WorkCover - New South Wales

Injury management is about ensuring the prompt, safe and durable return to work of your injured workers.

The earlier an injury is treated and managed, the sooner your injured workers will return to work and recover from their injuries. Consequently, you will have less downtime and lost productivity, as well as less claims costs and lower premiums.

Effective injury management involves:

• cooperation between you and the injured worker, the insurer, treating doctor and all treating practitioners
• early reporting – workplace injuries must be reported to the insurer within 48 hours
• timely treatment
• appropriate return to work – the workplace is the most effective place for the worker to recover
• prompt payment of weekly benefits and medical expenses.

Your responsibilities

When there is an injury at work, you must:

• provide the injured worker with:
  • first aid and/or transport to medical treatment
  • name of the insurer
  • company name and employer contact details
  • a claim form, if requested by the worker
  • suitable duties
  • any assistance that will help the worker to recover and return-to-work quickly.
• notify the insurer within 48 hours
• notify WorkCover of serious incidents involving injury or illness – phone 13 10 50 or use the online form
• notify WorkCover within seven days for incidents that are not immediately life threatening – phone 13 10 50 or use the online form
• provide the insurer with the:
  • date and description of injury, and details of how it happened
  • name, address and date of birth of the injured worker
  • name and address of your company
  • name of the treating doctor, or name of the hospital if the worker is hospitalised
  • name and contact details of the person making the initial notification, and their relationship to the worker or you .
• forward to the insurer:
  • a WorkCover medical certificate, if provided by the injured worker, within seven days
  • ongoing medical certificates, receipts and accounts for medical or other treatment, within seven days.