01.25.2023
Claim Study
How To Deal With Non-Compliant Patients
What happens when a physician sees a patient who does not follow medical advice or treatment instructions? How to deal wi...
Learn MoreHere in Louisiana, the winter months can be unpredictable. When the temperature dips low and the humidity soars, winter weather creates ground conditions that may be unsafe for employees. It is vital for employers to address unsafe grounds- including parking lots, parking garages, grassy areas, and entryways- immediately in order to avoid employee injury. Here are some tips for building your inclement-weather risk management plan.
Employees are frequently injured before clocking in or while leaving after a completed shift as a result of unsafe grounds. While an employer may question whether the incident is, in fact, a work-related injury, present case law and court opinion typically consider it so. Factors taken into consideration include:
To illustrate how this may occur, examine this claims scenario:
An employee of a healthcare facility arrives safely to begin their shift in rainy conditions, coupled with icy temperatures. They park their vehicle in a lot designated for employees that is maintained by their employer. The employee has not yet “clocked in.” Upon exiting their vehicle, the employee steps onto a frozen patch of pavement, slips, falls, and suffers an injury to the right knee.
The courts have considered if the injured worker is “furthering the business of the employer” to the outreaches of a parking lot, regardless of whether the employee is being paid wages at the time. While the employee clearly is not “on the clock,” this is an incident the courts would deem a compensable work injury.
Weather factors double the risk of an employee suffering an injury in parking lots, parking garages, or grassy areas. Wet, icy, or even mild conditions are not within the control of risk prevention. However, steps can be taken to ensure a safe environment when inclement weather conditions have been predicted or anticipated.
Conducting regular inspections of parking and grass areas can identify hazards that can be corrected to reduce the risk of employee injury. Frequently inspect these items:
These weather risk management steps, if followed, can help prevent injuries to employees when moving from their vehicle to the facility entrance.
For more information on preventing employee injury, visit our Employee Fall Prevention Toolkit.
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