After 40 years of living, I know I still have a lot to learn.  But in those 40 years, I’ve also experienced a lot and seen some really strange things.  So imagine my surprise when I read a publicity pitch a few weeks ago on tow hitch stripper poles.  Got that picture?  After I quit laughing from the images describe from throwing out your back to denting sides of cars with misplaced feet, I read on and reviewed the serious claims the reporter was trying to review for the insurance industry.  This got me to thinking.  Could this be a valid claim for workers’ comp? Stay with me. 

Let’s say you sponsor a company-wide tailgating party.  An employee sets up his newest gadget for fun and some of your employees get a little rowdy.  Mindful Mary becomes Merry Mary and lets her hair down, only to fall off of the pole and break her leg.  Workers’ comp?  Yes.  Suave Sam installed such a platform and pole on his S10 over the weekend and is horsing around with co-workers on Monday.  Sam gets tangled around the apparatus and falls to the ground much to the pleasure of his co-workers.  Later, he is picking up a box and feels a pull in his lower back.  Is this Workers’ comp? Maybe.  Now, I’m sure most of you won’t run across the afternoon stripper pole contest anytime soon and this article isn’t to promote the CA company that sells these pieces of equipment.  Rather, it is to remind you that accidents can happen at any time in any circumstance and that you need to not only be aware of potential risks, but also prepared to deal with situations as they arise.  Be sure to have policies in place that outline acceptable behavior at work.  Provide training on accidents and what to look for to avoid potential hazards. Have established workers’ comp facilities and inform all staff members as to procedures to follow when involved in an accident.

We hope you won’t experience an accident soon, but if you do, being prepared will help in dealing with the situation.  StaffScapes specializes in helping small business owners with all things related to HR and Workers’ Comp.  We can help you set up policies, handle claims and manage the processes related to employee accidents.  Contact us today to learn more at 303-466-7864 or info@StaffScapes.com.