ATTENTION Canadian Business Owners: How Employers Should Handle Accidents at Your Workplace and What Insurance To Buy
When you’re running a business, there are a lot of responsibilities that come with it. One of the most important things you need to look after as an owner is your employee’s safety and welfare. Injuries can happen in the workplace and the best way to protect your company and your employees is to be prepared for it. Talk to a professional insurance agent at Save Corporation Tax to help you prevent incidents from occurring in the workplace.
Employers should follow certain procedures and safety measures in the event an employee gets injured at work. The better prepared a business is, the less likely a work injury can cost you. Here are some ways how you can handle it.
How to Deal with Accidents at Work
- Be prepared
The first thing employers can do is to be prepared in case an accident in the workplace takes place. Having a plan in place can prevent the scenario from becoming worse and costly. Employers should develop a risk plan to prevent injuries in the first place and minimize the risks.
Train the employees on how to respond to emergencies as well as safety procedures. Keep a stock of first-aid supplies and maintain a list of emergency contacts on all employees. If the job is risky, make sure that there is a safety officer in charge at all times.
- Get insured
One important step during the preparation stage is to get a workers’ compensation insurance. With this type of insurance, the employer pays the premiums while the benefits will go to the employee to cover the injuries incurred while working. Businesses with employees are required by the law to purchase this type of insurance.
When purchasing this insurance, employers are categorized based on the type of industry of their business. The employees should have similar risks as other businesses. Each classification represents a certain type of occupation.
In most cases, a workers’ compensation claim can be arranged without going to court. By following safety procedures, employers can avoid having to file for a claim in the first place.
- Seek medical attention
Once an employee gets injured, seek immediate medical help. Don’t delay the process because if you do not provide immediate medical attention to your employees, it can be detrimental to their health and also lead to a potential lawsuit in the future.
- Gather information
While the accident is still fresh, make sure you write down all the important details relevant to the injury. Talk to other employees who may have witnessed the incident. Take pictures of the scene, equipment, and other important details. Keeping a documented summary of the event can prove to be very useful later on.
- File a Report
This step should be a protocol in every company. If an employee gets injured, it is the employer’s responsibility to work with the injured employee should he decide to file a claim. In case the employee wants to file a workers’ compensation claim, the employer will have to file a report to the insurance company.
This is why keeping a record of all the important details about the incident is crucial. It can significantly help you with legal matters.
When filing a report, the employer should always keep the communication open between all involved parties including the injured employee, insurance agent, claims adjustor, attorney, and doctor. This means sharing all important information relevant to the incident.
This can help speed up the process so that the injured employee can receive his benefits to pay for the expenses incurred after the accident. Filing a claim in the early stages can prevent lawsuits from becoming more expensive.
How to Prevent Accidents at Work
As a business owner, it is your responsibility to provide a hazardous-free working environment for your employees. Even though accidents happen and cannot be avoided, there are certain steps you can do to prevent potential accidents from happening. By having a safety plan, you can lower the risk of a work injury. Here are some of the steps you can do.
Visit Save Corporation Tax for more tips on how to create a safe working environment for employees.
- Be aware of the potential risks in the workplace.
The type of injury that often transpires in the workplace often depends on the employee’s nature of work, company, and industry. Office personnel or administrative staff have a different set of risks compared to those who are operating in a plant or factory. Hence, the risks and injuries may depend on your business environment. However, the most common injuries include pushing, pulling, carrying, motion injuries, vehicle accidents, and machine injuries.
While there are many other types of injuries, these are the most common. Employers should be aware of these potential injuries so that they can create a better and safer environment for their employees.
- Identify pre-existing conditions.
Remember, not all types of accidents that happen within working hours may be connected to work. In some cases, an employee may already suffer from a pre-existing condition that can eventually result in certain incidents. For example, a migraine, dizziness or seizure.
Another possibility is that an employee may be intoxicated with alcohol or drugs which may lead to the accident. Hence, it is important for employees to undergo regular medical check-ups and keep records of it. For instance, if an employee gets injured but does not want further medical attention, make sure that he signs a waiver stating his refusal to get help. This will help protect the company in case the employee changes his mind and files a lawsuit against the company.
If your employee gets back from surgery, make sure you ask for a letter from the doctor stating that the employee is fit for work. This document is important for employers. For example, if the worker’s scar starts to bleeding after making physical movements such as bending or lifting, your company will not be held liable for it. However, without this document, you may find it problematic in case the employee files a claim or lawsuit.
What is Workers Compensation (WCB) ?
A workers’ compensation insurance is often referred to as workers’ comp. This type of insurance is usually required by the law and each state may have its own workers’ comp program. Business owners should always check with their state first before purchasing this insurance.
With this type of insurance, an employee receives compensation if he is injured in the workplace. Employers, on the other hand, protects the company in case the employee decides to file a lawsuit against the employer due to the injuries.
What Injuries and Accidents are Not Covered by Insurance?
While a workers’ comp provides benefits to for injuries resulting from work, not all injuries are covered by the insurance, especially since the injury or situation may be too broad. The influence of alcohol and drugs can prevent an employee from claiming the benefits of insurance. If the employee gets injured as a result of alcohol and drug consumption, the compensation may be denied.
Another case for denial is if the injuries are self-inflicted or if the employee is found violating the company policy or if the injury transpired outside work. These scenarios sometimes happen. This is why it is important for employers and employees to know the scope and coverage of the insurance.
What Type of Expenses are Covered?
Workers’ Compensation Insurance primarily covers the medical costs from the injury, provides replacement income for the period the employee is unable to work due to the injury, costs to re-train the employee, compensation for any permanent injuries incurred by the accident, and benefits to the families of the workers in case they die while on the job.
When it comes to income replacement, the amount is usually two-thirds of the employee’s salary and the benefits are tax-free. There is, however, a maximum amount of claim. This insurance covers both temporary and permanent injuries. At the same time, it can also cover injuries that may have developed over time as a result of repetitive motion. For example, back pain due to lifting heavy items which is part of the job.
Conclusion
When it comes to workplace injuries, prevention is always key to having a safe working environment. To start with, it is always the employer’s responsibility to ensure that the employees are operating in a safe place. By preparing a risk plan, having a workers’ compensation insurance in place, and following the safety policies, business owners can help prevent any potential accident or injury that can transpire in the workplace.
As an employer, you should be ready in case an injury or accident suddenly takes place at work. Just follow the steps we mentioned above on how to deal with it and how to prevent such incidents from happening in the first place. Its also important to understand how workers’ compensation works including the coverage, benefits, and how to file a claim. All these steps can help employers create a better and safer working environment for everyone.
