Office mishaps happen. They happen regularly and some are severe. OSHA requires employers to take all reasonable actions to protect their personnel from office injuries & work-related health challenges. To comply, it’s vital that you have procedures in place for evaluating accidents that occur.
1. Establish what took place. You’ll need to analyze the scene of the mishap (including any type of equipment utilized during the occurrence), speak to the injured staff member (when possible) as well as collect the accounts of various other workers that witnessed the occurrence. Collect the names of the injured parties, descriptions of the injuries or damage that occurred, and also a timeline of the case.
Questions to Ask:
- Where did the occurrence take place?
- What was the employee doing at the time of the accident?
- Was the employee participating in a brand-new work procedure?
- Were other employees in the area?
- Just what were the witnesses doing at the time of the occurrence?
- What injuries resulted?
- What damage did the mishap create?
2. Identify why it took place. Office accidents hardly ever happen in a vacuum. Accidents happen typically due to moving too quickly, overconfidence, disregarding security procedures, and also lack of prep work. Examining the details will help you determine the underlying causes.
More Questions to Ask:
- What are the conditions where the issue occurred?
- Was the staff member qualified to carry out the job?
- Was the worker properly trained to perform the operation?
- Was the employee making use of appropriate tools and equipment?
- Were these tools/devices in good condition?
- Did the employee comply with all business safety and security policies?
- Was the employee receiving appropriate guidance?
3. Establish how you can protect against future mishaps. Leverage a situation to help you discover how to prevent future situations.
Questions to Consider:
- What short and long-term actions can you take to eliminate such events in the future?
- Do you have to adjust your work environment safety and security methods to ensure compliance?
- How do you handle assessing your environment and personnel?
If you would like more info on best practices to handle workplace safety, please contact our insurance team…
