Most California employers take the proper steps to prevent their employees from getting injured on the job. However, accidents can still happen even with the best of intentions. These are steps employers should take if that happens.
After a workplace accident leaves an employee injured, that person should be moved to a safe place. If there’s a particular area that’s dangerous, ensure that all other employees avoid it to prevent further injuries. Assess the worker’s injury to determine its severity and administer first aid.
If the employee’s injury is serious and they need immediate medical attention, call 911 to summon an ambulance. Less serious injuries should be examined at an emergency room or urgent care facility.
Gather as much information about the accident and injury as possible. The evidence should back up the facts of the accident and how the injury occurred. Employers should obtain copies of the worker’s medical records as part of a file on that person.
Report the employee’s injury to your workers’ compensation insurance carrier. Certain information must be included in the report such as the date, time and location of the accident, the type of injury and when you were informed of the injury. Any additional information could help strengthen the employee’s claim if they need to take time off or work a modified job to accommodate their injury. However, even if you still need more information, it’s best to make the report sooner rather than later or it could delay the employee’s workers’ compensation claim.
If necessary, you might consider reevaluating your safety protocols and retraining your employees. This is especially relevant if more employees suffer injuries while working.
Sometimes, even the safest workers can suffer injuries at work. While unfortunate, not all accidents are avoidable; workers’ comp can help those workers while they heal.
