August 2009

Virginia law requires accident report from employers

Don’t break the law—report farm accidents to Virginia Occupational Safety and Health.

Virginia law requires an employer to report any work-related incident resulting in a fatality or the inpatient hospitalization of three of more persons, within eight hours of the incident, according to VOSH, a division of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry. Once an incident has been reported, the labor department will investigate to determine the facts.

“It doesn’t matter how few or how many employees you have. It is essential that incidents are reported within eight hours as required,” said Jimmy Maass, safety coordinator for Virginia Farm Bureau.

According to VOSH, reports must be made by telephone or in person, not by e-mail or through the VOSH Web site.

State law also requires employers to post the standardized “Job Safety and Health” poster in a location where employees normally report to work.

For more information on state regulations and poster availability, employers can visit www.doli.state.va.us or call 800-321-6742. When calling the toll-free number, you will be asked to key in your ZIP Code to receive the phone number for the labor department office near you.

Workers’ comp claims

In addition to filing with VOSH, employers are required by state law to file a workers’ compensation claim within 10 days after an employee notifies them of an accident.

“Many times we receive medical bills without a form,” said Ilene Silver, senior workers’ compensation adjuster for Virginia Farm Bureau. “Without the form, we have no claim to process. Without the claim, bills are returned to the providers.”

An employer with Farm Bureau insurance can obtain an Employer’s Accident Report
form from any county Farm Bureau office.