If you are injured at work, or you become sick because of your work, you should report it to your employer within 24 hours and seek medical attention.
You should report your injury or illness to your employer whether you intend to make a claim for workers compensation or not. You can report an injury in writing or verbally and it can be given in person or through the post. A report can also be made by a representative such as a family member or friend if you are unable to do so yourself.
Report these details
You must include these details:
- The day on which the injury or illness occurred
- The time when the injury or illness occurred
- The place at which the injury or illness occurred
- A description of the injury or illness
- How the injury or illness occurred
- Part of the body affected
Your employer must then forward this information by either phone, fax or in writing using a WorkCover Claim form to Employers Mutual or WorkCoverSA, within five (5) business days (or within two business days if they wish to take advantage of the incentive for early reporting). If your employer is self-insured, they will have their own claims manager and follow their own internal processes.
More details are outlined in lodging a claim section of this site or alternatively you can call Employers Mutual on 1300 365 105 to begin the claims process over the phone. This service is convenient and confidential.
Fatalities and serious injuries
When a person is killed at work, or requires admittance to a hospital due to illness or injury at work, the employer must immediately report the incident to SafeWork SA on emergency telephone 1800 777 209 (24 hour service).
Example: Reporting a serious injury
Simon operates a company that provides specialist electrical services. One of his workers, John, is involved in a workplace incident that requires him to be admitted to hospital. What are the steps Simon should take?
Firstly, Simon should make sure that John receives appropriate medical treatment and care. Simon should then notify SafeWork SA of the incident (within 24 hours) and record details of the incident for his record-keeping and occupational health and safety purposes.
As the doctor has determined that John will require time off work to heal from his injury, he has issued a WorkCover Medical Certificate which he will then need to lodge (through Simon) with a claim for workers compensation payments.
Following submission of the paperwork Simon should also carefully examine the nature of the incident and take steps to minimise the risk of it happening again.
Simon may need to complete an Employer Report Form
at the request of Employers Mutual if it looks like compensation payments will extend beyond 13 weeks.