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Develop emergency response procedures. This may sound a little over the top, but don’t overlook this. Your contractor employees aren’t thinking about any emergency until it happens. Do they have basic safety supplies like a first aid kit? I personally had this happen on my own jobsite a number of years back. I subcontractor roll my trusses on my new home. He had a truss stacker cutting ridge blocks with a skill saw who suddenly cut deeply into his hand. Nobody was prepared, me or the subcontractor. We scrambled for clean towels and managed to stop the bleeding. The workers were going to just wrap it up with towels and have him wait until the job was done. I insisted that he get medical attention and even took him to Urgent care. The doctor indicated that there was serious nerve damage and waiting could have cost that construction worker full use of his hand….a big deal for sure.

Having an emergency response plan in place ensures that your employees will know how to respond in the event of an accident or on the job injury. Your plan should spell out exactly what must be done in an emergency, including who to contact and whether or not employees are to assist in providing care or wait for medical personnel to arrive. Immediate action can mean the difference between the need for one week of workers’ compensation versus one month.

Don