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Employees in all industries are exposed to a variety of occupational risks. While some risks are avoidable, others are an inherent part of operations. Accidents can happen at any place and anytime, while occupational hazards are a constant threat. Still, business owners can do their bit to minimize these risks. Doing so is their ethical and moral responsibility. Most importantly, they have a legal duty of care to their employees. Lack of safety can lead to accidents and work injury claims. Such claims can have dire implications for a business. Let us explain why steering clear of them should be a priority.
Loss of productivity and loyalty
Workplace accidents can cause injuries that incapacitate employees temporarily or for the long haul. Moreover, claims can make the environment stressful for everyone else. People tend to lose their productivity while working in a high-stress environment. The fear of injury affects their focus and efficiency. Even worse, you can lose on the employee loyalty front. Long-term retention often becomes challenging in such negative circumstances.
The expense of training replacement workers
When injured employees go off work, you have to bring in replacement resources to avoid work disruptions. Hiring and training them can be a burden for any business in terms of time and money. Also, you cannot expect them to give their best right away. The risk of mishaps runs high when inexperienced workers work on risky processes and complex machinery. You can imagine the kind of threats that come along with injury claims.
Cost of work injury lawsuits
Injury lawsuits are perhaps the worst thing you have to deal with when mishaps occur at your workplace. An injured employee can claim compensation for a work injury because the employer owes a duty of care to the workforce. Lawsuits are expensive because you have to pay a lawyer to establish defence. Moreover, your insurance premiums are likely to increase after injury claims. The entire cost can be painful for any business, while lawsuits can eat up your precious time as well.
Operational disruptions
Injuries and claims are hard to deal with by themselves, but handling operational disruptions is even worse. You may not get replacements right away, which can slow down or even stop critical projects. Imagine the stress of impending deadlines amid work disruptions. You may have to face penalties for missing delivery deadlines. Even worse, unhappy clients may never return for business.
Impact on business reputation
Business reputation depends on several things, and the way you treat your employees is one of them. Workplace injuries and claims can affect your employer brand in the long run because no one wants to work on unsafe premises. Likewise, a slack attitude towards employee safety can create a negative perspective for your brand. The authorities will also get a bad impression due to non-compliance issues.
The implications of work injury claims can be dire for any business. So it is vital to prevent them in the first place. The best way to do it is by making your workplace as safe as possible.
