On the spot: secure, assist, alert
When a worker is injured or feels unwell, the first-aider or designated person secures the area, provides appropriate first aid and, in a serious situation, alerts the emergency services via 112. The employer must have organised in advance rapid access to first-aid material and the means to raise the alarm.
Record the intervention in the register
Every intervention is recorded in the first-aid register. The Code on Well-being at Work requires at least the following to be noted: the name of the casualty, the name of the person who provided first aid, the place, date and time, and the circumstances and nature of the intervention. This register supports prevention and serves as evidence, in particular for minor accidents that are not declared.
Occupational accident insurance
Every private-sector employer must be affiliated with an approved insurer against occupational accidents, from the first day of employment. Otherwise, the employer is automatically affiliated with Fedris, which then acts in place of the insurer and later reclaims the costs. The employer must declare any accident occurring at the workplace or on the commute between home and work.
Minor accident: the register is enough, unless it worsens
A minor accident, which causes neither incapacity for work nor loss of pay, may simply be entered in the first-aid register, without immediate declaration to the insurer. However, if the casualty's condition later deteriorates, the accident must be declared to the insurer within 8 days, counting from the day the employer was informed.
The insurer's role and special cases
It is the insurer that decides, on the basis of the declaration, whether the event is an occupational accident. In addition, serious occupational accidents must be reported without delay to the competent inspection services. If the employer fails to declare an accident, the worker may, in the private sector, submit the declaration to the employer's insurer themselves. An uninsured employer risks having to reimburse Fedris and facing criminal prosecution. These rules ensure that the victim keeps their rights in all circumstances.
In short
- Provide first aid and call 112 if needed.
- Complete the first-aid register.
- Declare the accident to the insurer (8-day deadline where declaration is required).
General information; follow your insurer's instructions and the official texts.