The Responsibilities Of A Work Supervisor When A Work-Injury Occurs

Once an injury occurs in the workplace, the injured worker’s supervisor has rights and responsibilities related to medical care, injury leave, reporting the injury, accident investigation, and the injured employee’s return to work.

When an injury occurs, a work supervisor has the following responsibilities related to the injured worker’s medical care:

• For a serious injury requiring emergency medical care:

A supervisor arranges for ambulance transportation and/or accompanies (or arranges for another employee to accompany) the injured employee to the emergency health care facility.

• For an injury requiring non-emergency medical care:

A supervisor issues identification cards, prescription cards, and a Return to Work Status Report to the injured employee. Although a supervisor may not direct an employee to seek treatment with a specific provider, a supervisor is charged with reminding an employee that treatment must be obtained from a medical provider on the employer’s designated health care providers list. 

• If a selected health care provider cannot see the employee within an acceptable time frame of 48 hours or less, a supervisor notifies the employer that the selected health care provider is unavailable and assists the employee in selecting a different health care provider.

In reporting work-related injuries, the following responsibilities apply to a supervisor:

• Employers must report all injuries, including suspicious and minor injuries that an employee may not want to report or that do not require medical attention.
• For claims that are catastrophic, severe or result in death, a supervisor must immediately notify the resident workers’ compensation coordinator for immediate and prompt intervention.
• Once an injury occurs or notice of an injury occurring is received, a supervisor must complete the Workers’ Compensation Claim Report as soon as possible, even if the employee does not seek medical treatment.
• A supervisor must notify by email or telephone the workers’ compensation coordinator if any of the following circumstances are suspected:

(1) The injury did not occur as reported by the employee, especially if the injury may not be work-related, i.e., have occurred at work.

(2) The injury is intentionally self-inflicted.

(3) The injury is caused by an act of a third person intended to injure the employee because of personal reasons, and not directed against the individual as an employee or because of his employment.

(4) The injury is caused by the employee’s violation of a law.

(5) The injury occurred when the employee was not in the furtherance of the business or affairs of the employer.

(6) The injury occurred when the employee was under the influence of alcohol, illicit drugs, or misused prescription drugs.

(7) The injury may be related to other medical problems.

(8) The injury could be related to activities/hobbies off the job or a weekend home project.

Once a work-related injury enters the investigation stage, a supervisor continues to have important responsibilities, such as:

• Requesting that witnesses complete an Incident Statement Form to be used during the investigation of the incident;
• Cooperating with the individual who is assigned to investigate the incident, or if it is the responsibility of the supervisor, complete the Incident Investigation Form and forward it to the safety or workers’ compensation coordinator for review.

A supervisor’s important roles do not end here. Rather, they continue when a worker is absent because of a work-related injury or the worker returns to work. As the supervisor ultimately acts on behalf of management, he or she must assume many specific duties related to assisting an employee after the occurrence of a work-related injury, as well as other administrative duties that take place each and every workday to ensure worker safety and prevent workplace injuries.

At Powell Law, it is our goal to protect and assert the rights of our clients effectively throughout the entire workers’ compensation claims process. If you have suffered a work-related injury, consult with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. Powell Law has an established 113-year-old reputation throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. Contact Powell Law at (570) 961-0777. The consultation is FREE and you don’t pay unless we win!