When most people head off to work in the morning, the last thing they're probably thinking about is whether the job they're walking into is going to cause them injury or even death.
Falls account for almost a quarter of all workplace injuries and more than $14 billion in workers’ compensation claims, according to Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety’s 2014 Workplace Safety Index. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) took a closer look at workplace falls back in 2011 and discovered that 20% of injuries and 43% of fatal falls involved ladders. Among construction workers, that percentage skyrocketed to 81% of all injuries.
Companies today are in a continual state of change to maintain competitiveness. As a result, new processes and variables find their way into the company and can change the dynamics of a company. Planning and anticipation are key activities for just about every phase of business, including dealing with the potential for employee injuries.
As the leader of your business, you know that there can be many hazards in the workplace. However, if you’re like most small business owners, you’re probably not thinking about the possibility of being affected by a workplace disaster. However, the construction, manufacturing and machinery industries are at a higher risk for workplace disasters - maybe the same industry your business is thriving in today. So the risk for a workplace injury or risk of a violation could be a lot closer than you think.
Workers’ Compensation (WC) can be a complex issue for small business owners to navigate. Each state has different workers’ compensation legislation, and related laws can change often. In fact, in the state of Texas, worker's compensation coverage is not even required by law.
