As a business owner, you have a duty of care to your team members. It is your responsibility to keep them safe and ensure that they don’t get injured while on your business property. However, due to human error and various unforeseeable issues, team members can get hurt. That’s why it’s important to know the right steps to take here.
Give Them The Treatment
Before you do anything else, you need to ensure that the team member in question does receive the right treatment. Depending on the extent of the injury, this could mean first aid or they could require emergency attention. It’s important to ensure that your business is equipped with everything you need to handle an incident like this the right way. For instance, gel packs can be used to reduce swelling. You can get these from companies like Accurate Gel Packs and buy them in bulk.
Record The Incident
Next, you should make sure that you are recording the incident. This should include the date and time with a detailed report of what occurred. Do not state the cause of the incident unless you are 100% sure that you are aware of the cause. Even when the answer seems clear it’s possible that there are hidden factors that were also at play. For instance, a piece of equipment could have malfunctioned. You won’t know this, until you investigate the equipment that was used. This typically won’t occur the day that the accident occurs. An investigation like this will likely take some time.
Check The Footage
You also need to ensure that you are checking the footage of the incident if any does exist. This is likely to provide the most accurate account of what occurred. It saves you from relying on the response provided by someone who may only be guessing what happened as well as onlookers who also could have missed key details. It’s also one of the reasons why you should have CCTV systems set up around your business property. This isn’t just about protecting your company from criminal activity. It’s important to guarantee you have the right evidence in the event of a lawsuit. This brings us to the final point.
Consult Your Legal Advisor
Finally, you should make sure that you consult with a legal advisor after an incident occurs. While this is never going to be the first step that you take, nor should it be, it’s still something that you must think about. Without the support of a legal advisor, you will be flying blind in terms of the ramifications that could impact your company due to this incident. A legal advisor will help you to ascertain where you stand and ensure that you do receive the full support that you need to make the right decisions here.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you must take if an employee is injured while working for your company. You need to guarantee the situation doesn’t get any worse for them or you.