Did you know there were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries reported in 2018?
As an employer, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your employees receive proper safety training. Consistent safety training will help your employees to identify and avoid potentially dangerous situations that could result in serious or life-threatening injuries.
What do you do if you have an employee that receives a workplace injury? We’ve created this quick guide to help you better understand what your responsibilities are as an employer. Keep reading to learn more!
Call for Medical Attention
When your employee receives a work injury, the first step is to find them immediate medical attention. While it’s normal for you to be concerned about the financial repercussions that come with an on-the-job injury, your main focus needs to be on the overall health and well-being of your employee.
If you don’t provide your employee with immediate medical attention, your injured employee can legally sue you and seek financial restitution later down the road.
Depending on the severity of the injury, you may need to call 911. If the injury isn’t life-threatening, encourage your employee to seek help through an emergency room.
Start Filing a Report
After you have ensured that your employee seeks medical attention, it’s time for you to take steps as an employer. Your injured employee will have the right to file a claim against you. To ensure that you’re able to file an accurate report with your worker’s compensation insurance company, write down any information that you’re able to recall about the accident.
Most likely, you’ll also have to file a First Report of Injury. Filing this report and writing down any information you can recall about the accident will help to protect your personal assets and your business in case of a lawsuit filed against you in the future.
You can also take the time to talk with any of your other employees that witness the accident. If possible, make sure that you write down any statements that your employees make. You can also take videos or pictures of the site of the accident to record what the site looks like, which can help to protect you in a future lawsuit.
Workman’s Compensation Insurance
Be patient when working with your company’s Workers Compensation Insurance Company. Your employee may file a claim and be working with an attorney if their injury is severe enough.
There likely will be lots of files and documents that you have to fill out or review when working with your workman’s compensation carrier.
Understanding How to Handle a Workplace Injury
Have a solid understanding of how to handle a workplace injury as an employer. This will help to ensure the health and safety of your employees and your business.
Are you interested in learning more about how to improve the overall experience that your employees have with your business? We’ve got more information on our blog. Check out our other articles to learn more!
