Injury Management and Return to Work Procedure

Nomenclature

Term	Definition
ADI	Alternative Duties Injury — a work-related injury that results in a change to the employee’s regular job duties beyond the day of the incident, including being prevented from performing one or more routine functions of the job and/or a change to the work schedule.
IP	Injured Person.
LTI	Lost Time Injury — a work-related injury that results in time lost from work of one day/shift or more.
Rehabilitation	A process designed to ensure the worker’s earliest possible return to work or to maximise the worker’s independent functioning. It involves the provision of approved services, services provided by a registered person, suitable duties programs, or necessary and reasonable aids or equipment to an injured worker.
Suitable Duties Program	A program providing a worker with specially selected duties at the workplace as a means of a monitored and graduated return to normal duties — matched to the capabilities of the worker, time limited and regularly upgraded according to recovery, and based on treating medical practitioner advice.
WC&IM Act	Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023 (WA).

Purpose

This procedure sets out the operational process for managing workers’ compensation claims, rehabilitation and return to work, so that an injured person (IP) can return to work as early as possible or maximise their independent functioning. Westlink’s policy framework and commitments for injury management and return to work — including early intervention and the injury management system maintained under s.159 of the WC&IM Act — are set out in the Workplace Rehabilitation and Return to Work Policy (GOV-POL-007); this procedure implements them.

Scope

This procedure applies to all work-related injuries and illnesses sustained by Westlink workers, from initial injury reporting through medical treatment, workers’ compensation claim handling, rehabilitation and return to work. Incident reporting and investigation mechanics are as set out in QHSE-PRO-001.

Responsibilities

Policy-level accountabilities are defined in GOV-POL-007. The operational roles in this procedure are:

Role	Responsibilities	Rights
Injured Person / Worker	Report workplace incidents; apply for workers’ compensation; advise their doctor of the availability of workplace rehabilitation; ask their doctor to complete the Worker Capability Checklist (QHSE-CHK-001) if required; actively participate in workplace rehabilitation (a worker duty under s.163 of the WC&IM Act); maintain communication with the employer and Coordinating Manager about issues related to their claim.	Workers’ compensation for work-related injuries, subject to acceptance by the insurer; choose their own doctor; authorise their manager to contact their doctor for advice on suitable duties; confidential, safe keeping of their personal information; be provided with suitable duties, if practicable; be consulted in the development of a suitable duties plan; ask for a review of insurer decisions they do not agree with; access an impartial grievance mechanism (HR-PRO-003), raised in the first instance with the Coordinating Manager.
CEO	Appoint a Coordinating Manager for each workers’ compensation claim.	—
Coordinating Manager (appointed by the CEO)	Ensure injuries are reported promptly to enable early contact regarding rehabilitation; comply with the employer’s duty to report an injury to the insurer (s.63 of the WC&IM Act) and ensure confidentiality of information received; develop, coordinate and monitor rehabilitation strategies, including suitable duties plans developed in consultation with the injured worker; keep a file for each worker undertaking rehabilitation; keep accurate, objective, signed and dated case notes of all communications, actions and decisions; provide injured workers the opportunity to give feedback on the rehabilitation system and document it.	—
Finance & Technology Manager	Keep a file for each worker undertaking rehabilitation and ensure confidentiality of both verbal and written information.	—
Senior Management Team	Actively assist the Coordinating Manager in identifying and coordinating suitable duties; adjust workplace procedures and rosters to enable successful implementation of the suitable duties plan; monitor the injured worker’s progress on suitable duties; offer support and encouragement to any injured worker.	—
Co-workers	Offer support and encouragement to any injured worker.	—

Procedure

Injury reporting

All injuries shall be formally reported to the injured person’s Supervisor / Manager as soon as practicable, as set out in QHSE-PRO-001. The CEO is to be notified and, where a workers’ compensation claim is to be lodged, the CEO appoints a Coordinating Manager.

Medical treatment

The IP shall be taken to a medical practitioner or hospital by the Supervisor / Manager (or delegate) where the trained first aider attending to the IP determines that general first aid is insufficient.

The medical provider will treat the IP and issue a medical certificate (certificate of capacity). The IP is to provide their Manager with a copy of the certificate for their employee file.

Workers’ compensation claim

If the IP has sustained an injury that results in a workers’ compensation claim, the IP shall complete the applicable workers’ compensation claim form for the relevant State — in Western Australia, the WorkCover WA claim form — and submit it to their Manager. This may be completed in conjunction with their Manager, and the IP should keep a copy for their records. Claims shall be lodged within the time limits prescribed under the WC&IM Act.

