Workplaces, like any other spaces, are susceptible to occasional accidents. However, the distinction lies in the fact that employers are legally bound to uphold health and safety standards to mitigate risks to their workforce and the public. On rare occasions, accidents may happen that are nobody’s fault, but most workplace mishaps often stem from negligence or lack of caution. Adhering to proper health and safety norms could feasibly prevent the majority of these typical workplace incidents – for instance, by ensuring walkways are devoid of obstacles or keeping electrical cables away from operational areas.
Should you be involved in a workplace accident, it’s critical to notify your employer as soon as possible. If the gravity of the accident is significant, the obligation then shifts to the employer to contact the Incident Contact Centre, a division of the overarching Executive for Health and Safety. This step is particularly important if the accident results in detrimental outcomes such as severe injuries like fractures, fatalities, disease outbreaks, perilous incidents like gas leaks, or infrastructural damage of any sort.
For employees who might consider seeking injury compensation later, it is advantageous for businesses to maintain a record of the accident. Beside serving as valuable documentation for the workers, this record offers the company insights into the causal factors, helping them prevent future recurrences. Some employees might hesitate to lodge a compensation claim against their employers due to fear of job loss. However, it’s important to remember that companies should have appropriate insurance to cover their financial liabilities stemming from such claims, so they personally don’t bear the compensation costs.
