Yes. The Act provides that an injured worker must report any accident to their employer or any employee of the employer who is in a supervisory capacity (foreman, superintendent, company nurse, etc.). Notification, oral or written, must be within forty-five (45) days from the date of the accident.
There are four important factors an injured worker should remember about the “notice” provisions of the Act:
Informing a co-worker of an accident is not considered proper notice under the Act.
Notice of the accident should be given to the employer as soon as possible after the accident regardless of the fact that the Act allows forty-five (45) days.
Notice of a worker’s accident should, if possible, be in writing even though it is not required by the Act. A worker should never sign a blank accident report form. The worker should also retain a copy of the completed accident report.
Failure to give notice of the accident to the employer within forty-five (45) days could result in the loss of all benefits and rights under the Act.