Ways Employers Can Prevent Workplace Accidents

The fact that an employee was injured on-the-job does not always mean their employer is to blame. Regardless, if one of your workers was harmed in a work-related accident and files a claim to collect workers’ compensation benefits, your company might still face the consequences even if the accident was a random occurrence that could not have been prevented.

That’s why it’s important to exercise control over employee safety however you can. Ways to potentially reduce the odds of workplace accidents occurring at your business include the following:

Offer Proper Training

Many accidents in the workplace occur because someone was not properly trained to use certain equipment, perform certain tasks, or otherwise mitigate potential safety risks. Thus, one of the most effective ways you can limit the chances of on-the-job accidents occurring is to ensure that all of your employees have received proper safety training. Any employees who must perform tasks that could be dangerous if performed by those without specialized experience and qualifications must also be thoroughly trained and vetted to ensure they are able to perform their work with minimal risk.

Reassess Your Safety Equipment

Don’t assume the safety equipment you currently provide your workers with is sufficient to protect them from injury. You must remember that even strong safety equipment can wear down over time. Periodically check the condition of safety tools and gear to confirm it does not need to be replaced or upgraded.

Establish Official Safety Procedures & Policies

You likely understand the importance of communicating safety procedures and policies to your workers, particularly when they are going to be handling tasks that involve some degree of risk. Just keep in mind that you may incorrectly assume an employee understands how to stay safe if you merely discuss safety procedures without setting them down in an official document.

Don’t make this mistake. Make sure you have established specific and clear safety policies and procedures for all tasks when they may be necessary. If an employee has an official reference document they can turn to when questions about a safety-based task or process arise, their chances of avoiding injury will be much greater.

Delegate

Naturally, unless your company is very small, you can’t always be the one to provide employees with safety information. You need to choose supervisors, team leaders, and other such individuals well-versed in the company’s safety policies to share this information with their team members whenever applicable.

Allow Employees to Report Unsafe Behavior Anonymously

Your own employees can be a valuable source of information regarding whether anyone is engaging in behavior that could result in workplace accidents. Help them feel more comfortable reporting such behavior by allowing them to do so anonymously.

Applying tips such as these will help you minimize the chances of employees filing workers’ compensation claims. That said, sometimes workers file these claims fraudulently.

Our team at the California workers’ compensation defense law firm of Sacks Law Group, APC can help when you believe you’re justified in denying what appears to be a fraudulent claim. Call us at 310-216-7778 or contact us online for more information.