Serious Illness, Injury Policy

1. Scope

This policy applies to all employees employed on a permanent or fixed-term contract by the Company.

2. Purpose
   The purpose of this Policy is to advise the staff on how to act in the case of a serious illness or injury to employees. 

3. Guiding principles

In case of an injury:

• Contact the closest trained First Aider to assist.
• Contact the Manager and Human Resources.
• Respond to the employee location to assist and determine the nature of the emergency.
• Always use gloves when checking the employee.
• Report to HR / Office Manager / Manager with the employee to fill in the WCL2 forms.
• Also, make a copy of the employee’s ID. A copy of the WCL2 and a copy of the employee’s ID must be given to the medical practitioner when the employee is taken to the hospital.
• If the employee has been injured in such a way that they cannot be moved (spinal injury etc.) arrange, with the manager’s authorization for a paramedic to come to the premises.
• Report the incident to the employee’s manager and HR by email correspondence should the incident occur when the above is not on duty.

4. Guiding principles

In case of Serious Illness:

• Contact the closest trained First Aider to assist.
• Contact the Manager and Human Resources.
• Respond to the staff member’s location to assist and determine the nature of the illness.
• Always use gloves when assisting the employee.
• Should the nature of the illness require it, contact emergency services, and arrange for transportation, if required, or arrange for a paramedic to come to the premises.
• Direct emergency services to the employee’s location.
• Do not offer any medication to employees under any circumstances.

5. Contacting Next of Kin

• Obtain next of kin details from Human Resources / Manager and or Direct Manager.
• Contact and advise them of the situation – Injury or serious illness and advise if the employee has been taken to hospital or needs to be collected from work etc.
• These next of kin details should be given to the paramedic/ medical practitioner who takes responsibility for the guest.

6. Purpose of the Workamn’s Compensation Act

The Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA), Act 130 of 1993, is the governing Act that deals with occupational injuries and diseases. The aim of the COIDA is to provide for Compensation in the case of disablement caused by occupational injuries or diseases, sustained or contracted by employees in the course of their employment, or death resulting from such injuries or disease; and to provide for matters connected therewith. The company’s risk profile is assessed each year. The company pays an assessment fee to the Workmans Compensation Commissioner so that should an Injury on Duty occur during the year, any staff member employed by the Company (irrespective of type or length of employment), this person will be covered for Hospital treatment and any follow-up treatment/procedures by the Workmans Compensation fund. The staff member and the company will not be billed for any of the medical care received when (and following) an accident/injury takes place at work.

7. Detailed Injury on Duty Process

• An injury is required to be reported by the employee to their manager on the same day on which the accident takes place.
• The accident and injury should be reported to the HR department.
• The completion of a WCl2 form (Employer’s report of an accident) must be completed by the Manager, with the staff member and request HR’s assistance:

2. Confirm that the “Registered Name with the Compensation Commission” on the W.CI 2. form indicates the correct entity:

• Cloud Brokerage Services Pty Ltd
• Epsidon Management & Marketing Consultancy Pty Ltd
• Epsidon Technology Distribution Pty Ltd
• Even Flow Distribution Pty Ltd
• First Device Management Pty Ltd
• Nology
• The Linux Warehouse Pty Ltd

1. In case of an Emergency, only complete ”Part A”, page 1 of the form, providing the details of the accident and injury and being sure to sign and date the form where indicated. Page 2 and 3 will then be completed on the employee’s return from the hospital.
2. Human Resources will complete the rest of the document after the employee has received medical attention.
3. Make a copy of the completed “Part A” section of the form. The Copy is submitted to the Human Resources Department and the employee will take the original “Part A” to the Hospital.
4. In serious cases, “Part B” must be handed to the emergency services personnel who have responded to the emergency
   • A clear copy of the employee’s ID is required to be taken with the employee to the hospital. Ensure that the photo and digits are visible
   • Should an employee report an injury on duty but refuse to have the documentation completed and receive medical attention, a Refusal form must be completed

9. Employee’s responsibility:
   • You will report your Injury on Duty to your Manager on the day on which the injury takes place. Ensure to inform HR. The WCI2 documentation must be completed with you.
   • You will take a clear copy of your ID together with Part A of the WCl2 form – Employers report of an accident (completed by the parties mentioned above) with you to the hospital. The company will arrange for you to be transported to the hospital unless, in the case of an extreme emergency, an ambulance/paramedic services will be contacted.
   • At the hospital, you will state that you have had an Injury on Duty at work and hand in the above-mentioned documentation. After the Doctor has examined your injuries, he/she will complete a W.CI 4 form (First Medical Report). It will state how serious the injury is and how long you will be booked off for. You may also be placed on Light Duty for a specified period. You MUST submit the W.CI 4 form back to the Human Resources Department as soon as possible. If you come back to the Company before going home, after the hospital visit, you should give the First Medical Report received to HR or to your manager. If you go straight home, please take a photo of the First Medical Report and send it to an HR representative or your manager on the same day.
   • You are responsible for communicating with your manager with regards to how long you have been booked off for. Please take note of the difference between being booked off and being placed on light duty. You are also required to remain contactable while you are at home, as HR may need to make contact to request information regarding the claim being submitted.
   • If your injury requires a follow up appointment, you need to return to the hospital as per the date communicated with you. (Please arrange transportation). The medical practitioner will provide you with a WCl5 (Progress Medical Report) after examining your injuries. You are required to submit the progress report to the Human Resources Department as this forms part of the Claim’s submission. This may happen multiple times until such time that you are considered recovered and fit for normal duty. It is your responsibility to arrange transportation to travel to and from these appointments.
   • During this process, you may be sent for Physio or other such treatments which would assist with your recovery and healing process caused by your Injury on duty. It is your responsibility to attend each of these appointments diligently and without fail. It is your responsibility to arrange transportation to travel to and from these appointments
   • Once the medical practitioner who is handling your case is satisfied that the employee is suitably recovered from the injury on duty, you will be declared fit for normal duty and issued with a WCl5 (Final Medical Report) which you need to submit to Human Resources to submit as part of the Claim.

9. Payment during IOD leave and effect on Sick leave balance
   While an employee is booked off due to an injury on duty, the time booked off is regarded as IOD leave, not sick leave. It therefore will not affect the employee’s sick leave balance.
   If the employee is booked off due to an IOD for a period longer than 3 months, the employer only pays the injured employee at a rate of at least 75% of the worker’s earnings, for the first 3 months. Once the first 3-month period expires, the injured employee must claim compensation from the Compensation Fund. Employers can claim the periodical payments made to the employee (during the first three months) back from the Compensation Fund.
   The Employee needs to ensure that if they are to perform light duties, they come to work to perform this light duty because if they do not, they would be unpaid for the time that they should have been at work and weren’t.