Accidents on construction sites: the role of the employer, SUVA/LAA, and claim management

Introduction

Accidents on construction sites rarely happen at convenient times. For SMEs, the issue isn't just medical: it's a matter of employer responsibility, business continuity, HR management, and traceability. In Switzerland, the Federal Law on Accident Insurance (LAA) governs mandatory employee accident insurance and sets requirements for reporting and management. This article provides a simple management method: secure the situation, document it properly, report it without delay, and then follow up on the case until the employee returns to work. Ultimately, you'll know what decisions to make, what requests to make, and what evidence to keep.

1) SUVA/LAA framework: who does what, and why it matters

LAA: mandatory insurance… but not “automatic” in management

In Switzerland, accident insurance (LAA) is mandatory for employees working in Switzerland. It aims to cover health damage and compensate for loss of earnings related to an accident or occupational disease.

In practice, this does not exempt the employer from steering: the insurer (SUVA or private insurer depending on the sector and competence) needs a structured announcement and factual elements to investigate.

SUVA and private insurers: same law, sometimes different procedures

The LAA governs the general framework and the jurisdiction of SUVA. Some companies are required to insure their employees with SUVA; others use private insurers, but always within the scope of the LAA.

Useful governance decision: document, in your “insurance file”, which LAA insurer covers which employees (and under what operational notification conditions), to avoid confusion on the day the accident occurs.

Prevention and safety: the employer's role is not limited to insurance

The employer has an obligation to protect health (LTr) and the prevention of accidents is regulated in particular by the LAA and the ordinance on the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases (OPA).

On site, this translates into concrete measures: organization, training/instruction, protective equipment, coordination with other companies present, etc.

2) The “on-the-ground” reflex: secure, treat, and document the facts.

Priority 1: Protect people and secure the area

Before any administrative steps are taken, the initial operational phase is crucial: stopping the danger, securing the area, and organizing emergency services. This sequence is also a key element of your traceability (what was done, by whom, at what time, and on what basis).

Priority 2: trigger the internal alert (site manager / HR)

A construction site accident often involves several parties: team leader, site manager, safety officer, HR, sometimes the client, and other companies. Here, the governance rule is simple: a single point of entry and an event log within the first few minutes (even a minimal one), to avoid conflicting accounts.

Priority 3: To freeze the facts, without “conducting a biased investigation”

Your role is not to "pleading" on the construction site. Your role is to capture relevant facts: circumstances, witnesses, tasks underway, equipment involved, conditions (weather, ground, access), and safety measures in place. This material will be used by the accident insurance company (LAA) for prevention and, if necessary, for managing a dispute.

Mini case study 1 (scenario)

An employee slips in a temporary traffic area. The site manager secures the access, immediately records the ground conditions and the traffic flow, identifies two witnesses, and triggers the HR alert. The result: a coherent, dated account, free of extrapolations, which expedites the investigation.

3) LAA notification and claims management: “immediately” means organized

When should you announce it? The basic rule

Accidents (and occupational diseases) requiring medical treatment, incapacity for work or death must be reported immediately (reference to art. 45 LAA; details OLAA).

From a practical SUVA perspective, the logic is the same: declare as quickly as possible, even if some information is missing, then complete it.

Who is being notified? The employer circuit

The employee informs their superiors; the employer notifies SUVA (or the competent insurer).

Key point: if you subcontract part of the project, contractually clarify who reports what and how you obtain factual information (otherwise, you suffer a “gap in evidence”).

How do you announce it? Form and essential information

SUVA provides a LAA claim declaration form.

Your goal is not immediate “perfection”; your goal is an actionable announcement: identity, employer, factual description, initial actions, available medical information, contact details of witnesses.

Box — What needs to be documented

1. Internal event record (date/time/location, task, circumstances, people present)

2. Photos of the location (without unnecessary sensitive elements) and of the equipment involved

3. Identity and contact details of witnesses, taken separately if possible

4. Safety measures in place (briefing, PPE, signage, instructions, checklists)

5. External reports if available (ambulance, police, contractor)

6. Medical certificate / incapacity for work upon receipt

7. Copy of the LAA declaration sent and proof of sending

8. Follow-up log (calls, decisions, job adjustments, key dates)

“Without delay”: announce even if everything is not yet complete

SUVA documentation insists on sending without delay, even if information is missing, with further information to be added later.

CFO/HR decision: formalize a standard “accident file”, with a minimum list of fields and a file owner.

Table — Management chain (who / what / proof)

Stage | Internal Responsible Party | Expected Evidence

Securing the site and initial incidents | Site manager / safety officer | Incident report + photos + witness statements

Notification to the insurer LAA | HR / Management | Declaration sent + acknowledgment / proof of sending

Collection of medical documents | HR | Certificates/attestations received and dated

Payroll/Absence Coordination | HR + Finance | Decision Log + Internal Communication

Return to work / adjustments | HR + management | Recovery plan + monitoring of restrictions

4) LAA benefits: HR/CFO impacts and points of friction to anticipate

Services: treatment, reimbursement, compensation

SUVA summarizes LAA benefits: benefits for care, reimbursement of expenses, cash benefits (daily allowances, annuities, etc.).

