Protecting yourself when hiring a ‘Cash Cleaner’
You often hear stories about people hurting themselves at work and how long the journey to recovery can be. In Queensland alone, there were 1,835 injury claims for cleaners in 2013/14.
But how do you ensure that you are not held personally liable for injury costs should your cash cleaner hurt themselves in your home?
Many people do not realise that when engaging a cleaner in their own homes, they expose themselves to potential claims from injured ‘household workers’.
‘Cash Cleaners’ are common within the cleaning industry. Whilst by nature they may appear cheaper to engage, they do not often hold insurance, and in some instances no criminal history or background checks. Without appropriate checking processes you may inadvertently place you, your family and the cleaner in a particularly tricky situation.
In 2015, the average cost of an injury claim made to the State’s insurer was a whopping $15,792!
Of these claims, the greater proportion relate to activities common in household cleaning.
For all Queensland employers, it is compulsory to provide coverage to your employees under the WorkCover scheme, providing the necessary insurance in the event of the unexpected.
But what about when a private household hires a cleaner for cash? How do you ensure that you are not held personally liable for injury costs?
Where an injury occurs within your home, you may be found liable for the costs incurred. Without adequate insurance, this may come as an unwelcome surprise.
The safest option is to hire a reputable company that provides cleaners with coverage in the event that a cleaner injures themselves in your home. It is also appropriate to check that your cleaner holds a recent Criminal History Check.
Tips to Consider
- Ensure that your provider maintains appropriate injury insurance for their employees
- If you are considering engaging a ‘Cash Cleaner’, you may wish to consider purchasing a Household Worker Insurance policy. In Queensland, these policies can be purchased from WorkCover Queensland.
If you would like to know more, please get in touch today with the First Call team on 1300 654 173.
First Call Home Services is a quality provider of home services in the Ipswich, Greater Springfield and Brisbane regions. The Company provides end-of-lease cleaning services, along with regular in-home cleaning services for busy people.
Reference: https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/110833/wcr-statistics-report-2014-2015.pdf
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