There is always a news story every night on the local news or in the paper about someone getting hurt somewhere while at work. Many people believe that they are always at some risk of injury regardless of occupation. This is not completely true. According to research, 99 percent of accidents could be avoided if the right safety measures are taken. There are three popular myths that make workplace injuries seem unavoidable, but workplace injury is something you can prevent, and it does not have to equal a Virginia workers’ compensation claim.
- The first myth is that it’s impossible to have a hazard-free workplace. While there are some workplaces that may require a little more attention to details and safety measures, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to be hazard-free. Situations can change over time and sometimes very quickly but if the proper discipline and diligence is put in place it is possible to mitigate every hazard. When we have an understanding of what it takes to make an injury-free workplace, we are able to make the changes and upkeep to continue to keep it that way. Failing to follow safety procedures is a sure fire way to get injured regardless of what system is in place.
- The second myth is that safety takes up too much time and money. When you take a look at the cost/benefit analysis of spending a little more money up front to protect your workers, you are able to see that it will end up cheaper in the long run. Far too many employers want to cut corners in all the wrong places and end up paying for it in the end.
- The third myth is that accidents just happen so there is no reason to try to prevent them. Research shows that over 99 percent of all accidents are preventable. The reality is we have a great amount of control over the circumstances we are involved in. If we chose to get lazy about safety then we are raising our risk of injury. This has nothing to do with the safety measures in place. This is how we are able to drive our cars everyday without crashing, or walk down the street without getting hit by a car.
It’s important to understand how our actions can help prevent a great deal of accidents from happening. Sometimes we still get injured in the workplace. If you have been injured and need help filing a worker’s compensation claim, there is help. Attorneys at Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas can help guide you in your case and help you receive the compensation owed to you.
