. You will need to decide if it is necessary for you to call an ambulance. However, it is usually better to be safe than sorry. If it is later revealed that your employee’s livelihood or life could have been saved if you had called an ambulance, but you did not call one, you could be sued for a large amount of money.
You should have some Accident Injury Report forms at your workplace so you are able to fill one out in the event of an employee injury. On this form, you can document the steps that you took immediately upon hearing about the injury. Things such as a description of the accident, the time it happened and the name of the ambulance service that came to your workplace should all be recorded. It wouldn’t hurt to get the names of the medical personal on the ambulance. You never know if you might need to call them as witnesses in your defense if you get sued. You should also include any events that happened after the accident that you feel might be important in the future.
If the employee requires hospital treatment, send another employee with him or her. Immediately contact the employee’s next of kin and tell them about the accident. Hospital records will allow you to be aware of how bad your employees injuries are in the event that a workman’s compensation claim is filed.
If an employee is injured at your workplace, it is a good idea to have them tested for drugs. This is because if it can be proven that the employee was being influenced of drugs or alcohol when the accident occurred, you are not legally responsible for any injuries suffered by your employee. You are also not required to pay any compensation because of the injury. This type of drug and alcohol testing is effective in discouraging substance abuse around the workplace.
Start to look into the events surrounding the accident after your employee has been tended to medically. Interview employees that witnessed the accident or were nearby. Take photos of the scene of the accident. Find out of the accident happened from the employee’s carelessness or not. If the accident was caused by negligence or your machinery being defective, you should immediately contact an attorney who specializes in defending employers from personal injury claims.