Accident Reporting Procedures for Employees

The injured employee will report the injury and related details to a supervisor or Human Resources.  Accidents should be reported to the supervisor before the employee leaves work and an accident investigation form is filled out. It is best to report on the same day of the accident, but no later than 3 business days from the time of the accident.  Nebraska Wesleyan University considers the immediate reporting of such claims as a condition of employment.

Step Two:       The designated supervisor calls and reports the accident to Human Resources - Maria Harder (2117) or Erin McManus (2570).  The supervisor and the HR representative and employee will determine the need for medical attention and the appropriate medical treatment facility. All treatment for work related injuries must be authorized by HR. If the employee is referred to a physician, the employee has the right to choose the doctor of their choice.  The “Choice of Doctor” form may be completed in the Human Resource Office with the accident injury form.

Step Three:     The designated supervisor or the HR representative will call Concentra (402) 465-0010 (or other medical treatment facility) and report the need for post-accident care, describe the injury, and determine transportation to the appropriate medical treatment facility. 

Step Four:       The supervisor and the HR representative will work jointly to investigate the scene of the accident, take pictures, and record surrounding work conditions or elements contributing to the accident.  The supervisor will question all witnesses regarding the cause and circumstances of the injury or illness. 

Step Five:        While being treated for a work-related accident, the employee may be asked to submit to a random post-accident drug screening.  Refusal to submit to a post-accident drug screening will be considered a voluntary resignation by the employee.  The treating medical professionals will make an assessment and medical recommendation for treatment.  

Step Six:         A follow-up phone call from treating medical professionals is made to Human Resources to discuss actions taken, follow-up treatment recommendations and appointments, as well as, other pertinent details. 

Step Seven:     The return-to-work forms are completed by the treating physician and copies are provided to the employee. The employee is responsible for bringing all return to work forms to Human Resources. Human Resources will communicate next steps, future treatment if needed, and any restrictions to supervisor. The supervisor is responsible for seeing that the employee follows all orders and keeps any follow-up appointments.

Step Eight:      If not previously completed, within 24 hours of the accident, but no later than 3 business days from the time of the accident, the supervisor and employee will fill out the “Accident Reporting Form” and bring the form to Human Resources, Smith-Curtis, Room 202.  The supervisor will question the employee regarding the details and events that led up to the accident.

Step Nine:       Human Resources will call the accident into the insurance provider and visit with the supervisor and employee to discuss reasons for the accident and any possible preventative measures that can be taken in the future.

Always call Human Resources to report any accidents, even non-injury accidents.  The University is required to annually report all injury and non-injury workers accidents to the federal agency, OSHA. 

Worker’s Compensation Benefits

Worker’s Compensation insurance is a form of coverage mandated by the state and designed to provide benefits to individuals who are injured in the course of their employment.  Employers and insurance companies are required to comply with state regulations pertaining to the reporting and documenting of accidents, the terms and conditions of coverage, premium rates, and the level of benefits payable to injured workers.  The insurance program for Nebraska Wesleyan University provides full statutory Workers’ Compensation coverage for its employees.

Lincoln Emergency Ambulance Services

If the injury is life threatening, call 9-911 immediately.  After 911 call the security cell phone at (402) 432-9238 and report situation.  Maintenance Department personnel will assist emergency response personnel by clearing hallways and directing traffic.  Medical treatment procedures will always depend upon the severity of the injury.

Concentra Urgent Care 

If the injury is not life threatening but requires medical treatment, Concentra will provide injury evaluation and treatment, doctor referral and appointment services, and follow-up case management services.   Concentra currently provides service at 4900 North 26th Street, Suite 104, Lincoln, NE 68521 (402-465-0010).  Concentra Urgent Care services are available during the daytime working hours of the university. If the injury requires the care of a physician, Concentra will refer the injured employee to a physician. 

Supervisor Responsibilities

Employees DO NOT treat their own injuries.  If the injury is NOT life threatening, the first step is to contact the employee’s immediate supervisor or the person designated to handle employee accidents in the supervisor’s absence. Injuries that require only a Band-Aid are treated by the supervisor from the department/office first aid kit. 

Supervisors are responsible for coordinating with Human Resources to arrange transportation of employee to Concentra Urgent Care.  Human Resources will call Concentra to notify them that an injury has occurred, and to arrange an immediate appointment. Injuries take precedence and will be seen immediately or the same day depending upon the injury.

Employees requiring immediate medical treatment at night or weekends are transported (by their supervisor or designee) to Bryan LGH East hospital for outpatient medical treatment. Employees who have received outpatient care at Bryan LGH East may be seen by Concentra the next working day for follow up treatment and/or therapy. 

If an employee is transported by ambulance to a hospital, the employee’s immediate supervisor or the person designated to handle employee accidents in the supervisor’s absence will accompany the injured employee. 

