​​​​Responding to an Injury​

​​If an accident occurs and a person is injured, determine if the person needs immediate medical attention. This will depend on how serious the injury is or it appears to be: Is it life threatening (very serious) or non-life threatening (less serious or minor)?

When the Injury is Life Threatening

Call 911. Also call the injured person's emergency contact. Do not move the person unless he or she is in immediate danger of further injury. Cover the person and arrange for someone to meet the paramedics and bring them to the injured person.

Note: If a serious injury, serious illness, hospitalization or death of an employee​​ occurs in a place of employment or in connection with any employment, regardless of whether the accident occurs during business or non-business hours, California requires the employer to report immediately (within 8 hours) to the nearest District Office of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health​ (Cal/OSHA); see Reporting Work-Connec​ted Injuries. Notify the Insurance Department of the archdiocese immediately as well.

Each location should have persons who are trained in emergency first aid procedures​.

When the Injury is Not Life Threatening

Administer minor first aid and then make the person comfortable.

If the injured person is an employee and needs medical attention, then arrange to transport the person to the location's assigned medical panel facilities. Contact the Insurance Department​​ at the archdiocese for help and further instruction. See the Medical Care​ Location Sheets​​.

If the injured person is not an employee or student and needs medical attention, then provide help:

• Ask if the paramedics should be called. If so, dial 911 and then give the phone (if practical), to the injured person to make the arrangements directly.

• Ask if anyone else should be notified. If so, call that person on the injured person's behalf.

• File an accident report with the archdiocese, as described in Reporting an Injury or Accident.

Note: Any injured person or a student/minor's parent/guardian has the right to refuse a medical examination and treatment. In this event, ask the person to sign the Refusal of Medical Examination and/or Treatment for Non-Employees and Non-Students. If the injured person refuses to sign the Refusal document, make a note on the form that it was offered to the person.​​

Topics to Avoid

Please DO NOT say:

• The location is at fault or is responsible for the injury

• The location will take care of or pay the medical bill

• The same accident or a similar type of accident has occurred at the location​

• Staff members will be your witnesses​