Top Ten Supervisor Best Practices When Handling Work Related Injuries

Supervisors are the front-line reporters of work-related injuries and accidents and bear the primary responsibility for making sure employees perform post-injury response procedures in accordance with the employer’s workers’ compensation policies.

Ten Actions Supervisors Must Take
1. Make sure injured employees take a Work Ability Form (WAF) with them when they go to the medical provider.
2. Accompany injured employees to the medical provider.
3. Inform medical providers the WAF must be returned (by mail or fax) to the supervisor (or injury coordinator) within 24 hours of a work-related injury. If the supervisor has a problem retrieving the completed WAF from the medical provider within 24 hours, the issue should be referred to the injury coordinator for action.
4. Compile a Post-Injury Package consisting of completed WAF together with Witness, Supervisors, and Employee Reports of Incident and fax to injury coordinator.
5. Train employee subordinates in the basics of workers’ compensation benefits such as Rights and Responsibilities under the WCMP, Post-Injury Response, and Transitional Duty Program.
6. Demonstrate to employees how to obtain emergency medical care for injured employees.
7. Demonstrate to employees how to get non-emergency care for injured employees. (workersxzcompxzkit)
8. Describe what forms and documents to give to (and get from) an injured employee.
9. Participate in weekly meetings with the injury coordinator and injured employee.
10. Train employees in post-injury response roles and responsibilities.

Author: Robert Elliott, J.D.

Click on these links to try it for yourself.
WC Calculator: www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php
TD Calculator: www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
WC 101: www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different. Consult with your corporate legal counsel before implementing any cost containment programs.