The Coordinating Manager shall complete the employer section of the form (this may be done in conjunction with the IP) and give the claim to Westlink’s workers’ compensation insurer within the time limits prescribed under the WC&IM Act (s.63 — employer reporting).

The Manager shall provide the IP with the Injured Worker Authorisation (QHSE-TPL-006) to enable Westlink to liaise with the treating medical providers in relation to a safe return to work.

The Coordinating Manager will establish a file and complete the Rehabilitation File Summary (QHSE-TPL-009) and the Case Notes Form (QHSE-TPL-007).

All information relating to workers’ compensation claims is strictly confidential. All enquiries relating to any claim shall be referred to the relevant Coordinating Manager. All injury management files and information relating to claims shall be stored securely with access restricted to authorised persons only.

Claim processing

The Coordinating Manager shall ensure the claim form is completed correctly and submit it to Westlink’s nominated workers’ compensation insurer for review. The insurer determines liability for the claim — accepting or not accepting it — within the timeframes prescribed under the WC&IM Act.

Claim not accepted

If the insurer does not accept a claim, it will inform the Coordinating Manager and provide the details. The Coordinating Manager will advise the IP that their claim has not been accepted and pass on the details provided by the insurer. The Coordinating Manager shall ensure the IP understands their rights of review and further action, and direct them to the Grievance Resolution Procedure (HR-PRO-003) and the WorkCover WA dispute resolution process (or the equivalent process in the relevant State).

Claim accepted — person is unfit for work

If the injury is a Lost Time Injury (LTI) and the IP is unfit for work, the Coordinating Manager will liaise with payroll to ensure the correct income compensation payments are made to the worker. While the worker is incapacitated, their position is kept available as required by s.166 of the WC&IM Act, and the worker shall not be dismissed in contravention of the s.168 dismissal protections.

A rehabilitation provider is to be appointed where required. The Coordinating Manager shall issue the Notification to Doctor (QHSE-TPL-008) and the Worker Capability Checklist (QHSE-CHK-001). The completed Worker Capability Checklist and the Suitable Duties Plan (QHSE-TPL-010) are issued to the rehabilitation provider.

The Manager will regularly liaise with the worker to monitor progress, and with the treating medical practitioner to coordinate the return to work — either through a restricted / suitable duties plan prior to return to normal duties, or a full return to normal duties. Return to work case conferences are arranged where required under s.165 of the WC&IM Act.

Guidance for suitable duties

The following shall be considered when choosing suitable duties:

• The worker’s pre-injury duties, age, education, skills and work experience;

• The nature of the incapacity;

• Any restrictions and limitations specified by the treating doctor, who shall also document approval for all plans and amendments;

• The duties shall be meaningful and have regard for the objectives of the worker’s rehabilitation; and

• The duties will be reviewed on a regular basis and the program progressively upgraded, consistent with the worker’s recovery.

A copy of each worker’s suitable duties program will be provided to the insurer. Suitable duties programs may be funded in a number of ways, including:

• Fully funded by Westlink’s insurer, where the insurer continues to pay ongoing compensation to the worker at the rate they would receive if totally incapacitated; and

• Partially funded by both Westlink and the insurer, where Westlink pays the worker at the normal rate for work performed and the insurer pays a top-up amount.

Rehabilitation required

The Coordinating Manager shall advise the insurer and the CEO of the details of the appointed rehabilitation provider. The rehabilitation provider shall develop a rehabilitation plan for the IP in liaison with the treating medical practitioner for approval. The Coordinating Manager shall implement the rehabilitation plan and liaise regularly with all relevant parties until the IP is ready for reintroduction to the workforce.

Claim accepted — person is fit for work

The Coordinating Manager is responsible for coordinating the reintroduction to the workforce when rehabilitation is completed satisfactorily, the treating medical practitioner has approved the return to work, and/or the claim is settled.

Applicable Standards and Legislation

• Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023 (WA) — Part 3 (injury management): s.159 (injury management system), s.160 (RTW program), s.163 (worker duties), s.165 (RTW case conferences), s.166 (position during incapacity), s.168 (dismissal protection); s.63 (employer reporting)

• Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) — s.19–27 (duties), Part 3 ss.35–39 (incident notification)

• ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems — Requirements — cl. 5.2 (policy), cl. 6.1 (hazard identification), cl. 8.2 (emergency preparedness), cl. 10.2 (incident investigation)