Policy:

Recording and reporting accidents is a joint responsibility of workers, employers, and physicians.

Workers must report all accidents to their employers and employers must keep a record of the accident. Workers, employers and physicians must report any accident to the WCB if it disables or is likely to disable the worker beyond the day of accident.

Employers must also notify WCB if the worker is entitled to medical aid due to the accident. The Act differentiates between first aid which need not be reported to WCB and all other medical aid which must be reported.

This policy is effective May 1, 2003 except when noted otherwise in a specific policy section(s).

Interpretation

1.0 Disables or is likely to be disabled

A worker is considered disabled or likely to be disabled if, due to a work-related injury, the worker:

• misses time from work beyond the date of accident
• requires modified work beyond the date of accident (see Policy 04-05 Return to Work Services)
• incurs a permanent disability (such as amputation or hearing loss) or death
• is diagnosed, or otherwise becomes aware they have a disabling or potentially disabling condition caused by an occupational disease or activity

2.0 Medical aid

Section 1(1)(p) states that medical aid includes medical and other services provided by a person licensed to practice the healing arts in Alberta, and nursing, hospitalization, drugs, dressing, x-ray treatment, special treatment, appliances, apparatuses, transportation and any other matters and things that the Board authorizes or provides.

Coverage is also extended when an accident results in the loss, damage or breakage of an artificial limb, eyeglasses, dentures etc.

Medical aid that is considered first aid (see 3.0 below) does not need to be reported to WCB.

3.0 First aid

First aid is limited to a one-time treatment, with follow-up visit if needed, for observation purposes only, of injuries such as minor cuts, scrapes, scratches, treatment of minor burns, removing splinters etc. or other minor injuries which do not require medical treatment beyond the date of accident.

First aid is the type of treatment performed regardless of who performs the treatment. In most cases, first aid treatment is provided by a first aid practitioner. However, there may be situations when the first aid treatment is provided by a physician or at a medical facility. These possibilities are more likely when:

• the hospital or health facility is the workplace
• the employer has on-site health care practitioners and health facilities
• the employer has specific contracts with health care facilities to provide first aid and health care to their workers

If the professional skills of a health care professional are required, and a first aid practitioner could not have provided the care and evaluation, the treatment is not first aid and should be reported to WCB

Please see Part II for additional information on the following subjects:

Chart

> View Recording and Reporting chart

Application

1. Worker Report of Accident
2. Employer Recording and Reporting of Accidents
3. Physician Report of Accident