How Managers Can Properly Document A Workplace Injury | #hrmanagement #hrexecutive

The workplace isn’t normally a place you would associate with injury or death, especially if you’re in the blue-collar office industry. There are more obviously dangerous occupations, such as mine workers or construction laborers. However, it’s important to note that anyone is susceptible to injury because the human body is fragile.

On the other hand, you can’t plan for an injury. As a matter of fact, it can happen to anyone. Some injuries can even be fatal. And this is the reason why an employer needs to pay attention to laws about workplace injuries. 

Significantly, employers and managers must put workplace safety procedures in place too. If you get injured at work or during work, your employer will be held liable. That’s why you need to know what to do if something like this happens. 

That said, here’s how managers should document a workplace injury.

1. Investigate Incident

Before submitting a report, gather as much information as possible about the matter. Depending on the laws, employees may claim compensation resulting from workplace accidents. You can look for a workers’ compensation law firm in your area to learn more about these laws.

However, note that the insurance companies are the ones who’ll determine whether an injury can be compensated. So, it’s not always a guarantee that insurance will cover the injury. But regardless, you need to gather the facts so that you understand the way forward. The only way to do this is by conducting a thorough internal investigation to find out what happened. 

You can start by identifying what caused the injury. Then, create solutions to make sure that it doesn’t happen again in the future. Significantly, if this case goes to litigation, all the reports you’ll generate will be used in court. So, you want to make sure that you get the details as accurately as possible.

2. Be Prepared

While you can’t anticipate every injury, you can certainly prepare for it. You do this by crafting detailed response plans, having first aid kits, investing in first aid training for employees, having emergency contacts on hand, and so forth. 

It’s not ideal that an accident happens to anyone, especially at work. However, some occupations are more dangerous than others. Even blue-collar occupations are not without injuries too. In a nutshell, accidents happen, and some may end up being fatal. Therefore, preparing for them is essential so that you won’t get caught off guard.

3. Engage Lawyers

Employers should keep employees safe at the workplace, and negligence could get you in some hot water. There’s a possibility that, after all the preparation and documentation of the injury, an employee could sue you. In which case you need a lawyer. 

However, whether or not you get sued, you still need to have lawyers on call in case any litigation proceedings surface. On the other hand, litigation cases can take a long time. And if you have liability insurance, the insurance company can help you settle some of the legal fees that may be involved.

4. Quick Response

If someone gets injured, someone should attend to the scene immediately. Depending on the severity of the injury, some will need first aid to recover, while others that are seriously injured will need further attention. Response time is nonetheless important. 

If an accident occurs, what you should do is assess the situation first to see if you can administer first aid. Remember, a swift response can save someone’s life. If you’re a first responder, assist the injured person and get them to a safe place. The next thing you should do is call for help and contact the manager as soon as possible so that they can document what happened.

5. Submit Paperwork

After having responded to the event and having a clear understanding of the situation, you need to report this to the insurance company and submit a claim for workers’ compensation insurance.

For this process to work out quickly, the employer needs to communicate efficiently. The sooner you can file the claim and receive a disbursement, the sooner the injured employee will get treatment. However, this claim process can be lengthy. 

Moreover, there are certain procedures, especially on the insurers’ side, that you may not have control over. But you can speed up the process by creating or drafting forms in advance to ensure that the documentation is submitted as soon as possible.

6. Notify The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Employers are required to report workplace injuries to OSHA within at least 24 hours. But for deaths, they’re required to report them within eight hours. Failure to report may attract a penalty. And whether or not you pay the fine, realize that OSHA will come and assess the situation on their own.

7. Consider Leave Options

If an employee suffers this workplace injury, remember that they may need leave days. Depending on the laws of your area, you have to handle the employee’s employment and compensation in a certain way. 

If you’re going to give an employee compensation leave days, you should make sure it’s legal. It’s also important that you give it after assessing the medical doctor’s recommendation. But, if the law doesn’t apply, you can opt to give other forms of leave, such as sick leave.

Conclusion

You must understand that injuries happen despite your best efforts to prevent them. However, it’s always important to be on your guard as far as providing a safe workplace is concerned. You certainly don’t want employees to work in an uncomfortable environment. 

Therefore, get a good insurance policy and learn more about how the law may apply to workplace injury situations, and draft a detailed response plan.