Question

In keeping with the scenario in the lectures throughout the course, consider the following: After serving Higher Education, Inc. for 40 years as their environmental health and safety manager, you have decided to retire. You have 80 work hours to bring your replacement up to date on all of the emergency safety and health (EH&S) programs and processes you have been guiding the past four decades. Based on what you have learned in the course so far, give a brief explanation of the top three "watch-outs" when it comes to workers' compensation. What do you think are the top three items this new manager needs to be watchful? They can be positive or negative, but focus on the three major items that should be of primary importance for the next EH&S manager in your opinion.

Answer 1

This assessment will explain the top 3 "watch-outs" when it comes to workers compensation:

1. Not Ordering to investigate about the injury immediately:

The EH&S manager needs to investigate the injured worker and the compensation claim immediately. He should ask his supervisor to do so because the supervisor understands the job's duties and roles and has valuable insight into the possible places where the injury had occurred and about any extracurricular activities that might alter or affect the claim.

His supervisor also knows about the co-workers and claimant and can gather eyewitness reports quickly. So it is one of the crucial point that the manager should watch out related to workmen compensation.

2. Not communicating with the injured adequately:

The manager needs to communicate adequately with the injured worker to offer reassurance regarding the benefits he would get from the workmen's compensation and his ability to return to the job. After the injury, there are chances that the employee is frightened, so it is imperative to over-communicate to ease him.

3. Not having a return to work program:

EH&S manager must have a return to work program to minimize and eliminate the lost time claims.

A return to work program would help the injured worker to realize his value in the organization.

The manager needs to encourage the injured worker to brainstorm with their supervisors to enlighten at all is possible duties. The manager also needs to guide the supervisor regarding making the injured worker's duty comparatively light for a temporary period. However, not having a return to work program is a "watch out."