Workplace accidents are common these days, despite businesses taking appropriate safety precautions and implementing best practices to avoid injuries. While such mishaps can lower the employee morale and burden businesses financially, they can damage the brand’s reputation as well. For this reason, it becomes vital for brands to take a proactive approach for dealing with such accidents and injuries. The way employers respond to mishaps can make all the difference to workforce morale and the credibility of the brand. Here are some steps they can take to deal with workplace injuries.
Care for the employees first
The safety of your employees matters more than anything else and getting quick medical aid an injured employee should be your top priority. Call 911 if there is an emergency situation. Conversely, you can transport them to a medical care facility in non-emergency situations. It is best to consult the medical provider who has been designated by your workers’ compensation carrier so that you don’t have much to do for getting a claim later.
Secure the accident spot
While you need to get immediate help for the injured, it is also your responsibility to secure the accident spot to prevent further casualties. This is important from the investigative perspective as well. Start by limiting access to the scene, securing it and saving any material or equipment involved in the incident. Taking pictures of the spot is also a good idea to help investigations.
Complete the requisite paperwork
Ensuring that the injured employees get the compensation they deserve can make all the difference to fortifying the reputation of your brand. According to expert personal injury attorneys, the right paperwork can get you sorted out with the workers’ compensation insurance carrier sooner than you expect. Completion of the requisite paperwork should be next on your checklist. Prepare an incident report and any other claims that you need to report to the carrier, preferably within a 24 hour period after the accident.
Download Branding Resources Guide
Building a brand starts by having the right tools and advice. Download our top 10 essential tools and resources to kick-start your branding.
Establish a return-to-work program
Workplace injuries often put people out of action and they may have to be off the job for weeks or even months. The longer they are away from work, the tougher it can be to return to employment. As an employer, you should consider it your responsibility to help the injured employees become productive and get back to work as quickly as possible. Implementing a return-to-work or transitional job program is a good idea. The objective of these programs is to keep the injured workers off of long-term disability. Apart from this, they can potentially reduce employers’ costs.
Make a commitment to employee safety
Branding goes beyond just impressing your customers; doing the best for your employees is equally important. Employers that are willing to commit to workforce safety can stay one step ahead. This is best done by contributing to the satisfaction levels of injured workers, facilitating return-to-work outcomes and easing the compensation claims. Implementing proactive measures that can prevent accidents and injuries in the future is also vital.
Making safety a priority can get your brand the trust and credibility you aspire for. At the same time, you should support the injured employees and help them get the compensation claims they deserve.
