Do you ever worry about your employees? You probably should because if they are injured, then you are going to be held responsible. This is due to the rule of premises liability. The law dictates that you are responsible for any accidents or incidents that occur on your premises. This is true, even if the incident couldn’t have been prevented. Of course, in most cases, employee injuries can and should be avoided. Let’s look at some of the most common causes and think about what you can do to reduce the chances in your business.
Injured In A Theft
It’s true to say that if your employees are working with valuable items or money they are more exposed. They could suffer an injury during an act of criminal activity, and in some cases, this might be fatal. Just yesterday an armed gunman robbed two businesses in America. Thankfully no employees were injured but that was luck, and it could easily have gone the other way.
There are two ways to prevent employees being injured in a robbery. The first is to make sure they are not expected to try and stop a robbery. It’s true that many shop workers feel it is their duty to protect tills and this just isn’t the case. They don’t get paid nearly enough for that type of role. Secondly, you can make the idea of a robbery less attractive for criminals. By using resources such as a cash trolley, you can keep valuable items locked safely way. If they’re not easily available, there’s no reason for someone to try and steal them.
RSI And Other Common Injuries
On the other side of the scale, there is something that is completely preventable and all too common. It’s is believed that 73 percent of people who work with computers develop some form of RSI. RSI is repetitive strain injury and develops due to people typing for long periods without a break in a poor position. To avoid this, you just have to make sure that employees are taking breaks. They should also be provided with chairs that give them great support for their back. If they have this, RSI should not be an issue. Don’t forget RSI won’t just lead to a lawsuit. It will also reduce the efficiency level in your business.
Slips, Trips And Falls
Believe it or not, the most common form of accident in the workplace is a slip, trip or a fall on a floor. This can occur due to a number of different factors. The floor might have been wet with no sign to warn employees. There could have been a wire left loose that they tripped over. Or perhaps the lighting was poor, and they couldn’t see where they were walking. All these small hazards are easily fixed, and there’s really no excuse for them. That’s why if an issue like this does cause an injury you shouldn’t expect leniency in court. Most likely you will be forced to pay a large amount in damages as well as legal fees.
