The best way to avoid a work injury and a workers' compensation claim is to not have a work accident or be injured at work.

Most of you are probably shaking your heads and thinking that's just common sense.

Well, you're right. So, how do you avoid a work accident or being injured at work?

Here are some ways:

1. Read the employer's safety rules and procedures. If you don't know where the safety rules and procedures are, ask your supervisor or the safety manager. They should know where they are or who to ask about them. Human resources should also know.
2. Once you've read the employer's written safety rules and procedures FOLLOW them even if it's a hassle. It could save your life or, at a minimum, save you from a work accident and work injury.
3. If your employer does not have written safety rules and procedures, you can ask (respectfully) that the employer create them. If that is not going to happen, you can research on the internet safety rules for your work and/or industry. The OSHA website is also a helpful place for safety inquiries. Those resources should tell you how to safely do your job, in general.
4. If co-workers are not following the employer's safety rules and procedures, respectfully tell your supervisor and/or the safety manager. All employers want a safe workplace for their workers and, therefore, want to know when employees are not following the rules. A safe workplace makes the business run smoothly and run more profitably.
5. If nothing is done about employees who do not follow the rules, try to stay away from them. And, (I know this is easy for me to say) consider finding another job.

Even if you do follow these recommendations, it's possible you will still get hurt at work. If that happens, make sure you tell your supervisor or somebody at your job that you were hurt and get medical care ASAP. Once that is done, please call me about a possible workers' compensation claim. There is no reason not to call. The worst that will happen is that I will tell you that you don't need a workers' compensation lawyer at this time and why.

Thanks for reading.