Employee Responsibilities

All medical treatment for a work-related non-life-threatening injury or illness must be reported to the employee’s immediate supervisor or the person designated to handle employee accidents in the supervisor’s absence before treatment is sought.  If an employee has been seeing a Physician and is told by the Physician the illness or injury may be work-related, the employee is required to contact his/her immediate supervisor.  The supervisor and the employee will meet with the Human Resource Office to begin the Workers’ Compensation reporting process.

Whenever an injured employee is referred to a clinic, hospital, or doctor, a medical referral slip and a medical follow-up/release form will accompany the injured employee.  Concentra provides referral and release slips after each treatment. 

If an employee has seen a doctor, the employee CANNOT return to work until the doctor and/or Concentra has issued medical follow-up/release forms and the employee has returned the forms to the Human Resource Office.

Each day that the employee misses work due to a work-related accident or illness, the employee is required to notify the Human Resource Office and their supervisor.  The Human Resource Office is required to notify the insurance carrier each day an employee is absent from work due to a work-related accident.

Reporting/Documentation/Investigation

The purpose of an accident investigation is not to find fault, but to assist in the prevention of further similar accidents or illnesses and to comply with the federal and state laws governing work-related accident and illness reporting.  The injured employee and supervisor of the injured employee is responsible for filling out the ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FORM and taking it to the Human Resource Office.

These “key facts” are always included in an accident or work-related illness report:

• The nature of the injury or illness;
• The part of the body injured or affected by the injury or illness;
• The source of the injury: the object, substance, or bodily motion that  produced the injury or illness;
• The type of accident or manner in which the person was injured;
• The hazardous condition or circumstances surrounding the accident of illness;
• The cause of the accident—the object, substance, or part of the premises in which the hazardous condition existed;
• The unsafe act that caused or permitted the accident to occur;
• The working conditions that caused the work-related illness.

These items of information not only enable the supervisor to fill out the required report forms, but also help the University evaluate the progress of its safety and accident-prevention programs.  If additional safety training or changes in procedures and equipment are needed, the investigation and reporting process usually make it clear exactly what should be done.

Non-injury accidents also require the filling out of an ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FORM.  Even non-injury accidents must be reported on the yearly federal OSHA report prepared by the Personnel Office. Non-injury accident investigations often help prevent future serious injury

Medical Bills

The employee is responsible for bringing medical bills and accompanying documentation to the Human Resource Office for forwarding to the insurance company.  Some medical providers will not send medical bills to a third party and the employee will continue to receive the medical bills and treatment documentation.

Employees, Supervisor, and Human Resource Office

If the employee receives a medical bill for medical treatment received without prior supervisor notification, the employee must notify her or his supervisor immediately.  The supervisor must immediately meet with the Human Resource Office discuss the situation and if appropriate fill out an ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FORM.  The employee is to obtain a MEDICAL REFERRAL FORM from the Human Resource Office and give the completed MEDICAL REFERRAL FORM to the attending physician.  The Human Resource Office will notify Concentra for case management follow-up if appropriate.

Not Reporting Accidents:

The University is placed at risk legally and financially when accidents and work-related illnesses are not reported properly.  OSHA requires employers to maintain records of all recordable injuries and illnesses.  Companies covered by OSHA are required to maintain a daily log and an annual summary of occupational injuries or illnesses.  These records must be kept up to date and must be made available to OSHA, NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), and the Nebraska Department of Labor.  In addition to complying with the law, a thorough reporting and record keeping system can provide information concerning accident patterns and prevention so the organization and supervisor can consider what might have been done, or what could be done in the future, to avoid such an incident.

Consequences:

Supervisors and employees who do not follow the University’s Workers’ Compensation accident and work-related illness policies and procedures will be held accountable under the University’s disciplinary procedures.  Employees who file false accident or work-related illness reports or give false or misleading statements concerning a report will be disciplined up to and including termination.  The Workers’ Compensation laws consider the false reporting of a work-related accident or illness to be a criminal act.

General Safety Follow-up:

Accidents caused by ice or snow on sidewalks, dangerous areas inside or outside of buildings, or wet floors inside buildings should be reported immediately to HR or the Maintenance Office #2321 or #2323.   

Safety on campus must be everyone’s priority.  It is the responsibility of all employees to follow all University safety, accident reporting, and Workers’ Compensation injury policies and procedures. Adherence to safe work place procedures allows the University to provide a safe educational and work place environment.

Alcohol and Drugs:

Nebraska Wesleyan University complies with the federal “Drug Free Work Place Act of Employees 1989”.  The university’s Alcohol and Drug policy states:

“Because of the serious problems related to the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances, and because this practice can lead to a loss of effectiveness in human life and does not contribute to the teaching-learning process, the Nebraska Wesleyan University community reaffirms its position of serious concern about and opposition to the use of alcoholic beverages and/or controlled substances in this environment.”

While being treated for a work-related accident, an employee may be asked to submit to a random post-accident drug screening. Refusal to submit to a post-accident drug screening will be considered a voluntary resignation by the employee.