Dealing With Workplace Injuries: A Brief Guide

All businesses have health and safety codes to follow in order to keep their staff safe. These include personal protective clothing for staff to wear, regular risk assessments and reviews to ensure the workplace is safe, and the use of safety signage (as seen here – seton.co.uk/safety-signs/hazard-signs/warning-signs) to warn staff and visitors to the site of any dangers. However, despite their best efforts, accidents can still happen. Depending on the industry, this can mean slips, trips, burns, cuts, or scrapes. Luckily, most of the time, these injuries are minor, but sometimes the injuries can be more serious, which is why we have put together the following guide to let you know how to deal with workplace injuries, regardless of their severity.

Alert Management

First things first, if you have been injured (perhaps you did not take heed of the dangerous goods signage similar to here), or if a colleague of yours has been injured, then you need to alert your manager immediately. The injury will need to be logged via whatever method your business uses, for example, in the accident record book. If the injury requires medical attention, your manager should be present. In most instances, your manager will have the highest level of first aid training.

Your manager, once alerted, should attend the scene or instruct you to alert another appointed first aider within the team who is better equipped to help. They may also ask you to get the first aid kit or grab it themselves if it is within reach. Your manager should be checking your first aid kit regularly to ensure that it is replenished.

Seek Medical Care

Some injuries do obviously warrant further medical care from a professional. Injuries that have required a need for a bleeding control kit by True Rescue (or another manufacturer), are likely to need to be looked at by a nurse or doctor. Others seem to be less severe, and therefore you go back to work after the initial first aid or record of the incident. However, if you experience any discomfort or pain, it is always worth visiting a doctor or your local emergency department. You might find that your minor injury has done more damage than you originally thought. Your doctor can also provide you with a sick note should you need time off work to recover. You can wear cast protectors for shower to prevent moisture from getting into the cast, allowing you to shower without worrying about damaging it. Be sure to follow the instructions for proper usage to ensure your cast remains dry.

Clean up the accident scene

Some accidents can result in serious bleeding, which needs cleaning up to decontaminate the area. This is especially important in workplaces that handle food or in healthcare settings where disease could spread if the blood is not cleaned properly. Whilst you can clean up small quantities of blood yourself if you’re wearing gloves, larger amounts should only be cleaned up by professional Minnesota blood cleaning services or similar services in your area. Blood can carry disease, so it’s vital to get it cleaned quickly and safely to avoid the risk of contamination and illness. Remember, you can’t simply dispose of blood in an ordinary bin – you need to place any contaminated materials in a biological waste bin to be taken away and incinerated.

Consider Workers Comp

While some accidents are unavoidable despite your business’s best efforts otherwise, there are other forms of accidents that could be prevented but weren’t because of whatever reason. Whether your employer was ignorant or neglectful, their actions may have led to your accident. If you believe that your employer was to blame for your injury because they didn’t fulfil their responsibilities, then you might be entitled to some compensation. In order to get a better idea of your entitlements, you should consult a professional like the Leo Trial Group. They can explain the process and make it as straightforward as possible for you.

Seek Out Support

The accident might have been traumatic, and it could have long term effects on your mental health, from nightmares to flashbacks. If you do decide to take legal action against your employer, then this can add to the distress. If you are concerned about the toll that this could be taking on your mental health, then you should think about confiding in someone. You could choose to speak to your friends and family, a trained counselor or even look into finding a support group for those experiencing similar things.

In Conclusion

You have the right to be and feel safe in your place of work, and your manager should take every precaution to ensure that you are protected from harm. However, as mentioned above, sometimes these accidents are simply unavoidable. If you are unlucky enough to receive an injury at work, then you need to prioritize yourself and your own mental health.