How to Report Work-Related Incidents (Procedure 2.1100)

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to provide instructions to College employees on how to report incidents incurred while performing work duties.

All work-related incidents shall be reported on the college accident/incident report whether or not the incident requires medical care. 

Procedure

1. Medical Emergency:A Medical Emergency occurs when a work-related incident requires immediate transport via ambulance to a medical facility.
   1. Dial 9-1-1 immediately to request emergency assistance. Treatment for a medical emergency can be obtained at any hospital emergency room or other medical facility. It is not necessary to obtain prior authorization from the Office of Risk Management for treatment of a medical emergency.
   2. Notify the Office of Safety and Security immediately after the call to 9-1-1 at 407-708-2178.
   3. If possible, someone should stay with the affected person until emergency medical services arrives.
   4. It is the responsibility of the affected employee's supervisor or the responding Security Officer to report the injury to the Office of Risk Management within 7 calendar days after the emergency and submit a completed Accident/Incident Report. 
2. All other work-related incidents: All other work-related incidents that are not a Medical Emergency shall be reported to the Office of Safety and Security whether or not the incident requires medical care. The responding Security Officer is available to assist the employee in the proper completion of the Accident/Incident Report.
3. It is the responsibility of the affected employee to immediately report any work-related   incident to their supervisor and complete an Accident/Incident Report at the time of the incident. The employee is required to have the Accident/Incident Report signed by their supervisor if possible. The employee is required to cooperate with the Office of Risk Management to fully complete the First Notice of Injury if they are affected as a result of the incident.
4. The completed Accident/Incident Report will be forwarded to the Office of Risk Management, Sanford/Lake Mary Campus by the responding Officer of Office of Safety and Security.
5. If an employee has to seek medical care after hours or on a weekend it is vital for the employee to inform the health care provider that their injury or illness is due to a work- related accident. Make sure the provider is authorized to treat work-related injuries and notify the Office of Risk Management by the next business day after receiving medical treatment.
6. If an employee does not wish to seek medical care at the time of the incident, they may seek medical care at a later date.
7. Employees who seek medical care with an un-authorized medical facility, may not be covered by Workers' Compensation benefits.
8. After seeking medical care at an authorized medical facility, the health care provider will issue the employee a DWC-25 form.        The employee is to give a copy of the DWC-25 form to their supervisor and the Office of Risk Management. This document will dictate Workers’ Compensation leave, if any. 
   1. Unless the DWC-25 form states that the employee is not fit to return to work, the employee is required to report back to work.
   2. If the DWC-25 form contains written restrictions provided by the affected employee’s authorized medical care provider, the Office of Risk Management will work with the employee and their supervisor to accommodate the restrictions.
   3. All departments must provide temporary modified duty work to affected employees whose authorized medical care providers have assigned physical restrictions and released the employees to return to work.
   4. The Office of Risk Management is available to assist supervisors with clarifying, identifying, and assigning modified duty work in accordance with the written restrictions provided by the affected employee’s authorized medical care provider.
   5. If providing modified duty work is not operationally feasible in the employee’s primary work area, the employee may be assigned to a different work unit. All costs, however, remain the responsibility of the affected employee’s primary work unit and the supervisor continues to be responsible for leave and other management duties.
   6. Affected employees must perform assigned modified duty work within the restrictions established by their authorized medical care provider. Departments, however, are under no obligation to provide work to employees who fail to perform such work. Employees who refuse to perform the modified duty work assignment may jeopardize their workers’ compensation benefits and may face discipline up to and including termination.
   7. For follow up care, surgeries and/or therapy, a Medical Care Coordinator on behalf of the third party claims administrator will schedule all medical services required for the employee and provide oversight of the employee's medical treatment and current case information to the College regarding work limitations, modified duty and return to work status as indicated by the authorized health care provider(s).
   8. Employee is required to keep all medical appointments with the authorized physician(s), until a DWC-25 form with a full release is received from the treating physician(s) that will include a return to full duty status.
   9. Failure to report to duty on the first day after being released shall result in the absence not being paid and employee may be subject to disciplinary action, unless some other form of leave is approved prior to the absence.

Under Florida law, failure to report a work-related injury within 30 days of the accident date may result in the denial of Workers' Compensation benefits.