Author: Jonathan Morgan
Source: ezinearticles.com

A wood chip flies into someone’s eye, a hammer hits a finger instead of a nail, a laborer trips and falls over a cord someone left carelessly lying around… These are just a few of the situations likely to arise for contractors and their employees. Often times things like these happen all too fast. You’ll never be able to avoid incidents like these all together, but you can employ ways to help prevent some of them, saving your employees pain and lost wages, and saving yourself headaches and paperwork.

* Back Injuries

According to the Illinois Workers Compensation Board, nearly 250,000 workman’s comp claims are filed each year-just in Illinois alone! The part of the body that’s hurt more than any other is the back. While this is not necessarily surprising, there are ways to prevent certain back injuries that many people either do not know about or choose not to use.

The Mayo Clinic recommends the following tips to help avoid back strain and injury:

- Be fit
- Pay attention to posture
- Lift properly
- Adjust your work space
- Adopt healthy work habits
- Plan your moves.
- Listen to your body.
- Minimize hazards.
- Work on coordination and balance.
- Get more information on what you can do to help prevent back injuries from the Mayo Clinic’s website

Take a look at the United States Department of Labor’s Website to get more info on workman’s compensation laws in your state. Print out a copy of these tips and give them to your contractors. They might look at you funny- but if they’re interested in saving themselves an injury, they’ll take a look and maybe even use a tip or two.

* Carelessness

People become complacent, in every industry- bust especially in the construction trades. Working for a while in the same job, or same location can cause workers to become too comfortable. In the contracting industry, becoming too comfortable often leads to careless mistakes. If you’re able to better train your employees on safety awareness, you’ll significantly reduce your workman’s comp costs.

Teaching employees the importance of cleaning up as they go is key. Wrappers left out, cords lying around, and unused tools create clutter and more tripping hazards. Turning off power tools when not in use. You’ll prevent accidents and save money and equipment. Measuring twice and cutting once- key for all trades. You save on equipment and you prevent the need to go back and do something again, often in a hurry.

* Proper Training and Workplace Preparedness

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is around to help prevent accidents and injuries on the job. Many contractors see OSHA as the bad guy who comes around to fine them. Consider taking a different point of view on OSHA. OSHA offers a service to small businesses that can help prevent accidents and make the job site a safer place. OSHA On-Site Consultation services offers a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL consultation for small business to help inform and train employees on workplace hazards, health issues, and managing effective safety systems. It doesn’t cost anything for businesses that qualify, and may even offer you a one year exemption from routine OSHA inspections. It’s worth taking a look at. Get more information on the OSHA On-Site Consultation services on the OSHA website.

*Workers Compensation Insurance

Make sure you have the right workman’s compensation insurance for your small business. Many employers aren’t covered under the right policies and this can cause you many problems if the need arises to file a claim.

EZContractorsInsurance.com can help you find the right agent who can provide you the right Workers Compensation policy for your contracting business. They take the hassle out of finding an agent, offering instant FREE quotes from agents in your area. They also have years of experience dealing with Workman’s Compensation Insurance Issues and help you avoid the pitfalls of not having the proper policy. Check out the 7 Dirty Secrets of Worker’s Compensation Insurance. Avoid high premiums on your policies, and learn the right steps to take to help to manage your workman’s compensation claims.

Take a look at the United States Department of Labor’s Website to get more information on workers compensation laws and programs.

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