Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC
Return to work

If one of your employees is injured on the job, they may require a return-to-work program when they are ready to return to the job. As a small business, you may have more challenges to find suitable and available work to offer.

Return-tor-work programs are designed with the idea that many employees can safely perform alternate or modified work during their recovery.

A return to work program will:

  • Help employees return to work in a safe and timely manner
  • Reduce costs to train a replacement worker
  • Reduce the length of time that your employee is away due to their injury
  • Help employees to stay connected to their co-workers and supervisors

Focus on your worker's capabilities when designing a return-to-work strategy. The employee's medical team can identify any limitations that the worker may have in returning to work. Understand what your work can, and cannot, safely do.

Return to work Resources and Tools
When people are injured on the job and need support during their return to work, WorkSafeBC may refer them to a Return to Work Support Services provider.
Quick Reference Card
A stay-at-work/return-to-work program provides the financial, social, and psychological benefits and stability of remaining in the workforce while injured or unwell.
Have a gradual return to work process. For example, consider increasing frequency of task rotation, frequency breaks of less duration, and access to drinking water. This will allow workers to return to pre-absence physical conditioning levels.