A Field Guide to Workers' Compensation
Workers’ compensation continues to be a problem in the construction industry. Some people simply do not understand workers’ compensation insurance and its intended purpose, nor how the system works.
Opportunities exist to promote a better understanding of the system. For example, better communication improves the relationships between all parties and helps the process run more smoothly. Companies also should have a plan to educate employees on their rights and responsibilities under the system, as well as procedures for handling injuries when they occur.
Although the goal remains “zero injuries,” the comments provided in this guide should help you deal with both prevention and pre-injury.
This Guide provides information for use in minimizing costs and controlling the rehabilitation process so that injured workers can return to work as soon as medically feasible.
Topics covered in this Field Guide include:
- Detailed breakdown of direct and indirect costs of workers’ compensation
- Description of the appropriate roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved in workers’ compensation activities
- Definition of EMR and description of each factor considered in its development
- Injury prevention and avoidance
- Pre- and post-injury management
- Claims management issues
This Guide also contains three guideline checklists:
- One for identifying and capturing information on your workers’ compensation team
- One for use in assessing potential contractors’ safety performance
- One for capturing facts when an accident occurs
