The ripple effect of workplace injuries
Work accidents and workplace injuries and fatalities often leave lasting physical and psychological scar tissue on businesses and workers. These events are like pebbles in a pond causing far-reaching ripple effects.
Every industry should strive for accident prevention through sound practices. Workplace safety is the responsibility of every employer, and the UK has several laws that regulate safe working environments.
Workplace safety and UK law
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (HSWA) 1974 obliges employers to take all reasonable steps to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of employees. This includes assessing all possible risks and putting measures in place to either eliminate or mitigate them. Under these regulations, workplaces with five or more employees must have written health and safety policies. You must also review these regularly and update them when needed.
Specific risk assessment and management regulations are contained in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1999. Your assessments must be practical and linked to action plans. Your actions include the appointment and training of safety representatives, detailing emergency procedures, and communicating safety information to all employees.
Employees are entitled to compensation when they suffer workplace injuries. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 obliges employers to report any workplace accidents or prolonged absenteeism lasting three or more days. This includes reporting injuries of members of the public who require hospitalisation. It’s your responsibility to ensure that your employees understand their rights to compensation when involved in a workplace accident.
These laws also detail the responsibilities of employees. They must use information and training to prevent incidents and report hazardous situations.
The iceberg effect of workplace injuries
In January 2020, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that roughly 2.3 million workers globally died as a result of workplace accidents or related diseases per year. This calculates to approximately 6,000 fatalities a day.
On top of this, there are about 340 million incidents and 160 million work-based illnesses in circulation. The stated organisation updates these statistics from time to time and reported year-on-year increases when analysed.
A Labour Force survey spanning from 2020 to 2021 found that 441,000 British workers suffered non-fatal injuries. According to the HSE, 142 people lost their lives in work-related accidents during the same period.
When compared to previous years, there was a decline during this time due to COVID-19 and work-from-home practices. However, for the 2018 to 2019 period, workplace injuries cost businesses and the larger economy approximately £16.2bn.
Direct costs associated with workplace injuries
When workplace accidents occur, employers tend to focus on the cause. They try to eliminate the immediate origins and tend to forget that the incident and the tangible repercussions are just the tip of the iceberg.
It’s a misconception that a company’s insurance plan covers all costs. The effects hidden below the waterline are often long term and where most of the damage lies. You can look at it like direct and indirect costs. Your direct expenses are usually insured, while the indirect ones are not covered.
Your direct costs are tangible and include things such as compensation fees, insurance premiums, medical expenses, and death cover in the event of a fatality. These also expand to equipment and infrastructure damage and legal fees, if applicable.
Indirect costs
Hidden costs are more difficult to trace and are often more damaging than pounds and pennies. They include:
- Low workforce morale in the wake of an incident. This can seriously damage the reputation of a company as workers feel that their safety is not valued. This also invariably leads to productivity and quality losses.
- Loss of experience when injured employees are off for long periods.
- Expenses in hiring and training new workers, especially when the workplace accident caused a fatality.
- Overtime payments when covering the shifts of injured workers.
- Prolonged production delays and downtime caused by serious workplace accidents.
- An increase in insurance premiums.
- Human resources dedicated to processing compensation and other legal documents.
These are far-reaching and can have a severe impact on the overall functioning of a business. So, developing and sustaining a safety culture is absolutely crucial.
Long-term effects of workplace injuries on employees and their loved ones
Workers who were involved in workplace accidents also suffer direct and indirect effects. The here-and-now consequences involve physical injury, possible surgery and rehabilitation stages. All these extend to and affect the employee’s family. Long-term consequences are both physical and psychological. Serious injuries can cause permanent disability and feelings of uselessness. In these cases, a person’s entire world changes and directly impacts those who live and care for them.
What to do when a workplace accident occurs
In the event of an accident at work, immediate attention must be given to the situation at hand. This includes contacting emergency services and administering first aid. You should then record and report the incident as soon as possible.
Workplace safety
Make your workplace as safe as can be. This includes having all the required first-aid equipment, necessary warning signs, and personal protective equipment (PPE). As trusted UK suppliers of compliant safety equipment, we have everything you need to create a safe, secure workplace.