What to do After a Workplace Injury Occurs

What to do After a Workplace Injury Occurs

Unfortunately, there are nearly “3 million American workplace injuries each year.” While workplace injuries are unpleasant, not reporting injuries has extensive business consequences.

So, protect your business’s reputation and financial bottom by reading this workplace injury guide created with the help of the vocational experts at Solutions Northwest Inc.! Understanding these essential steps can not only protect your business but help prevent future workplace injuries. 

And if you’re an employer or Human Resources professional with previous experience on workplace injuries, we still highly recommend this guide. Learning new tips can help limit worker’s compensation claims and build your employee’s trust and loyalty.   

1) Attending to Workplace Injuries 

If a workplace injury occurs, the first step is to attend to your employee. It’s vital to assess whether the employee’s injuries are minor or significant. For example, if it’s a simple cut, perhaps no further medical assessment is necessary. 

However, never ignore extensive injuries! Remember, secondary injuries might go undiagnosed. In this case, your worker won’t be available, and you might face an expensive workplace injury lawsuit. 

Some severe post-workplace injuries, left unchecked or diagnosed, might even become fatal. Tragically, nearly “2 million people die annually from workplace injuries.”

Call for professional healthcare services if your medical assessment deduces the injury is serious. If instructed, take the injured employee to a competent medical care facility. 

2) Alert Management and Human Resources 

Contact management and your Human Resources (HR) service after attending to the wounded employee. Be sure to detail what happened, where the accident happened, and the employee’s condition. That way, management can enact safety protocols. 

That way, all pertinent company officials are notified. In addition, you can visit our blog if you have questions about safety and effective vocational services. Or reach out to our experts directly at SolutionsNorthwest.com/Contact.

3) Block off the Scene of the Workplace Accident

To prevent additional workplace injuries, secure the area where the injury occurred. Also, preserving the scene enables officials like OSHA to investigate.

Furthermore, you can rely on vocational counseling and consulting companies to assess and prevent future workplace injury risks.  

4) Don’t Hesitate Reporting Workplace Injuries

Different states have different rules for reporting injuries. Timely reporting also involves interviewing witnesses. Keep in mind OSHA requires the workplace or Human Resources to report workplace injuries. 

For less severe workplace injuries, OSHA allows you to report them within 24 hours. The same is true if the employee is in the hospital. However, OSHA mandates a report “within eight hours for extreme workplace injuries like lost limbs or death.” 

5) Consider More Workplace Training 

After consulting with a vocational consultant about your safety protocols, consider renewing worker safety training as well. Unavailable employees cost your business in two ways. First, injured workers lead to worker’s comp and lost work productivity. 

Reeducating your employees on updated protocols can help prevent future workplace injuries. Offering incentives for safe work practices might also reduce workplace injuries.  

6) Keep in Touch with Your Injured Employee 

Boosting your employee’s morale during their injury can help your business down the right. If an employee feels that you care, they might go the extra mile when they return. Word may get around to the other employees to boost their workplace morale.

7) Schedule Your Employee’s Return to Work 

Depending on your employee’s work duties, you might have to ease them back into work. If they are nursing an extensive injury, consider a lighter job to get them back into the fold. You can transition them off worker’s compensation and into a stable working salary.    

Stay Proactive About Workplace Injuries

We hope this guide helped shed some light on what to do in the case of a workplace injury. At Solutions Northwest Inc., we pride ourselves on helping employers like you maintain safe workplaces. Our staff analyzes potential workplace injury risks, including workplace ergonomics. 

Contact us today to discuss how our vocational services can benefit your company. We also excel in worker’s compensation matters and personal injury matters.  

Contact Solutions Northwest Inc. to make an appointment! At Solutions Northwest Inc., we can help you find a vocational expert or give you general vocational consulting. Our vocational experts are involved in personal injury, workers’ compensation, and family law.

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