How to prevent injuries in the workplace is one of those statements seen on posters in every warehouse, factory, and office throughout Ireland. The health and safety at work posters may be everywhere but should not be ignored as their message is valid for every workplace.
Preventing workplace accidents must be a priority for both every employer and employee. The employer must value every employee and keep the workplace safe and productive. No employee wants to suffer a workplace injury and should take steps to avoid all the pain, inconvenience, and loss of income they may suffer.
Employees can suffer an injury using dangerous equipment or in a simple trip over a torn bit of carpet in the office. Injuries from broken legs to torn ligaments and ruptured vertebrae happen every year in Irish places of business, and employers have a duty of care to employees to avoid workplace hazards.
Both employees and employers know an injury can cost money. The costs range from medical bills to physical therapy and loss of income following a long-term injury. A personal injury claim* may be the only way to cover the costs involved.
PBN Litigation Solicitors in Dublin can handle any personal injury compensation claims*.
Steps for the employer to take to reduce workplace injuries
There are plenty of steps for an employer to take so they can reduce the amount of workplace injuries. Some of the steps are obvious like supplying personal protective equipment, PPE, while some are mandated by law, and others are very dependent on the type of workplace.
What is clear is that the employer owes their employees a duty of care. Employers cannot just disregard the safety of employees to save money and cut corners when it comes to workplace safety. The rules are there for a reason, and everyone must follow the steps to create a safer workplace.
Some of the steps for the employer to follow:
There is nothing that says you take safety seriously other than keeping the posters and safety signs fresh and up-to-date on the workplace walls. Staff will see the new posters and pay attention to what they say.
Torn, faded, out-of-date posters and missing signs tell another story entirely.
Physical harm to an employee may be preventable and in many cases it could just be a matter of paying attention to the posters.
Training must be a priority for every employer who knows that most accidents are preventable.
Every employee, regardless of how long they have been at the company, should be trained on the equipment they use and a refresher course will only benefit everyone.
You can’t assume that every employee knows how to drive the forklift or how to stack boxes in the storeroom. Taking time to train employees can do a lot to prevent weeks off work with a back strain.
Having regular safety audits can bring peace of mind to the employer and show employees that they are in a safe workplace. The safety audit by an independent company will highlight any dangerous spots and keep the heads focused on staying safe.
The safety audit may cost money today, but it will save so much more in terms of lost days at work and potential compensation claims* in the future.
There is nothing like a risk assessment to find those problem areas and to make sure the right employee is doing the work involved. Employee safety will only be improved and workplace accidents reduced.
The employer should risk assess all areas of the business as part of any safety plan.
Knowing the Health and Safety at Work Act is really the only way to ensure the company is enforcing it in the workplace. The employer or a designated safety officer should know the Act inside out and make sure both the company and employees follow a safety and wellness plan at work.
The Health and Safety at Work Act is there to prevent injury in the workplace. The Act isn’t in place to confuse the employer but to help them keep their employees safe.
Replace old machinery as soon as it begins to cause more trouble than it is worth. The old machine may still do its job, but if it is a liability to the safety of employees, it should be replaced.
Old machinery can be anything from the hoover to the paper shredder to the generator for the canteen on the building site.
Newer equipment will work better and will probably have more safety features on board as well.
Safety in the Irish workplace begins and ends with the employer, and it is the employer’s duty to pass that ethic on to management.
In any business, but particularly larger companies, management is the eyes and ears of the employer, and occupational safety is their priority. Everything from safety equipment to safety concerns should be addressed and replaced where necessary.
The management should be trained and retrained on safety in the workplace. Only then can they know, almost by instinct, what safe work practices are and how to spot dangers.
It may be obvious, but if you do not employ the right people, you will put your business at risk and create dangers for other employees in the workplace. You must employ people who are trained to do their job and not hope that they will pick up the ropes as they go along.
The warehouse worker must be a qualified forklift driver. Maintenance personnel must know what they are doing, and even the health and safety officer must have their credentials.
Employing the correct people makes sense and makes for a safer workplace.
The workplace is where everything happens. It’s where employees work, and the company grows, but it is also where the accidents happen.
The slip on the wet bathroom floor, the trip over loose cables and the fall due to a torn carpet may all happen due to a lack of maintenance.
Every employer must keep the workplace safe, and that includes regular maintenance of everywhere people go about their work.
A worker is only as good as the tools they use is an old saying, but it is still very true when it comes to workplace safety. Every tool, machine, electrical equipment and even the desks and light fittings should be regularly maintained to keep them safe for employees.
A broken chair could cause an RSI, loose wiring could cause electrical shock, and a machine could malfunction when in use, causing serious injury to an employee.
Maintaining equipment and keeping up with the maintenance schedule will save money and keep employees safe, too.
Keeping safety hazards to a minimum is an excellent step to a safe work environment. Hazardous materials should be kept locked away and only used by staff with the proper training.
Accident prevention plans should highlight hazardous substances to help prevent accidents.
Injuries happen in the workplace, from a nasty cut to a broken limb. The employer can prevent the common injuries in the workplace, and it need not cost a lot of money or time.
What are the common injuries in the workplace?
The common injuries in the workplace in Ireland are the dislocations to the shoulders and other joints and the sprains or strains to muscles and ligaments. According to the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, 5.4 employees per 1,000 suffered dislocations and sprains or strains injuries while at work in Ireland.
Work-related illnesses keep many people out of the workplace, too, according to the HSA. Over 1 million workdays are lost in Ireland due to a work-related illness annually, with a range of ailments affecting employees.
Employees are out of work due to eye strain, heart issues, headache and hearing problems at a rate of 12.9 per 1,000 workers, while 9 females per 1,000 at work suffer the effects of stress, depression and anxiety.
Some of the common injuries by body part recorded in a recent HSA survey are:
Back injuries at 19.0%
Finger injuries at 10.0%
Leg injuries at 9.0%
Ankle injuries at 7.0%
Hand injuries at 7.0%
Shoulder injuries at 6.0%
Arm injuries at 6.0%
Head injuries at 5.0%
Wrist injuries at 4.0%
Facial area injuries at 3.0%
Neck injuries at 3.0%
Chest injuries at 2.0%
Eyes injuries at 2.0%
Hip injuries at 1.0%
Pelvic area injuries at 1.0%
Injury in the workplace can happen to any employee. You could suffer a hand injury when closing the door to the office or injure your back while lifting a box of paper up on the desk. A broken leg can happen in a slip off a ladder, or a crushed finger could result from a dropped container in the warehouse.
PBN Litigation Solicitors in Dublin can look at the personal injury in the workplace and see if you have a valid compensation claim*.
Start a personal injury claim* today
Start a personal injury claim* today by contacting PBN Litigation Solicitors.
You, the client, are the one injured and in recovery. The last thing you should have to worry about is dealing with an employer or the courts when recovering from any type of personal injury.
PBN Litigation Solicitors can take on your case and work with you to get the compensation you deserve.
We pride ourselves in taking the stress out of personal injury litigation by providing a service dedicated to the client.
Contact PBN Litigation Solicitors in Dublin today for all your personal injury compensation needs.
