As an employer, your worst nightmare is that one of your employees will probably get injured at work. You will feel guilty and responsible even if it wasn’t your fault, and you will want to do everything you can to help. You may also be worried about legal repercussions and court cases. Follow this guide to support employees after an accident; hopefully, they will soon be back at work.
Don’t Panic
The worst thing you can do is panic as you won’t be able to get anything else done. So instead, push your emotions to one side and get on with the task of helping your employee.
Assess the Situation
You can usually see the extent of the accident at one glance. For example, if your employee is hobbling around on the leg they have just injured, it is probably bruised and possibly bleeding. If there is a lot of blood or they are unconscious, then this is likely to be more serious.
With a severe injury, call 911, explain the circumstances, and do as the telephone operator tells you. They are trained in helping you give first aid assistance. If you have a workplace first aider, get them to the injured employee as quickly as possible.
Suppose the injury is minor and your employee is okay. In that case, it is best to get the first aider to check them over anyway to ensure that the injury isn’t more severe. If you are unsure of the severity of their accident, then take them to the Emergency Room for assessment.
Gather Information
Write down everything you remember about the incident as soon as possible. The longer you leave this, the more likely it is that you will forget important points. It would be best if you also took photographs of the incident area. This will be useful if your employee needs to make an insurance claim.
Communicate with Your Employee
Communication is vital so that you know the outcome of their injury, especially if they are off work or in hospital. This will show your employees that you care about their welfare and are concerned for them. It will also mean that you can be kept up to date with ongoing developments. So communicate regularly and call when you say you will but allow them time to recover too.
Give Them Details of the Workers’ Compensation Scheme
An employee who has been injured at work will be covered by your Nevada workers’ compensation scheme. This is compulsory in the state if you have more than one employee, so you should have it. In addition, your employee can claim the Nevada workers’ compensation process, which will pay for their medical expenses and give them a wage if they have to take time off to recover. This may help to take a weight off their mind regarding the financial implications of their injury.
Follow this guide to assist and support your employee if they have had an accident; hopefully, they will soon be on the road to recovery.
