How to Handle Workplace Mishaps

Accidents and hazards in general are all too common in the workplace; no matter if you’re working in a high risk field, like construction, or if you’re an office clerk, accidents can happen. But what should you do in case you get injured or you witness someone get injured or experience any workplace-related incident, like discrimination or harassment?

Here are some of the key steps in handling workplace mishaps and how you can deal with any situation.

Investigate, Document and Prevent

The best way to deal with workplace-related accidents is to prevent them from happening. First, make sure you have a solid team of people at your disposal. If you are an employer, make sure to run personality checks, and don’t hire people solely on the basis of their resumes. You might find that a high-skilled worker is not best suited to work in your team or your office culture.

Secondly, you have to inspect and investigate every piece of the workplace for its hazard potential. If you are having a hard time pinpointing potential problems, make sure to double-check every area. Also, conduct interviews with the staff in order to find out if they have noticed any threats.

If you are a worker, make sure to pay close attention to your surroundings. You might notice a fellow worker acting oddly or someone who is prone to harassing or discriminating others. Keep a watchful eye and wait for the person to make a mistake, and then report them to the management.

Focusing on your surroundings will also enable you to pinpoint any physical hazards and report them to the higher-ups. Make sure that the management does its best to make all the necessary changes so that the place becomes safer to work in. If you have a high-risk job, make sure you always wear your protective gear.

Resolving Problems

Once you have pinpointed all the possible hazards, proceed to fixing them. If you are unsure how to fix them, have a professional take on the job, as insurance companies and universities will often give free advice on how to approach the problem. You can also always employ a professional to fix the problem immediately.

Not only will you potentially save someone’s life with this kind of preemptive thinking, but you will also be able to quickly get back on your feet when an accident does take place because you will have all the necessary insurance paperwork at your disposal.

Respond to Accidents Decisively

According to the Occupational, Safety & Health Administration, an average of four million workers are injured on the job each year, with more than twelve deaths occurring daily. Whether you’re a manager or an employee, you will have to act swiftly and decisively in order to help a victim.

First of all, attend to the emergency. Call an ambulance before you do anything else, and assess the situation while the paramedics are on their way. If you can, help the person in need, and if you don’t know how to help, it is best to stay clear and not touch the person. If the person is unconscious, check their airways and make sure they are breathing properly.

If you are the person who is injured, call an ambulance immediately if you’re able and make your incident known by notifying others. Witnesses will come in handy when you contact your personal injury attorney in order to get your fair compensation and the medical expenses covered by the company.

Secondly, ask questions and document the entire incident. Make sure to gather witness statements, and document all the details of the accident in order to present a clear case to the insurance company and the injury attorneys.

Finally, organize a formal investigation. Whether you have witnessed an accident or you’re the victim yourself, a proper investigation must take place. This will not only enable the injured person to get their fair compensation, but it will also give a valuable insight into the way the accident could have been prevented. In addition, it can help you prevent similar accidents from happening again in the future.