I wanted to talk to you about workplace injuries and clear up any confusion about timing and reporting. Please review the information below and pass along information relevant to those employees you manage.

As supervisors, you play an important role in making sure workplace injuries and accidents are reported and handled appropriately. Employees need to report any injury, accident, or incident to their supervisor as soon as possible. Any time an employee reports to you an injury, accident, or incident that occurs in the course of work, please notify me as soon as possible.

Please do not wait (and tell employees to not wait) to see whether the employee feels better or determine that an injury is “minor” before notifying me. When in doubt, call me please. If I am not at my desk or it is after hours, you can reach me on my cell phone at 850-218-5203. I have made the reports while on vacation before, so even if I am out, it's no big deal to contact me, and I will make sure a report gets made if needed. 

Supervisor Procedure

When an employee reports a workplace injury or accident:

  1. Address any immediate safety or medical needs. If the situation is an emergency, call 911 or direct the employee to seek emergency medical attention as appropriate. If an employee needs care before you can get in touch with me, but it isn't an emergency, please direct them to the nearest urgent care. In Niceville, please use Niceville Urgent Care.
  2. Notify me as soon as possible. Provide the basic information you have, including:
  • Employee's name
  • Date and approximate time of the incident
  • Location of the incident
  • Brief description of what happened
  • Nature of the reported injury, if known
  • Whether medical attention was requested or appears necessary
  • Names of any witnesses
  • Whether video footage exists
  1. Lindsay or I will do the first report of injury to the workers' compensation carrier. 
  2. Follow up with and respond to HR regarding any additional information or documentation that may be needed...because there will usually be more info needed!

Even Minor Injuries Should Be Reported

Employees may initially believe an injury is too minor to report or may not immediately recognize that they have been injured. You should encourage employees to report injuries rather than making that determination themselves.

If an employee mentions an injury that may have occurred while working—even if they say they do not need medical attention—please notify me.

Why Prompt Notification Matters

Prompt notification allows us to:

  • Make sure the employee receives appropriate information and assistance. Our plan requires employees to use WC-approved medical providers in order to cover medical costs. 
  • Initiate any applicable workers' compensation procedures in a timely manner. Workers' compensation claims may be barred if the injury is not reported within a certain timeframe.
  • Ensure required documentation is completed.
  • Preserve accurate information about what occurred.
  • Address potential workplace safety concerns.

The key takeaway: Employees must report workplace injuries as soon as possible. When an employee reports a workplace injury or accident to you, notify me as soon as possible.

Thank you for helping us respond consistently and promptly when workplace injuries occur!