Workplace accidents can happen at any time, but the more measures you take in your business to keep your workers safe, the fewer that may occur. Figuring out what will work for your company may take some assessments and decisions regarding safety.
From there, creating policies and procedures to implement those measures is a vital part of the risk management process. In order to make sure that everyone understands the rules, whatever policies and procedures are instituted need to be in clear language easily understood and followed.
Putting your policies into writing
It can be problematic to know what will help keep your workers safe, but fortunately, there is a plethora of helpful information available for review that could help in creating appropriate policies and procedures:
- The state of New York has numerous health, safety and occupational programs that could provide some insight. State agencies can provide helpful publications and information to draw from.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has rules and regulations for nearly every industry. Since your company will need to comply with them anyway, using them as a resource makes sense.
- Insurance carriers usually have a loss control department that could help you make sure your actions will not preclude insurance claims if and when the time comes. You could also consult with your workers’ compensation insurance agent for help as well.
- Depending on your industry, you may want to consult with a trade group that could provide you with valuable assistance.
Drawing from these resources as you work to put together effective safety and training protocols will not only help keep your employees safe but help keep your company in compliance with applicable laws. Of course, this assumes that you know where to start and know how to interpret the laws for your industry.
Seeking help with your risk management needs
While protecting your workers is a priority, you also need to do what you can to protect your company from liability in the event of an accident. Any safety policies and procedures you put into place serve as your first line of defense to claims from injured workers, which means they need to be as legally sound as possible. You could attempt to put these measures in place yourself, but if you miss something, it could cost your company in the future.
Instead, you could work with an attorney experienced in helping businesses create risk management policies and procedures that will work best in your situation. The effort you put forth now could prove invaluable later.
