§ 702.211 - Notice of employee's injury or death; designation of responsible official.

§ 702.211 Notice of employee's injury or death; designation of responsible official.

(a) In order to claim compensation under the Act, an employee or claimant must first give notice of the fact of an injury or death to the employer and also may give notice to the district director for the compensation district in which the injury or death occurred. Notice to the employer must be given to that individual whom the employer has designated to receive such notices. If no individual has been so designated notice may be given to:

(1) The first line supervisor (including foreman, hatchboss or timekeeper), local plant manager or personnel office official;

(2) to any partner if the employer is a partnership; or

(3) if the employer is a corporation, to any authorized agent, to an officer or to the person in charge of the business at the place where the injury occurred. In the case of a retired employee, the employee/claimant may submit the notice to any of the above persons, whether or not the employer has designated an official to receive such notice.

(b) In order to facilitate the filing of notices, each employer shall designate at least one individual responsible for receiving notices of injury or death; this requirement applies to all employers. The designation shall be by position and the employer shall provide the name and/or position, exact location and telephone number of the individual to all employees by the appropriate method described below.

(1) Type of individual. Designees must be a first line supervisor (including a foreman, hatchboss or timekeeper), local plant manager, personnel office official, company nurse or other individual traditionally entrusted with this duty, who is located full-time on the premises of the covered facility. The employer must designate at least one individual at each place of employment or one individual for each work crew where there is no fixed place of employment (in that case, the designation should always be the same position for all work crews).

(2) How designated. The name and/or title, the location and telephone number of the individual who is selected by the employer to receive all notices shall be given to the district director for the compensation district in which the facility is located; posting on the worksite in a conspicuous place shall fulfill this requirement. A redesignation shall be effected by a change in posting.

(3) Publication. Every employer shall post the name and/or position, the exact location and telephone number of the designated official. The posting shall be part of the general posting requirement, done on a form prescribed by the Director, and placed in a conspicuous location. Posting must be done at each worksite.

(4) Effect of failure to designate. Where an employer fails to properly designate and to properly publish the name and/or position of the individual authorized to receive notices of injury or death, such failure shall constitute satisfactory reasons for excusing the employee/claimant's failure to give notice as authorized by section 12(d)(3)(ii) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 912(d)(3)(ii).

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1215-0160)

[50 FR 397, Jan. 3, 1985, as amended at 51 FR 4283, Feb. 3, 1986]