Prepare your child: What to do if someone gets injured on the job

One of the scariest parts of raising kids is sending them out into the world without you. 

On your child’s first day on the job, you have to trust that you’ve prepared them well enough for unfamiliar environments and new, potentially high-stress situations. One way to make sure they’re fully equipped for the workplace is to ensure they know what to do if someone gets injured on the job. This post will walk you through the process. 

How to prepare your child for workplace incidents and injuries

You can help your teen know what to do in case of a workplace incident or injury by helping them prepare before they even step foot into a workplace. 

• Role-play different workplace situations. Ask your teen questions structured like “if this, then what,” and ensure they know they should expect training on emergency situations before they occur. You should have an emergency protocol in your own home, too.
• Consider getting your child First Aid training. Knowing First Aid can provide the tools to prevent a bad situation from becoming worse, whether at home, work, or in life in general.
• Let them know their workplace must have a safety procedure or protocol document in place. They should familiarize themselves with this information when they start work. 

What should be done in the case of an injury

The exact steps of what should be done in the case of a workplace injury should be outlined in a safety procedure or protocol document in your child’s workplace, like this example from the University of Ottawa. All staff should be familiar with this document and the steps to take in case of an injury. Your child should also be trained on what to do, especially in the case of fatalities or critical injuries. 

The safety protocol document may cover the following: 

Prioritization

This section may cover:

• An injured worker's first priority is proper medical attention. This may be a trained colleague performing first aid, seeking out a medically trained staff member, or calling 911.
• How to address situations that may require transportation to a hospital.
• Employers (not employees) have the responsibility of providing necessary medical treatment, such as ensuring there is a First Aid trained staff member or a plan in place. This section may also include who is responsible for what.

Reporting

This section might mention:

• The importance of reporting the injury-causing incident to their supervisor or employer.
• How to document the incident. Reporting ensures compliance with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.
• How to complete a Workplace Safety and Insurance Board form (like WSIB Form 6 or WSIB Form 7).  Workers may become eligible for workplace safety insurance (formerly known as workers' compensation) after the form submission.

Workers' rights

This section may:

• Discuss the rights and protections available to workers.

How to support your child after someone is injured at work

Witnessing a critical workplace injury or fatality can be traumatic. If this happens to your child, there are a few ways you can offer support.

Participate in the investigation 

Offer your help with reporting or filing a complaint. Be as involved with the investigation as your child is comfortable with. After witnessing something disturbing or uncomfortable, your child may want to forget that anything happened. Impart the importance of reporting and documenting the incident or injury.

Recognizing trauma

Acknowledge the potential trauma that witnessing a critical workplace injury can cause. Your child may not be ready to talk about it, but gently encouraging open communication and expressing a willingness to listen is helpful. 

Encourage seeking support

A professional can help your child process the traumatic event. Suggest seeking professional help if your child is struggling to cope with the experience. You can also offer guidance on where to find mental health resources and support services.

Fostering a supportive environment

Reiterate your support and understanding. Remember, trauma can be difficult to process, and the healing process for your teen may be expressed as anger or depression. Encourage them to share their feelings with you or a trusted friend.

If your child gets hurt, remind them of the importance of reporting the injury to help make the workplace safer for everyone and to protect themselves in case the injury affects their ability to work later in life. Check out this post on the next steps to take if your child is injured at work.