Personal injury cases can strike at any time and can be truly detrimental to any business. Yet they are very preventable if you keep an eye out and make sure to cover all your bases. This is especially important if you are a new business but can be just as relevant for established businesses as well. This article will run you through the most common problems businesses face from personal injury.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
By far the most common accident that can occur is a slip, trip or a fall. However, they are also one of the most preventable and least likely to cause huge financial damage to your business. That is not to say they can’t be horrific and well documented. It is always best to prevent them if possible.
Ensure that you train all of your staff to look out for hazards that can be minimized or stopped. Wet floors, obstacles in walkways, or broken handrails are all minor tasks to fix so ensure they are sorted as soon as possible.
Moving Machinery
More common in factories, farms, or on construction sites, hurting someone with moving machinery can be devastating. Not only might you have seriously hurt somebody, perhaps through loss of limb, but you could even end somebody’s life. Financially, your business may struggle to deal with a claim as these often require much larger payouts.
To minimize the risk of this, ensure regular maintenance on all of your machinery as well as recorded refresher training for all of your staff. You must be able to show that you did everything possible to prevent the accident from happening.
Exertion Injuries
Some may think that in manual labor jobs that this injury just comes as part of the package, however, this is not the case. As an employer, it is your job to minimize the risk to your employees. This means that you need to ensure you have a record of your staff being shown how to do their jobs in a safe manner. This includes lifting larger packages and weights as well as making sure that their breaks are recorded. All of this can protect you and your employees in the long run.
Workplace insurance
One mandatory cover that you must pay for is workplace insurance. Not only does this protect your employees but it protects your business as well. This policy will pay for any medical expenses that are required from an accident to your employees as well as some financial benefits that may prevent your employee from suing. It will also allow them to feel safer in the workplace which is always a benefit.
This is not an unnecessary cost, it is mandatory in all states, though each state has its requirements. Ensure your employees are covered for as much as you possibly can. It will help you in the long run.
Prevention
Prevention is by far the most effective way to deal with personal injury claims. If you can stop the accident from happening or prove that you tried your utmost to prevent it then you will be in a financially better place.