Employees who are hurt in the workplace can often claim for damages of up to £20,000 for even moderate injuries. That figure balloons to over £100,000 for serious injuries to sensitive parts of the body such as the head.
It goes without saying, therefore, that anything which could potentially cause harm around the office should be given serious thought by managers and business owners. This doesn’t just include obvious risks such as dangerous machinery, faulty equipment or heavy items. Even the most mundane items around a workplace, design & branding workstations, if they are not monitored properly, could cause serious harm to your staff. This includes everything from water coolers that might present a slip-and-fall hazard if they leak, for example, to faulty lights that might reduce vision.
Ensuring you have the right equipment on hand to eradicate any potential dangers as and when they arise can prevent most workplace accidents. Here are a few things businesses should have:
Wholesale kitchen rolls
Slips and falls cause over one-third of accidents in a workplace. Furthermore, half of slip-and-fall accidents that happen in an office are caused by water. The most common instance of this is when a sufficient amount of water has gathered on the floor causing employees to lose their balance. However, water can also cause you to lose your balance if you are leaning on damp counters. It could also damage electronic equipment if it has spilt on your desk, something that could later lead to other types of injuries. In short: spillages are something you will want to clean up right away. Therefore, having a large supply of kitchen rolls in the office for when this occurs – and rest assured it definitely will – means you can be proactive in preventing an accident. Wholesale kitchen rolls, centre feed rolls and paper towels are easy and affordable to purchase.
Bulbs and other lighting equipment
Poor, insubstantial lighting causes some of the most common causes of personal injuries in a workplace. Employees are, of course, more likely to bump into sharp objects or trip over things in their path if they cannot see what is around them. No workplace intends to have inadequate lighting, but it can occur if there is a problem with the lighting equipment. Make sure you own some replacement fluorescent tubes, bulbs, etc. in case one of them fails.
De-icing salt
As every UK citizen will know all too well, outdoor surfaces can become incredibly slippy during the winter months. The combination of rainfall and below-zero temperatures means that pavements, parking lots and roads turn into something akin to an ice rink. The problem for businesses is that if a member of staff were to slip on an icy surface located on your property, you are liable if they decide to claim compensation. It is, after all, your duty to look after your property. Large bags of de-icing salt won’t set you back a lot. However, they will help to protect employees from slipping by lowering the freezing point of water. Simply apply it to any part of your property that might be treacherous to walk on and it will make it harder for ice to form.
