education.vic.gov.au

School operations

Structured Workplace Learning

WorkSafe and public liability insurance

Students who suffer work related injuries or illnesses while undertaking structured workplace learning placements are entitled to compensation under the WorkSafe scheme. All structured workplace learning students are covered under the Department’s WorkSafe Insurance policy.

Employers of structured workplace learning students are exempt from the normal employer obligations to provide suitable employment or plan for the return to work of structured workplace learning students who may be injured while undertaking a structured workplace learning placement.

Also, employers of structured workplace learning students are not liable for any claims costs or consequent premium costs that may be incurred as a result of a structured workplace learning student lodging a WorkSafe claim. Claims from structured workplace learning students are lodged against the Department’s WorkSafe Insurance policy and the costs are met under the Department’s policy.

Gallagher Bassett is the Department’s workers’ compensation agent.

Note: WorkSafe Insurance does not cover people travelling to and from work.

Procedure for lodging a WorkSafe claim

WorkSafe claim forms can be accessed at:

Student

The student must ensure that they:

  1. complete and sign the Worker’s Injury Claim Form with the assistance of the employer and/or the Structured Workplace Learning Coordinator
  2. provide the Worker’s Injury Claim Form to the employer

Employer

The employer must ensure that they:

  1. complete their details in the ‘Incident and Worker’s Injury Details’ and the ‘Worker’s Employment Details’ sections of the Worker’s Injury Claim Form
  2. complete the Employer Injury Claim Report Form
    Note: On the Employer Injury Claim Report Form:
    • the Department of Education and Training’s details should be entered in Section 1 — Employer Details. The employer’s scheme registration number is 1624618 and the employer’s reference number is 9573347
    • sections 3 and 4 do not need to be completed
  3. send both the Employer Injury Claim Report Form and the Worker’s Injury Claim Form back to the student’s school

School

The principal must ensure that:

  1. the injury is recorded on eduSafe PlusExternal Link (staff login required) (if the student is from a government school)
  2. the Worker’s Injury Claim Form is dated and signed and the Employer Lodgement details section of the form is completed
  3. the words ‘Structured Workplace Learning Student’ are inserted in the top left hand area of the Worker’s Injury Claim Form
  4. on the Worker’s Injury Claim Form, the Department of Education and Training’s employer’s scheme registration number (1624618) is entered in the Employer Lodgement Details section
  5. on the Employer Injury Claim Report Form, the Department of Education and Training’s details are entered in ‘Section 1 — Employer Details’, the number 1624618 is entered as the employer’s scheme registration number, and the number 9573347 is entered as the employer’s reference number
  6. copies of the Worker’s Injury Claim Form and the Employer Injury Claim Report Form along with copies of the Structured Workplace Learning arrangement form, copies of medical accounts and other relevant documents are emailed to Gallagher Bassett within 10 calendar days from the date on which the employer received the Worker’s Injury Claim Form from the student at educlaims@gbtpa.com.au
  7. copies of all forms sent to Gallagher Bassett are retained on a file at the school

Public liability insurance

When a structured workplace learning arrangement is entered into by a principal of a government school, it is the obligation of the Department to hold or take out public liability insurance to provide at least $10 million cover per event. The parties to be insured are the student and the employer.

When an arrangement is entered into by a principal of a non-government school, it is the obligation of that school to hold or take out public liability insurance to provide at least $10 million cover per event. The parties to be insured are the student and the school.

When an arrangement is entered into by a principal of a non-government school not covered by public liability insurance as set out above, the employer must be informed of this by the principal of that school at least four weeks prior to the commencement of that arrangement. In this event, the employer will be obliged to hold or take out public liability insurance to provide at least $10 million cover per event for any loss or damage which may be caused by any act or omission of the student while engaged under the arrangement. The parties to be insured are the student and the employer.

The principal must specify in the area provided on the Structured Workplace Learning arrangement form the type of coverage for the student.

Chapter in the Structured Workplace Learning Guidelines on WorkSafe and public liability arrangements for students undertaking structured workplace learning

Reviewed 24 January 2022

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