INJURY AND ILLNESS MANAGEMENT

An employer must investigate a serious injury, a structural collapse, a major release of a hazardous substance, an injury requiring medical treatment and an incident with the potential for causing serious injury. (Workers Compensation Act, 173)

Investigation process

A knowledgeable person must carry out the investigation. The investigation must determine the cause of the accident, and identify unsafe conditions, acts, and procedures. Unsafe conditions, acts and procedures must be corrected to prevent accidents. The employer must make witnesses available. (Workers Compensation Act, 174)

Report

An investigation report must be prepared and provided to the JHSC and the board. Corrective action must be taken as soon as possible and a report of action taken prepared. This report must be provided to the JHSC. (Workers Compensation Act, 175)

ACCIDENT REPORTING

The board must be notified immediately of any accident that resulted in serious injury or death, major structural failure, or a major release of a hazardous substance. The accident scene must not be disturbed. (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 296/97, 33.1)

BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS

A pocket mask and gloves must be available to the first aid responder to protect against bloodborne pathogens. The responder must follow bloodborne pathogens precautions to a standard acceptable to the board. Contaminated materials and equipment must be cleaned or disposed of to a standard acceptable to the board. (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 296/97, 33.14)

FIRST AID

The employer must conduct a workplace assessment including the number of workers who may need first aid at any time, the nature and extent of risks in the workplace, the types of injury likely to occur and the time that may be required to obtain transportation to medical treatment, in order to determine the equipment, supplies, facilities, first aid attendants and services required.

The employer must provide equipment, supplies, facilities, first aid attendants and services for promptly providing first aid to workers and transporting injured workers to medical treatment. (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 296/97, 3.16)

Procedures

The employer must keep current written procedures for providing first aid at the workplace. The procedures must include the equipment, supplies, facilities, first aid attendants and services available, the location of first aid and how to call for it, how the first aid attendant is to respond to a first aid call, the authority of the first aid attendant over the treatment of injured workers, who is to call for transportation for injured workers and the method of transportation.

The employer must post the procedures conspicuously in suitable locations throughout the workplace. The first aid attendant must be trained in the procedure.

(Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 296/97, 3.17)

Communication

The employer must provide effective means for communication between the first aid attendant and the workers, and the first aid attendant to call for assistance. (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 296/97, 3.18)

Records

The employer must maintain at the workplace, a record of all injuries and exposures to contaminants that are treated or reported. First aid records must be kept for 3 years and are confidential. Workers may authorize access to their first aid records for any treatment or report about themselves. (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 296/97, 3.19)

First Aid Attendant

The employer must ensure that the person who is designated as a first aid attendant has successfully completed the first aid training course approved by the board and has a first aid certificate in good standing issued by the board. (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 296/97, 3.15)

The first aid attendant must promptly provide workers with first aid, record observed or reported signs and symptoms of injuries and exposures to contaminants and refer workers with serious injuries for medical treatment.

The first aid attendant has full authority for all first aid treatment of an injured worker until responsibility for treatment is accepted at a place of medical treatment, by an ambulance, or by a person with higher first aid certification. (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 296/97, 3.21)

TRANSPORT OF INJURED WORKERS

There must be written procedures for transporting injured workers, including stretcher transport. The employer must provide transportation and pay the costs. (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 296/97, 33.28)

WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD (WCB) CLAIMS

A reportable injury arises out of and in the course of employment.

Employer report

An injury must be reported to the board when a worker is transported to hospital, receives an injury that requires treatment, has received treatment, or cannot return to his or her regular job the next day. The board must also be notified whenever an accident has occurred that resulted in a broken artificial limb, eyeglasses, dentures or hearing aid. (Reports of Injuries Regulation 713/74, 1 – 2)

A fatality must be reported immediately, an injury within 3 days. The report must be submitted on the approved board form. (Workers Compensation Act, 54)

Worker notification

A worker must notify his or her employer as soon as practicable of an injury. The worker must provide details of the injury to his or her employer on a board form. If the worker provides no information, there can be no claim for compensation. (Workers Compensation Act, 53)

Worker benefits

If the worker is entitled to benefits, compensation from the WCB begins on the day following the accident. No benefits are payable for serious or willful misconduct unless the accident resulted in a fatality or permanent and serious disability.

Benefits for loss of hearing are determined by disability equivalence. (Workers Compensation Act)

WORKING ALONE

If a worker is at risk of a disabling injury and unable to get help, a procedure for checking the worker must be developed and implemented. The worker and JHSC must be consulted during development of the procedure. Both the worker and a buddy must be trained on the procedure. The procedure must be reviewed annually. (Occupational Health and Safety Act 296/97, 4.21 – 4.23)

Continue by clicking any item on the menu bar on the left.