The workplace is a dynamic environment where productivity and safety must coexist. Unfortunately, accidents and injuries commonly occur within the workplace. Therefore, it is crucial for employers to understand the risks involved and identify potential hazards to prevent harm and injuries in the workplace.
In this blog, we will delve into workplace injury prevention and effective strategies to use in order to keep your team safe.
What Is a Workplace Injury?
A workplace injury, as defined by SafeWork Australia, covers several facets and its association with employment. This includes:
Personal Injury
Injuries sustained while engaged in work-related activities or within the working environment.
Disease Injury
Diseases contracted in the course of employment, where employment must be the primary contributing factor.
Worsening of Pre-existing Conditions
Aggravation, acceleration, or deterioration of a pre-existing disease during employment, with employment identified as the main contributing factor.
This was particularly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, as this became a main focus for most industries.
What Causes Workplace Injuries?
Understanding the root causes of workplace injuries is crucial for employee injury prevention and creating a safer work environment. Some common factors contributing to workplace injuries include:
- Lack of Training
- Unsafe Work Conditions
- Equipment Malfunction
- Human Error
How Can Workplace Accidents Impact Your Business?
Workplace accidents present a significant threat to businesses for various reasons, underscoring the need to understand their effects and foster a secure work environment. Here’s an in-depth exploration of how these incidents influence different dimensions of your business:
Financial Impact
Work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities bring about financial burdens for employers, workers, and the community. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), over the last 12 months, 57% of individuals receiving compensation were eligible to claim, which primarily involves insurance or iCare costs, and is not direct business expenses.
Key work health and safety statistics from Safe Work Australia indicate the median payment was $15,072, this impacts insurance premiums and ultimately has an impact on businesses. However, it’s essential to note that this does not directly correlate to a cost per injury. Determining both direct and indirect costs per injury per business remains a challenging task.
Employee Productivity
Injuries significantly impact employee productivity, leading to disruptions in workflow, especially when employees require time off due to the injury.
According to ABS, among 497,300 with work-related injuries or illnesses, 66% took time off, ranging from part of a day to more than ten days. This absence affects not only the injured employee but also contributes to increased absenteeism, disrupting employee workflow.
Sales and Revenue
Accidents can lead to a decrease in sales and revenue by causing disruptions in regular business operations, impacting the workflow that is essential for sustained financial success.
Damaged Business Reputation
Workplace accidents hold the potential to cast a shadow over a business’s reputation, drawing unwarranted attention and significantly impacting the trust placed in the business by both customers and business partners. Such incidents can result in a tarnished image, jeopardising the longstanding relationships crucial for sustained success in the competitive business landscape.
Employee Morale
Injuries within the workplace can adversely affect morale, generating an atmosphere of concern that has the potential to diminish overall employee satisfaction and engagement.
Business Closure
In severe situations, a chain of accidents could lead to a business shutting down. This highlights the crucial importance of keeping the workplace safe and understanding workplace injury prevention, as it is vital for ensuring the long-term success of an organisation.
Employee Injury Prevention Tips
Ensuring effective employee injury prevention necessitates a comprehensive understanding of potential workplace risks and hazards. Below, we take a closer look at the different strategies your business can utilise to improve employee injury prevention:
1. Risk and Safety Assessments:
- Conduct thorough risk and safety assessments.
- Address specific tasks, tools, or environmental conditions posing a risk.
- Evaluate the likelihood of identified risks and implement measures to mitigate them.
2. Regular Inspections:
- Conduct regular workplace inspections.
- Identify hazards during inspections.
- Assess risks by observing how employees perform tasks.
- Control risks by eliminating hazards or implementing control measures.
- Record findings and review risk assessments.
3. Employee Training:
- Provide comprehensive health and safety training.
- Ensure effective training on employee injury prevention that can equip employees to handle potential risks.
- Consider modern training formats for increased engagement.
4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
- Mandate the use of appropriate PPE.
- Include safety equipment based on the nature of the work and potential hazards including:
- Biological hazards
- Chemical hazards
- Radiological hazards
- Electrical hazards
- Mechanical hazards
5. Clear Signage:
- Install clear and visible safety signage.
- Ensure employees understand the meaning of safety signs.
- Regularly maintain safety signs.
6. Accident Reporting:
- Establish an efficient system for reporting accidents or near misses.
- Provide training for prompt incident reporting.
- Use accident reports for thorough investigations and improvement.
7. Physical Assessments:
Implement physical work assessments to ensure employees are fit for specific tasks.
Consider assessments when employees return after extended leave or start physically demanding roles.
8. Encourage Communication:
- Foster a culture of open communication and feedback.
- Utilise surveys to gather insights from employees.
- Act on feedback to continually improve safety measures.
Understanding Risk & Recognising Hazards
Creating a safe and secure work environment is the foundation of employee injury prevention. Proactive measures can be implemented by having a deep understanding of potential risks and the ability to identify hazards specific to each workplace.
No two workplaces are identical, each carrying its own unique risks and hazards. Employees must be well-versed in the specific dangers they might encounter in their daily tasks to effectively contribute to injury prevention.
Ready to elevate your workplace safety?
Looking to prioritise employee injury prevention in your workplace?
Contact GSD Safety and learn more about our customised Workplace Health and Safety Solutions for your business. Our team of experts stands ready to evaluate your unique needs, implement effective strategies, and establish a secure environment for your team.
