5 Steps To Prevent Accident At Work Compensation Claims

Personal injury solicitors see accident at work compensation claims every day, from all kinds of industries and involving all kinds of injuries. Employers are responsible for the safety and security of everyone in their employment or who could be affected by the business and must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure these people’s safety. The following steps should help them achieve this goal.

1- Understand that accidents could happen

Some employers are in denial about the likelihood of accident at work compensation claims. However, this denial will make risk assessments less effective and could see employers even failing to invest in employer’s liability insurance or to manage their team properly.

2- Train staff and raise awareness

Employers should ensure staff are aware of the dangers of their job and are willing and able to report any problems or concerns they have. Companies that penalise whistleblowers or fail to ensure staff are properly trained will fail to meet their required health and safety standards. Consider sending staff on safety courses – not only will employees appreciate being trained and having their safety protected, but doing so could make the consequences of an accident significantly less severe.

Clear lines of communication are therefore essential. Employees should be told how they can report health and safety problems during the induction process and should understand what factors could lead to personal injury claims or that could put their wellbeing at risk, and should feel like their concerns are listened to and acted on.

3- Don’t be afraid to use professionals

Companies that do not feel they can reach their health and safety goals in-house should not be afraid to contact professionals for help and assistance. There are many consultancies and organisations that specialise in preventing accident at work compensation claims, and employers should choose one that has experience in their particular sector. It is always best to invest in professionals than to be unsure about health and safety policies and to potentially deal with personal injury claims in the future.

4- Plan in advance

Appoint employees as health and safety leaders or first-aiders, and ensure that everyone knows what they have to do in the event of an emergency or an employee injury. Businesses should occasionally run fire drills, test alarm systems and ensure their safety systems work properly. Ensure the plans are adequate for all circumstances and you shouldn’t face any problems.

5- Keep up good maintenance and housekeeping

Poor maintenance and housekeeping are a factor in far too many accident at work compensation claims – from cuts and abrasions caused by unguarded machinery to slips and trips on rubbish, proper housekeeping and maintenance could have prevented a huge number of personal injury claims. Employers should consider how they can implement effective housekeeping standards and organise regular maintenance of any machinery to minimise the chance of people becoming injured in their premises.

With these simple steps, employers should be able to rest assured that they have done all they can to protect the safety of their workforce.

Robert Anderson is an expert in employment law and has worked alongside personal injury solicitors in Burnley to help hundreds of people receive accident at work compensation. He is constantly staying on top of relevant changes in the sector and specialises in industrial accident claims. He likes to drive his audi a3.