Reporting an injury to the Workers Compensation Board 

Workplace incidents need to be investigated as soon as reasonably possible. These incidents may be a near miss, in which a worker does not get injured, or an unplanned event that causes injury or a dangerous occurrence. No matter the incident, corrective action should be taken to prevent these situations from occurring again in the future.

If an incident results in an injury to a worker, and the worker misses time from work and/or needs to seek medical attention, the incident must be reported to the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) within five business days from the date the worker was injured or the day the employer found out about the injury. Regardless of a worker’s intent to file a claim with the WCB, the employer must report the claim within five business days when the above criteria are met. If the incident is considered a serious incident as defined under Part 2.7 of Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Regulation (the Regulation), it is the responsibility of the employer to report it immediately to Workplace Safety and Health in addition to the WCB.

Reporting workplace injuries to the WCB in a timely manner helps facilitate a worker’s recovery and return to the workplace.

Questions that could be used to spark discussion:

What are the steps for an employer to report a worker’s injury to the WCB?

If a worker is hurt on the job and they need to get medical attention or take time off to recover, the employer must complete an Employer Incident Report form and submit it to the WCB. Reporting workplace injuries early helps the employer avoid administrative penalties for late reporting and ultimately helps the worker get back to work sooner.

An employer can complete an Employer Incident Report form with the WCB:

Online The WCB’s Online Incident Reporting System is secure and ready to use 24/7

Phone
Within Winnipeg: 204-954-4321
Toll free: 1-855-954-4321

Mail
Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba
333 Broadway
Winnipeg, MB R3C 4W3

Fax
Within Winnipeg: 204-954-4999
Toll free: 1-877-872-3804

What are the steps for a worker to report their injury to the WCB?

Workers also need to report their injury to the WCB. It is best practice for the employer to help workers report their injury to the WCB in a timely manner. Workers can follow these three steps if injured on the job:

1. Report the injury to their supervisor The supervisor may ask them to complete a form with information about the injury. If the employer does not have a form, the worker can complete a Notice of Injury to Employer form.
2. Seek medical attention When a worker seeks treatment for a workplace injury, they should let their healthcare provider know they were hurt at work. Their healthcare provider will fill out a report and provide this information to the WCB to help make a decision on their claim and manage their injury.
   • Workers also have the option of attending a Worker Care Clinic, which provides workers with an option for timely access to medical treatment by physicians with knowledge of workplace injuries. There is currently one Winnipeg-based Worker Care Clinic, KALO Medical Clinic, located at 1107 Munroe Avenue.
3. Report the injury to the WCB Workers can complete a Worker Incident Report and provide the information to the WCB using the same methods and contact information as the employer, or workers can complete a report using the Worker Online Incident Report. This application is secure and available to report a workplace injury 24/7.

How do employers reduce the occurrence or impact of workplace injuries?

There are two ways that employers can reduce the occurrence or impact of workplace injuries.

Invest in prevention: Injury prevention is about creating safe workplaces. This requires a proactive, systematic and organized approach to spot workplace hazards, assess risks and find safer ways to do the work every day. Prevention should be incorporated into all aspects of workplace operations and daily activities. An effective safety and health program and management system can help workers avoid sustaining an injury during the course of their workday. For more information on these resources and other prevention services, contact your industry-based safety program (IBSP).

Develop a practical and comprehensive return to work program: These programs can help workplaces maintain productivity, reduce days lost and provide their workers with the support they need for a healthy recovery.

A return to work program is a proactive approach to helping injured workers stay safe at work or return to safe and suitable employment as soon as health permits. A return to work program provides modified or alternate duties and/or a graduated work schedule as needed, to help injured workers come back to work while they are recovering from their injury or illness.

Top tips

• Report all workplace injuries where time is missed or medical treatment is sought to the WCB within five business days.
• Serious incidents must be reported to Workplace Safety and Health immediately, as well as to the WCB.
• Workers should report their injuries to the WCB in a timely manner.
• To reduce the occurrence of injuries in the workplace, employers should invest in prevention measures, and develop a practical and comprehensive return to work program.