Four practical actions for WA SMEs to cut risk, speed recovery, and protect your bottom line, grounded in recent WorkSafe WA enforcement activity and a proven injury-management playbook.
By Elliott Insurance – The Green Brokers, Workplace Injury Management and Workers’ Compensation Team.
Introduction
Recent months have underscored a hard truth for WA SMEs: safety is non-negotiable, and the way you respond in the first 24 to 72 hours after an incident can determine the direction, duration, and cost of a workers’ compensation claim. High-profile WA cases, from unguarded conveyors to failed jacks, show regulators are serious about enforcement, and costs can run into the hundreds of thousands, or millions, where non-compliance is found.
For many SMEs, the impact goes well beyond a fine or an investigation. A single incident can quickly become a multi-layered cost event involving lost productivity, overtime, replacement labour, premium pressure, dispute risk, management time, and reputational harm, and in the worst cases, irreversible human consequences.
But there is good news. With disciplined processes and rapid action in those first 24 to 72 hours, you can reduce claim costs, shorten durations, and support better recovery timeframes while protecting your workers. This article outlines what recent WA safety actions signal for SMEs, and four practical actions you can implement now to reduce risk and improve claim outcomes.
What recent WA cases are signalling, and why SMEs should pay attention
Across WA, enforcement activity and prosecutions continue to highlight a consistent theme: when basic risk controls are absent, bypassed, or poorly maintained, the consequences are severe.
1) Plant and equipment risks remain a frontline issue
A mining services firm was fined $750,000 plus costs after a worker suffered serious crush injuries when guards had been removed months earlier and lock-out procedures were not followed. The practical message for business owners is simple: if a guard is removed “temporarily” and stays off, it is not temporary. It is a latent incident waiting for the wrong moment.
SME takeaway
- Treat de-energising and isolation as a standard step, not an optional extra.
- Guarding, isolation, and lock-out tag-out procedures must be documented, trained, audited, and enforced.
- If production pressure regularly overrides safety steps, the system is already compromised.
2) Maintenance tasks can carry the highest risk
A Kalgoorlie mine site fatality involving a heavy diesel mechanic has highlighted the consequences of weak risk controls during maintenance, with WorkSafe WA prosecuting the employer for failing to provide and maintain a safe working environment (court timelines ongoing). Maintenance work often creates non-routine conditions, time pressure, multiple contractors, changing hazards, and informal workarounds.
SME takeaway
- The highest risk is often in the “different today” tasks, non-routine work, rushed jobs, and familiar shortcuts.
- Maintenance needs task-specific risk assessments, supervision, and verified controls, not assumptions.
3) Fatalities can expand the enforcement net
A Katanning meat-processing plant matter has been widely referenced as an example of the serious consequences that can flow from fatal incidents, including significant penalties up to $3.5 million and broader scrutiny of systems and culture.
SME takeaway
- A fatality is not only a single-event investigation. It can trigger broader reviews of training, supervision, maintenance, contractor management, and governance. Leading to further consequences of failing to comply with the legislation.
4) Silica and engineered stone controls are now an operational priority
WA also imposed a total ban on engineered stone with crystalline silica >1% in 2024. Inspectors are actively enforcing the ban, with swift cessation of work and notices for non-compliance. If you cut or fabricate engineered stone, your risk profile has moved from compliance to operational priority.
SME takeaway
- If engineered stone is in your operations or supply chain, review processes immediately.
- “We do not cut on site” is not a complete control on its own. Transport, handling, modifications, rework, and subcontractor practices still create exposure.
What this means for WA SMEs
Even if you are not in mining, meat processing, or construction, these cases matter because they reflect regulator expectations that apply across industries.
Key implications
- Incidents are guiding regulator focus across industries, not just mining or heavy manufacturing.
- The first 24 to 72 hours after an incident are a critical window to set recovery trajectory, settle claims faster, and dampen premium impact.
- Proactive injury management, robust safe-work procedures, and credible return to work plans are protective levers for premiums and reputational risk.
- Psychosocial and “grey area” claims require more structure, not less, because delays and ambiguity increase dispute risk and time away from work.
The critical window: why Day One decisions shape claim cost
In practice, the early phase is where SMEs either create momentum or inadvertently create drift. Drift looks like: late reporting, unclear duties, no contact with the injured worker, inconsistent messaging, and fragmented documentation. Momentum looks like: calm leadership, clear medical coordination, genuine support, safe suitable duties, and a structured plan.
Good early action does not mean pressuring an injured worker to return before they are ready. It means building a recovery-supportive environment where work is used appropriately as part of rehabilitation, with medical guidance and safe controls.
Four urgent actions you can implement now
1) Move with speed: build a “Day One” playbook
Your Day One playbook should include
- Immediate internal incident report completed on the day of the incident, capturing facts, witnesses, and controls in place.
