Despite conducting regular risk assessments and putting preventable measures in place, there may be times when your staff experience a work-related injury. While you cannot always control the situation leading up to an accident, the way you respond afterwards is both entirely in your hands and crucial when it comes to making sure an injured staff member feels supported.
If an incident occurs, you will need to support your staff and may have to consider whether further actions are needed.
Understanding your worker’s situation and offering support at the time of injury and throughout the recovery process will have a positive impact on your worker’s response to their injury and enable successful recovery at work. Depending on the situation, this could range from helping your employee to leave work and seek medical help soon after the accident occurs or calling the emergency services yourself. Steps should also be taken to provide support, information and reassurance to other staff members who may be affected.
As soon as there has been an injury in the workplace, it should be logged in your company’s accident book. This is for two reasons, to provide information in case of a future claim and to keep track of any workplace dangers that need revising.
In most cases of serious injuries to have happened at work, there is a high chance that the employee will be entitled to claim for compensation. As an employer, it is important for you to remember that this is their legal right so the best thing for you to do is to support them and not make them feel as though their job is at risk in doing so. As a business owner, you should ensure your company’s insurance is adequate enough to cover any accidents. Make sure that the details of your insurer are known or provided immediately upon request. It may be useful to speak to a serious injury expert like First4SeriousInjury to gain a clear understanding of what should happen next.
If you have a staff member that needs to take time off following a serious injury or accident, stay informed and check in with them regularly – this could be via phone, email or visiting depending on your relationship. Invite your worker to meetings, morning teas or social events. Reassure your worker that they are missed and the team is keen for their return.