Crash! Now What?

Caution and Confidence Are Necessary Following Workplace Accidents

Employers routinely educate employees on workplace accident prevention. But supervisors should be educated on what to do after an accident occurs. Everyone will look to the supervisor for directions, and what to do once an accident occurs can be as important as pre-accident safety. Additionally, workplace accidents carry human and monetary costs – having a plan can reduce the costs.

Insurance agents may want to share with the companies they work with these steps to follow if an employee gets injured.

Seek medical attention. The well-being of everyone involved should be the priority. Get immediate medical care for anyone who needs it. Companies should have a first aid plan. There should always be individuals onsite who are trained in first aid and CPR, as well as first aid kits. A safety plan should include locations and phone numbers of medical centers and hospitals, with maps. Pre-determine an emergency transportation plan, such as who will transport an injured employee, and identify ambulance services.

Restrict access to the accident scene. The faster an accident scene is secured, the better chance there is of conducting a thorough and accurate investigation. You don’t want to compromise evidence. The site also may be unstable, so it is important to secure it to prevent further injuries. Temporarily ceasing operations may be necessary.

Investigate the accident.Employees and employers can learn valuable lessons from accidents. Investigate while facts are fresh in people’s minds, so everyone can understand how it happened and prevent it from happening again. Interview witnesses, and take photos of the scene and equipment involved. Secure faulty equipment and tools; they may be needed as evidence.

Know what to look for. Supervisors should be prepared for many situations. It is not possible to anticipate every scenario, but developing plans for the most likely accidents will save time and confusion.

Notify regulatory agencies.Employers are required to notify state and federal regulatory agencies of a fatality or multiple-injury accident. These notifications have defined time requirements, and failure to comply can result in fines and penalties.

Notify the insurance company.Insurance company notification is important if there is suspicion of a third-party contributor to an on-the-job accident. Companies need to report the accident to their insurer as soon as possible. The fresher the facts and memories of the accident, the easier it will be for the insurer to conduct an investigation. There are penalties for failing to report a workplace accident.

Communication is essential. Before accidents occur, companies should know how the insurance company will proceed with the investigation, the type of information they will need and the carrier’s contact information. Planning with all of these factors in mind is essential to a company’s success following a workplace accident.