- Insurer notification as soon as practical, aligned with your policy and claims process.
- Medical coordination with a designated case lead who manages communication, appointments, and documentation flow.
- A 24-hour return to work touchpoint (where appropriate) to check wellbeing, explain support, and discuss options for suitable duties once medically cleared.
Why this works
- Shorter time away from work is a proven link to better recovery outcomes.
- Early and identified suitable duties reduce weekly payments and minimise the risk of disputes caused by confusion or inactivity.
- A consistent process protects your business by ensuring records are complete and decisions are defensible.
Quick checklist
- Who calls the worker within 24 hours?
- Who speaks to the treating practitioner, with consent, to confirm restrictions?
- Who drafts the first suitable duties offer?
- Who documents every step?
2) Turn “suitable duties” into real work, not a scramble
Many businesses intend to support return to work, but struggle when asked, “What duties can they do today that are safe and meaningful?” The answer cannot be, “We will figure it out later.”
Build a suitable duties library
Create a short list of pre-approved tasks for your key roles. Keep it practical, role-based, and safe.
What good looks like
- Tasks are specific and supervised, with clear start and finish times.
- Tasks align with documented restrictions (for example, no lifting above X kg, no overhead work, limited standing).
- There is a progression plan, reviewed weekly, to build capacity safely.
- Duties are meaningful, not token. Examples can include QA checks, stocktake, light assembly, customer follow-ups, training tasks, documentation updates, mentoring, or admin catch-up tied to actual business needs.
Why this works
- It reduces delays, uncertainty, and disputes.
- It keeps workers connected to the workplace, which is especially important where psychosocial factors may emerge.
- It demonstrates genuine commitment to rehabilitation, which can improve stakeholder alignment across the worker, practitioner, insurer, and employer.
3) Own the grey-area claims before they own your calendar
A high proportion of WA claims involve aggravations, slow-onset injuries, pre-existing conditions, or psychosocial factors. These claims can be legitimate and complex, and they often become expensive when no one is clearly accountable for driving the plan forward.
Action
Appoint a single claim owner for each claim. Their role is not to “fight” the claim. It is to coordinate information, decisions, and next steps so the claim does not drift.
Claim owner responsibilities
- Single source of truth: One agreed place for all documents and timelines.
- Compliance tracking: Record certificates, restrictions, and appointment dates.
- Suitable duties coordination: Issue offers and document acceptance, refusal, or concerns.
- Factual record keeping: Keep objective notes of conversations and decisions.
- Early escalation: Escalate quickly if progress stalls, restrictions are unclear, or barriers appear.
Why this works
- Clear ownership reduces delays, repeated miscommunication, and missed deadlines.
- Better documentation reduces dispute risk and supports consistent decision-making.
4) Track post-incident metrics that protect premiums
Most SMEs track incidents, but fewer track the early-claim behaviours that actually drive costs. You do not need a complex dashboard. You need three or four measures that create accountability and improvement.
Recommended monthly metrics
- Time to report: incident date to insurer notification.
- Time to first suitable duties offer: incident date to first documented offer (where medically appropriate).
- Return to work plan in week one: proportion of claims with a documented plan within the first 7 days.
- Contact cadence: evidence of worker contact within 24 hours and then at least weekly during the early phase.
Why this works
Small improvements compound. A one or two day reduction in reporting delay, repeated across multiple claims, can materially affect duration, weekly payments, and the likelihood of disputes. Over time, that can contribute to premium stability.
How Elliott Insurance – The Green Brokers can help WA businesses
We support WA SMEs with practical injury management that reduces friction and improves outcomes, without adding bureaucracy.
What we can do
- Injury management review to identify bottlenecks in reporting, documentation, and return to work practices.
- Suitable duties library build-out tailored to your roles and work environment.
- Day One playbook implementation including templates, responsibilities, and escalation pathways.
- WA-aligned guidance to help ensure your approach reflects current regulator expectations, including engineered-stone and psychosocial risk considerations.
- Claims support to improve coordination between the workplace, treating practitioners, and insurers.
Turning WA safety warnings into business value
Regulator activity is sending a clear message: basics matter, and businesses are expected to have working systems, not just policies. For SMEs, the most practical and controllable lever is often what happens immediately after an incident. The first 24 to 72 hours are where you can reduce uncertainty, support the worker, and shape a faster, safer return to work.
If you would like a tailored review of your current injury management process and a practical plan to strengthen Day One performance, contact Elliott Insurance – The Green Brokers, Workplace Injury Management and Workers’ Compensation Team.
Note: This article includes examples drawn from publicly reported matters and is provided as general information only. It does not constitute legal, medical, financial, or clinical advice. You should seek advice specific to your circumstances and refer to applicable WA legislation, regulations, and WorkSafe WA guidance.
