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Working outside job description could weaken workplace safety

On Behalf of | Sep 12, 2016 | Workers' Compensation

When business picks up for a company in New Jersey, managers might assign more duties to existing staff members. While this may be alright during a brief work crunch, long-term increases could add extra strain and erode workplace safety. People performing jobs that they have not received adequate training for could be especially at risk of injury.

To correct this situation, HR professionals should make an effort to track what employees are doing when business increases. Direct observations of operations could allow them to see the exact tasks that employees are engaged in and compare them to their job descriptions and training records. One example of untrained employees completing duties outside their purview would be accounting and marketing workers packaging orders for customers. A human resources manager could use this information to request that management hire more people to meet business demands.

If the size and scope of operations preclude direct observations, the human resources department can schedule interviews with staff members. Workers would then have a chance to describe everything that they do during the course of the day. By monitoring the training and duties of workers, management could improve the delegation of tasks to the right people and reduce the incidence of accidents.

When a job injury does occur, an employee should report the problem to the employer. This will enable the person to make a workers’ compensation claim. This insurance covers medical expenses and wages for people hurt or sickened while at work. A person who encounters difficulty in obtaining benefits could take their concerns to an attorney. The lawyer might investigate the available benefits and prepare a claim for the insurance company. If necessary, an appeal for a denied claim could also be handled by an attorney.