Preventing and Preparing for Workplace Injuries

Even the safest organization will experience a workplace injury from time to time. Whether it’s a minor paper cut or a more serious cut requiring stitches, your business should have a prevention and reaction plan in place for injuries.

Preventing Workplace Injuries — Implementing an Injury Prevention Program

An injury prevention program is a proactive process to help your business find and fix hazards before employees are injured, and for good reason. According to OSHA, more than 4.1 million workers suffer a serious job-related injury or illness.

OSHA recommends implementing an injury prevention program with the following elements:

Management leadership—Involve stakeholders at all levels of management to help keep everyone on the same page.
Worker participation—Keep employees engaged in the franchise’s risk management efforts. Establish a safety committee or incentive program and create posters, handouts and more.
Hazard identification and assessment—Encourage all employees and managers to note potential workplace hazards and create a regular schedule to assess the various hazards.
Hazard prevention and control—Create an environment of collaboration by encouraging employees to share their ideas or “near misses” at shift meetings. Implement an incentive program for employees who notice hazards and act to remedy the situation.
Education and training—Implement a program to provide initial and ongoing training for all employees.
Program evaluation and improvement—Create an open communication channel for safety and program improvements.

Preparing for Workplace Injuries — First Aid Kits

Even with an injury prevention program in place, incidents will occur, and organizations must comply with workplace safety standards determined by OSHA, like those related to first aid kits.

All proper first aid kits should be stocked to address the five key areas of first aid:

Major injury or trauma
Cuts and scrapes
Burn care
Eyecare
Personal comfort

You can always stock additional supplies for a particular first aid area, based on the risk at your franchise. The OSHA standard guidance merely sets the minimum requirements.

Note also that OSHA rules require you to keep your first aid kit stocked and to replenish supplies as items are used. Any sterile items that are opened, show tampering or are past their expiration date should also be replaced.