For the employer, the management challenge is twofold: operational continuity (replacement, replanning) and payroll continuity / coordination of flows.

Daily allowance: the payment often goes through the employer

In SUVA documents, the daily allowance is in principle paid to the employer, who then pays it back according to the applicable rules.

Governance decision: define a "payroll-insurer-HR" process (who receives, who checks, who remits, what audit trail). Without this process, you create processing errors, internal tensions, and costly corrections.

Announcement delays: risk to the smooth progress of the case

SUVA reminds us that a delay in notification can have consequences on benefits.

Without dramatizing: this is a clear signal that the rapid and documented announcement is a risk management decision, not a formality.

Mini case study 2 (scenario)

A small business experienced an accident resulting in a work incapacity. The accident insurance claim was filed quickly, but the company failed to centralize medical certificates and dates of absence. This led to misunderstandings about the timeline, multiple exchanges with the insurer, and wasted time for HR and finance. Implementing a single tracking log and assigning a case owner immediately resolved the situation.

5) After the accident: monitor, adapt, prevent (and maintain traceability)

Returning to work: choosing “adaptation” rather than enduring “absence”

A gradual return to work or job adaptation (if possible) is managed as a risk reduction measure: fewer interruptions, less disruption, and better protection for the employee. Your role: document the restrictions, monitor progress, and adjust the worksite organization.

Prevention: the OPA also requires instruction and compliance with measures

The OPA and associated references remind us of the importance of training workers and respecting safety measures, as well as providing PPE when risks cannot be eliminated otherwise.

Prevention is not a separate chapter: it is part of the claims file, because it shows how the company manages its risks.

Multi-company coordination: a sensitive issue on construction sites

When several companies work in the same place, the OPA stipulates that employers must agree on arrangements to ensure compliance with safety requirements and order the necessary measures.

Practical decision: formalize a coordination rule (who coordinates, how instructions are shared, how incidents are recorded).

Guidelines and checklist

Checklist “manage, document, monitor” (to be used from day one)

Pilot

1. Secure area, danger neutralized, access controlled

2. Single internal point of contact (site manager + HR)

3. Defined internal communication circuit (who informs whom)

Document

4. Factual event report (without interpretation)

5. Photos of the location and equipment, list of witnesses

6. Safety measures in place (PPE, instructions, briefing)

7. Centralized and dated medical certificates

Follow

8. LAA declaration sent “without delay” and traceable

9. Monitoring log (decisions, exchanges, missing documents)

10. Return to work/adaptation plan, with checkpoints

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

1. Waiting until we have all the information before announcing

How to avoid it: announce without delay and then complete.

1. Allowing multiple versions of the accident to circulate

How to avoid: a single, factual, dated event record with an owner.

1. Forgetting that the daily allowance is a matter of cash flow and internal control

How to avoid: formalized HR-finance circuit, simple controls, audit trail.

1. Treating prevention as an afterthought, like "paperwork"

How to avoid: link prevention to the file: training, PPE, coordination, instructions.

1. Neglecting multi-company coordination

How to avoid it: coordination agreements and traceability of common measures.

Questions to ask your insurer/broker (10 questions)

1. Does our company fall under SUVA or a private insurer for LAA, and what is the recommended notification procedure?

2. Which advertising channels should be prioritized and what minimum documents are required to make the case immediately ready for investigation?

3. Which cases should be reported “immediately” and how should serious cases (e.g., deaths) be handled?

4. What LAA benefits are typically used (care, expenses, cash) and how are they coordinated?

5. How is the daily allowance paid and what internal checks do you recommend on the employer's side?

6. What are your usual processing times depending on the quality of the file (and what are the frequent "blockers")?

7. What kind of prevention documentation (PPE, instructions, coordination) do you expect to be included in a site accident file?

8. What tools or templates do you provide to standardize the collection of facts and certificates?

9. What happens in case of a delay in the announcement (operational risks, possible consequences)?

10. How do you link “claim management” and “return to work” (job adaptation, follow-up) in your recommendations?

Conclusion

Accidents on construction sites: the right approach isn't administrative, it's about governance. Secure the site, document the incident, report it without delay, and then follow up on the case until work resumes, with a clear HR/CFO process. The Accident Insurance Act (LAA) provides the framework, SUVA (or your private insurer) provides the tools, but it's your method that makes the difference in terms of speed, consistency, and traceability. Next step: formalize an internal "construction site accident" protocol (roles, documents, reporting process) and review it with your broker as a process audit, not just a policy review.