Workplace accidents can have a huge impact on any business, as they can cause loss of productivity, reduction of sales, low staff morale, loss of reputation – and at worst – closure.
If any worker suffers an injury during their employment, they are entitled to workers’ compensation. Accidents are always recorded at the workplace for insurance purposes – therefore, it’s the responsibility of the business to make sure that all its employees understand their rights.
En virtud de la Ley de Salud y Seguridad en el Trabajo de 1974, los empresarios deben informar de todos los sucesos, como incidentes peligrosos que podrían haber causado la muerte o lesiones. En virtud de esta ley, toda empresa debe tomar "medidas razonables para evitar un incidente grave en el lugar de trabajo".
El efecto Iceberg
After a workplace accident, employers tend to look at the immediate cause and try to ensure that this aspect of the business is sorted, leaving the work operations to continue to run smoothly. More businesses should look deeper into the root causes – taking into account the impact of the accident and all preventable costs.
A common misconception is that all workplace accidents – and costs – are recoverable through insurance. This is often assumed and is not the case. The costs that are incurred through ill-health, accidents and deaths at work are often referred to as the ‘iceberg effect’: visible costs that are recoverable, yet there are costs hidden below the waterline that are unrecoverable. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) estima que estos costes pueden ser hasta 10 veces superiores a los costes asegurados.
Costes ocultos
Hay costes que los directores, gerentes y propietarios tienen en cuenta inmediatamente. Generalmente son la pérdida de personal y los costes de reparación de vehículos y/o maquinaria industrial. Pero los costes menos obvios y a menudo irrecuperables son:
- Tiempo de producción perdido
- Subsidio de enfermedad
- Extra wages, overtime work and temporary labour
- Tiempo perdido
- Pérdida de producto
- Tiempo de investigación
- Multas FFI o fiscales
- Pérdida de contratos y daños a la reputación
- Costas judiciales
And where do these hidden costs come from? Usually, the company profits. If these accidents increase, so will the company’s insurance premiums. It goes without saying that needless accidents cost businesses money and, in turn, reduce profitability.
Escala de costes
The cost of workplace accidents can be vast. In the UK alone, the cost associated with accidentes laborales is £4.9bn per year. The average cost of an accident ranges from £1.6m per fatality to £7,500 per non-fatal injury. These are figures that can damage or even devastate a business, whatever its size. They indicate and highlight the very need for health and safety best practice that greatly reduces the likelihood of accidents occurring in the workplace.**
Angela Southall, Directora de Southalls, una de las consultoras de salud y seguridad de más rápido crecimiento en el Reino Unido, aconseja:
"Mantenga a flote su cuenta de resultados invirtiendo eficazmente en prevención de accidentes. Revise sus estadísticas de accidentes y hable con el personal sobre el terreno para ver cómo y dónde es mejor invertir."
¿Cómo invertir en prevención de accidentes?
Existen reglas sencillas para prevenir los accidentes laborales. Las principales soluciones son:
- Estar alerta
- Trabajar con constancia
- Llevar los EPI (equipos de protección) necesarios
- Siga las instrucciones
- Siga las instrucciones de emergencia
- Impartir una formación adecuada
In summary, accidents in the workplace can have a significant impact on a business, including loss of productivity, reduction of sales, low staff morale, and loss of reputation. Employers have a responsibility to report all incidents that could have caused death or injury under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and to take reasonable steps to prevent serious incidents in the workplace.
The “iceberg effect” refers to the hidden costs of accidents, such as lost production time and damage to reputation, which can be much greater than the insured costs. To invest in preventing accidents in the workplace, businesses can implement simple safety measures, such as being alert, wearing required PPE, and holding proper training. Additionally, accident protection through proximity warning and alert systems reduces the risk of accidents, injury, and damage.
¿Cómo puede invertir en prevención? accidentes laborales con UNA solución?
Podemos ayudarle. ZoneSafeespecialistas en protección de personas y bienes, ofrece protección contra accidentes con su gama de sistemas de aviso y alerta de proximidad. A través de tecnologías innovadoras de identificación y detecciónZoneSafe reduce significativamente el riesgo de accidentes, lesiones y daños a personas y bienes en las obras.
Para más información, visite www.zonesafe.net
*http://www.southalls.com
** datos por cortesía de HSE (Health and Safety Executive) citados en www.hsmsearch.com
