If someone was unfortunate enough to suffer an accident at the workplace, there are many guides available after a quick Google search which reveal the necessary steps to take. The same cannot be said, however, for the other major party involved in the process – the employer.
As a result, it can be tricky for a business to understand what approach is best if the worst was to happen. Fortunately, this article is here to help. Below are the important steps to take should an accident happen at the workplace.
Assess the injury
First of all, you need to ensure that you check on the person that has been injured in the accident. While you’ll be hoping it is a minor injury at most, the situation could be a lot worse than that – and a quick response could be the difference between life and death.
When the injury is a life-threatening one, it goes without saying that your business should phone for an ambulance as soon as possible. If the injury is less severe, you will still need to turn to your healthcare provider or walk-in clinic. Assessment of the injury is important for insurance claims.
Cleaning up the scene
Once you have fully investigated the secured scene, you must clean it up straight away. The reason for this is simple: you want to try and limit the disruption to your company’s workflow as much as possible.
The severity of the injury dictates what step you take at this point. If the injury was a minor one, the cleanup job should be a relatively easy one. Yet if the person suffered a serious injury or worse, you may require the assistance of a professional bio-hazard cleaning service to remove any blood and other stubborn pathogenic particles.
An immediate response is essential
Simply put, the most critical part after an accident is the first 24 hours. Aside from assisting with the injured party, you have to determine what exactly caused the accident. By conducting an early report of the incident, it’s easier to produce a thorough investigation of what happened.
This means you can collect all of the necessary evidence, take pictures of the scene, and interview any witnesses to the accident while their memories remain fresh. Not only that, but you can also help the injured person with the claims process. If they have a head start on this process, such as knowing how they’ll gain wage replacement payments and medical care, it can assist with easing fears than an injury can cause – and spare them from enlisting an unnecessary attorney.
Learn from the incident
Why did the accident happen? What action can be taken to prevent it from occurring again in the future? These are the questions you need to answer following the incident. After all, the last thing that you want is for it to happen again.
Ensure you revise your workplace procedure for handling injuries. This includes educating employees, so they know exactly how to respond when an injury occurs.
