By Shauna Giesbrecht, Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health (OESH)

The Workers Compensation Board is an injury and disability insurance system for workers and employers, paid for by employers. Workers Compensation Board serves to meet the following objectives; provide insurance regardless of fault in accidents, wage loss benefits based upon loss of ability to earn your wage, timely and safe return to health and work, and assist with prevention of workplace injuries and diseases.

When you experience a workplace accident of injury, it must be reported to your supervisor within 24 hours. The employer has 5 days to report an accident to WCB. Your Community Site will receive a fine for failure to report an accident within the 5 days.

This is how you report your accident. You will complete an Injury Near/Miss (INM) Form with your supervisor to document the details of the workplace accident. Your supervisor will work with you to come up with a corrective action plan to help prevent another accident from occurring to you or your coworkers. This INM form is immediately faxed to Payroll and to Occupational Environmental Safety and Health or OESH. Payroll will complete the Employer's report of the accident online with WCB. You will need to complete the Employee's report, which can be obtained from your supervisor and submit it to WCB. When you see your doctor, the doctor will submit a medical report to WCB. At this time, WCB will consider the application and decide upon the acceptance of the claim. You will be notified in writing of their decision.

When you are medically ready to return to work, you will need to obtain a Modified Duties form from your supervisor and have it filled out by your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider may include your chiropractor, physiotherapist, doctor or psychologist. This form will indicate any restrictions to you level of function that may impact your ability to complete the duties of your job. The Disability Case Manager and your supervisor will review the restrictions indicated by your health care provider and identify wok that is safe to complete or consider modification to your current duties. It is important that your healthcare provider is specific about the restrictions so that your supervisor is able to provide a safe working environment and prevent re-injury. At that time, the Disability Case Manager will also assist you with completing a safe and timely return to work place.