Rehabilitation and Compensation Liaison Officers (RACLO)
Who needs to contact a RACLO?
RACLO Contact List
RACLO Adviser
- If you are injured at work or have an illness affecting your capacity to do your duties
- If you are a supervisor with an injured or ill staff member
- If you wish to claim compensation or request reimbursement for costs or leave due to an injury or illness
If you need to report a hazard, exposure, incident or injury - GO TO:
OHS Incident Notification
Hazard reporting
Prevention of work place injuries or illness is the responsibility of all staff.
Early response to incidents or injury is critical to achieving positive outcomes for staff and the ANU.
Quick links:
Role of the RACLO
The Rehabilitation and Compensation Liaison Officers (RACLO) is a voluntary role that assists in the return to work of injured staff with the delegated Occupational Health Consultant in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Branch.
The benefits of the RACLO system include:
- local staff with knowledge of work systems and people in the area helps to provide support and identify issues related to injury prevention and rehabilitation on a day-to-day basis.
- a local point of contact for workers’ compensation matters. RACLOs are trained to advise staff on workers compensation processes in the ANU.
RACLO Duties
The RACLO works closely with the Occupational Health Consultant, injured staff member and their supervisor in regard to injury management and administration of compensation claims with Comcare.
The three main duties of the RACLO are:
1. liaison
2. administration, and
3. early intervention.
1. Liaison
The Occupational Health Consultant and supervisor may ask the RACLO to assist in:
- supporting the staff member in undertaking only those duties they are certified fit to perform;
- leading in the co-operation of co-workers to accommodate the medical restrictions/ considerations of the injured staff member;
- informing the Occupational Health Consultant of any potential issues for return to the area, or for staff to maintain their suitable duties.
2. Administration
Within 4 hours of the event, an Incident Notification must be completed. Any staff member can report hazards, injuries, incidents and exposures.
The OHS Branch is alerted by this notification and subsequently notifies the relevant supervisor and area RACLO.
If required, an Occupational Health Consultant from OHS Branch will be allocated to support staff in their return to work or claims for compensation through either Minor Injury Guidelines or Comcare.
Comcare Claim for Rehabilitation and Compensation
Staff may request a Comcare claim form from OHS Branch.
The RACLO is responsible for:
- assisting in the completion of the Comcare Claim for Rehabilitation and Compensation form with the staff member and their supervisor so that all forms are properly completed and returned to OHS Branch as soon as possible.
- providing advice to staff members and their supervisors about workers' compensation, such as, where to gain further information, how to complete the claim form, and the University policy on rehabilitation.
NOTE It is an ANU performance measure that once a staff member has signed a Comcare claim form, no more than 5 working days elapse before the claim is lodged with Comcare.
Other Comcare claim forms
The RACLO may advise staff and assist in completion of the following forms:
- Claim for Time Off Work form for either:
- Total incapacity with accompanying medical certificate confirming time off work is related to the accepted compensable condition. This enables accurate benefits to be paid to staff and reimbursed to the area for Comcare claims
- Graduated return to work which is submitted when an injured staff member is on reduced hours.
- Medical Services Claim form which accompanies all receipts or accounts related to the compensable condition.
Non-compensable claims
The RACLO can refer staff to OHS Branch for assistance with non-compensable injuries/illnesses.
3. Prevention and Early Intervention
The RACLO should be informed about the strategies to prevent injuries in their area. Contact with area OSLO and the OHS representative is encouraged.
The RACLO can play an active role to support the supervisor and injured staff member by:
- Encouraging staff to fill out the Hazard/Near Miss Report or incident notification. This will result in hazards or problems in the workplace being quickly addressed by the OHS Branch.
- Advising the Occupational Health Consultants of staff injuries or absences due to health problems.
- Seeking assistance in the work area related to a staff member’s injury or return to work plan.
- Promoting the vocational rehabilitation process in their work area.
How to Become a RACLO?
If you are interested in becoming a RACLO:
- firstly, discuss the impact of the voluntary duties with your supervisor. (Note that these duties may be part of your role statement depending on your position).
- contact the RACLO Adviser in OHS Branch.
- book and attend training regarding RACLO duties and workers compensation processes.
- attend quarterly meetings to discuss compensation and rehabilitation processes and issues. RACLO Meeting and Training Dates 2008
For further information contact:
Pamela Roberts, RACLO Adviser, phone: 6125 9731, e-mail: Pamela.Roberts@anu.edu.au
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