What do you do when someone falls on your property, and what steps can you take to minimize the damage? A report published by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) revealed that close to 9.4 million people received emergency room treatment for fall-related injuries from 2009 to 2010. Furthermore, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) identified slips and falls as the primary causes of industrial accidents, resulting in more than 15% of accidental deaths.
Slips and falls can cause severe injuries and even death. And if they occur in the workplace, employers could face costly liability suits and incur financial losses if they are proven to be at fault due to neglect or direct action. In some cases, only commercial property insurance could protect the business and prevent its closure.
Falls can be caused by tripping or slipping. But such incidents can be caused by other factors. Elevated work areas, scaffolds, ladders, and heavy equipment can increase fall risk. Unfortunately, these hazards are commonly present in many work environments, especially those involving work around power lines, roofs, and other raised areas.
Taking Action After Someone Falls on Your Property
OSHA requires the installation of guardrails and toe boards in work areas with significant fall risk. Employers could also provide employees with ropes, harnesses, and other safety equipment. Implementing safety measures and training workers on the use of heavy equipment could help prevent accidents.
But what if someone has already fallen on your property? How can you deal with the situation while minimizing its adverse effects on your business? Here are some suggestions:
Get Medical Assistance
A good place to start after someone falls on your property is to get medical assistance as soon as possible. Doing so will help prevent further injury and possibly even save the individual’s life.
While waiting for medical help to arrive, keep the injured person calm and try to make them comfortable. Avoid moving them unless it is necessary to prevent further harm. Apply pressure to wounds that are bleeding uncontrollably and clear the airway of any obstructions if the person has trouble breathing.
Conduct a Thorough Inspection
If the patient is stable or has gone to the hospital, conduct a thorough inspection of the fall site. Your objective is to determine if there are any hazardous conditions or risk factors that may have caused the incident.
Pay particular attention to flooring and carpeting. These are common factors in many fall-related incidents because of poor conditions or damage that business owners could have identified before the accident occurred.
The presence of hazardous conditions doesn’t necessarily make you liable for the incident. For example, outdoor surfaces can become wet and slippery when exposed to rain and snow. Often, employers cannot control these conditions.
File an Incident Report
Creating an incident report should be standard practice every time there is an accident at work. It serves as the official description of the incident and could be helpful for legal purposes later.
The incident report should include the victim’s name, the location of the fall, and conditions at the time of the event. You should also detail where the patient obtained medical care and the people that witnessed the incident. Photographs could also help prove the absence of apparent hazards that could indicate your liability.
Seek Legal Assistance
Get in touch with your lawyer as soon as possible. Direct all questions to them and avoid saying anything that could be an admission of liability. It might be best not to make any statements to reporters, law enforcement, and the plaintiff’s attorneys until after you have talked to your own lawyer.
Takeaways
Slips and falls usually result in severe injuries and even deaths. They could also lead to a liability lawsuit against the employer, resulting in lengthy legal proceedings and significant financial losses. Following the tips should help you take appropriate action after a fall on your property and minimize the damage to your business.
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