Negligence within the workplace isn’t something that you ever want to be on the receiving end of and if you’re a responsible human being, you won’t be the cause of it either.
However, not everyone is the same and so what you feel is an obvious danger, others may be blissfully unaware of it.
With negligence in the workplace being something that happens, it’s important to know what to do when you become a victim of that negligence.
Identify the negligence and person(s) responsible
Firstly, consider identifying the person or persons responsible for the negligence. When you’re fighting your corner due to a danger or accident that was caused by someone else, you want to figure out who the person responsible was.
Hopefully, your employer will do this for you but in cases where businesses are quick to brush things under the carpet for fear of their own responsibilities, it’s good to know who caused the negligence.
That way, you’ve got the knowledge to move forward with a case if it’s warranted.
Keep a record of anything you experience
If there’s negligence that is ongoing, it’s worthwhile to keep a record of anything you experience in the meantime. Having a record of anything you experience personally or you see others do, is going to provide proof and evidence when it comes to taking action.
This could be through a diary or notes on your phone. As long as you’re documenting dates, times, and what happened, you can present this when the time comes.
Speak to someone in HR about it
HR or Human Resources is the department you’ll want to go to when something happens or you’re worried that someone else’s negligence could threaten your safety as a result.
With that being said, it’s a good idea to speak to someone in HR about it. You should be able to trust the HR department. While they’re working for the business, they do have a responsibility to protect the staff as much as the organization itself.
Know your rights
What are your rights in the workplace? Do you know them? It’s a good idea to get clued up on your rights so that you know when and where they’re being violated. Getting clued up is something that you need to do in order to protect yourself, despite what support or lack thereof that you get from the HR department.
Seek help from legal services
Finally, make sure you’re seeking legal advice for situations where you might have been injured as a result of negligence in the workplace. Seek justice with a burn injury attorney if a burn was caused by someone else’s fault or get help from legal services if you feel like your injury hasn’t been addressed properly by the business.
It’s important that you protect yourself in the workplace and not always rely on the company to do it for you. Hopefully, these tips will keep you safe when working, wherever that may be.
