Accidents happen and timing them can be difficult. However, preventing accidents in the workplace is possible when practicing the right safety habits, communicating openly about how the company can improve, and being vigilant around hazards.
When accidents are caused by negligence, those responsible have to be held liable for the damages incurred. Injury law specialists recommend consulting with a Boca Raton Personal Injury Lawyer when workplace accidents occur.
Your personal injury legal team can conduct an investigation and determine who’s liable for the injuries you’ve suffered. For legal advice on workplace safety and accidents, consult Robert J. DeBry.
The Importance of Workplace Safety
When employers emphasize workplace safety and accident prevention, they are fulfilling their ethical responsibility to their employees and implementing sound business strategy. Here are just a few reasons why workplace safety is vital:
Fewer Injuries, Accidents, and Deaths
Accidents can happen anywhere. However, a habitually hazardous workplace is often inefficient, has low employee morale, and consistently loses its best talent. A fatal workplace injury accident could cause panic throughout your entire staff. When wrongful death and serious injuries occur on the job, everyone suffers.
Boosted Productivity
When work environments are not safe, employees have to worry about their well-being. When employees experience stress about their safety, they are impeded from fulfilling their work duties with attention to detail and morale. When employees feel safe this can improve morale and productivity.
Less Absenteeism
If an injured employee has to miss work for an extended period, your company’s productivity could be diminished. When businesses emphasize accident prevention in the workplace, they correspondently reduce absenteeism and boost productivity.
Less Workers’ Compensation Claims
If an employee is injured on the job, they have a right to file a worker’s compensation claim under the law. Depending on the type of treatment they require, this could create high costs for the business and even legal liability implications. Workplaces that succeed at accident prevention can reduce workers’ comp claims as a result of improved safety conditions.
Most Common Reasons for Workplace Personal Injury Accidents
The more information your business has about what causes workplace accidents, the more you can do to prevent them. Each work environment has its own unique set of hazards that differ from the rest. However, the following common workplace situations can present an elevated risk of accidents:
Dehydration
If employees are performing a lot of physical labor, or required to work in very hot temperatures, hydration is essential to maintaining a safe health standard. If businesses don’t provide adequate water breaks, or workplaces lack access to drinking water, this could result in potential dehydration incidents.
Since dehydration causes light-headedness and dizziness, this makes it more likely that an employee will trip, fall, or collapse on the job. If you were forced to work past the point of dehydration and suffered injuries, then you may be able to file a personal injury claim.
Mishandling Hazardous Materials
When employers require their employees to handle hazardous materials or work in environments with corrosive fumes, these types of hazards in the workplace can lead to injuries. When employers fail to provide the proper personal protective equipment (PPE), exposure to these materials can have significant health effects.
If you’ve experienced illness or dizziness that contributed to a fall or other accident while you were on the job, speak with a personal injury accident professional today. Hazardous chemical injuries can drastically change your quality of life, if they’re caused by your employer’s negligence, then they can be held responsible under the law.
Improper Lifting Technique
If employees improperly lift heavy objects, this could result in injuries, sprains, and strains. These types of injuries are common in work environments that lack the necessary tools and procedures for maneuvering heavyweight objects. If you’ve injured yourself being asked to do something beyond your physical limitations, you may be able to file an injury tort claim.
Poor Visibility
When low-visibility conditions are present, workers may trip and fall and potentially cause a serious injury or fatality. Poor lighting can be problematic in stairwells, warehouses, and in other storage facilities. Providing proper lighting could prevent injuries and improve workplace safety conditions.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Slips, trips, and falls in the workplace can be caused by numerous factors like:
- Slick surfaces
- Untreated ice and snow
- High-traffic corridors
- Misplaced items like cables and cords
- Poor visibility
- Spills and other temporary workplace incidents
Any trip and fall accident, including those that might require the expertise of a slip and fall lawyer, has the potential to cause severe injury. However, many of these types of incidents can be eradicated with the proper safety and accident prevention techniques.
Preventing Personal Injuries in the Workplace
A workplace accident injury can have a lasting impact on businesses and employees. The high costs of an accident injury often include medical bills, lost productivity, workers’ compensation documentation, low morale, and more.
One of the best ways to avoid these costs is by avoiding injuries altogether with the following tips:
Use a Safety Plan
A safety and wellness plan is the basis for any safe work environment. Implementing an effective accident prevention and wellness program can help cover all aspects of employee safety and encourage workers to be vigilant about hazardous practices or behavior.
Provide Proper Training
Some accidents could be avoided when they are caused by inexperience and the inability to physically perform the position. Properly screening and training applicants works as a safeguard against injuries. It also keeps businesses from placing new employees in positions where they are in over their heads.
It’s imperative to train employees about the importance of following safety measures to prevent injury. Supplemental training can help reduce strain injuries, keep employees safe during lifting and moving, and protect businesses from legal liability
Understand Workplace Safety Vulnerabilities
Every workplace is different which means they all have unique safety concerns. When businesses take note and analyze common accidents to develop strategies to keep these setbacks from happening, they can prevent new injuries from happening.
Unfortunately, no matter how much you prepare, an accident can still occur, and an employee can still get injured. When that happens, make sure you’re prepared to get them the care they need, quickly.
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