Tips to Avoid a Personal Injury Lawsuit At Your Workplace

Workplaces incidents can leave a really big impact on your business, and it’s important to take the necessary precautions to prevent these incidents from occurring. Medical bills can skyrocket, and overall result in lower productivity.    

The best way to avoid these scenarios is to overall prevent personal injury from happening in the workplace. So let’s dive into some helpful tips that can mitigate some potential risks.

Develop a Safety & Wellness Plan  

It’s important to develop a safety and wellness plan, which will address all levels of employee safety and health. The more detailed, the better. This should include all types of potential scenarios that can occur, how to prevent them, and what to do in case they do happen. Employees should also be encouraged to speak up if there is any type of unsafe behavior going on that could lead to an injury.

Observe & Listen to Employees

It is crucial to listen and observe employees at all times. If someone is saying they are feeling fatigued or having discomfort, they could be more vulnerable to injuries. It’s important to have open communication, and for employees to feel comfortable in case they do not feel 100% healthy.

Routinely Check for Hazardous Conditions

This can include spills or any dangerous obstacles. Completing a regular inspection of the workplace to ensure there is nothing that could lead to an injury is a great way to prevent them. Also, encouraging employees to do the same is very helpful whenever they might see an accident waiting to happen!

Enforce Proper Work Attire

Slip-resistant shoes, hats, protective clothing, etc. are all examples of proper working attire that should constantly be enforced on employees. Oftentimes employees can forget or think nothing is going to happen if they’re not wearing protective gear, so it’s important to constantly remind employees to abide by the rules.

Screen Potential Employees

Make sure that potential employees are able to perform the job and have the professional experience so that they can safely perform all of the duties required for the job. Employees should be well aware of the duties and responsibilities of the job, especially if they include:

• Exposure to hazardous materials
• Handling dangerous equipment
• Repetitive or strenuous physical activity 

Train Employees on Health & Safety

Be sure that employees are confident when performing tasks on the job, and make sure they are properly trained before and during these activities. It’s essential that they are aware of what to do during any dangerous situation, and the only way they will know is through proper training. Employees should be able to:

• Identify occupational hazards
• How to prevent accidents from happening
• Explain the procedure for handling workplace accidents

Regularly speak with employees about safety, even if there are only a few people on the job. Consistent safety communication is key to preventing workplace injuries.

The Bottom Line

Accidents can definitely happen, but they can be prevented most of the time. Since personal injury can really wreck a company's reputation, it’s important to take all preventative measures in avoiding them. Following these steps can save your company from potential workplace injury lawsuits.

The number one priority is the safety of your employees and providing them with the right training and materials to avoid any possible injuries. With the proper training and support of employers, the numbers of workplace injuries are sure to decline, leading to fewer people injured on the job!

About the author: Based in New Jersey, The Law Offices of Gold, Albanese, Barletti & Locascio, LLC specializes in personal injury matters including car accidents, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death.