Workers Compensation Lawyers Bunbury
Subcontractors, Site & FIFO Workers
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Guidance for Bunbury subcontractors, site-based, industrial and FIFO workers
Many workers in Bunbury are engaged on sites where more than one business is involved, such as building projects and industrial maintenance. Bunbury is the South West’s industrial centre, with the port, alumina refineries and mineral sands operations nearby, shutdown and maintenance contracts across the region, and a large number of residents who fly out to the Pilbara for FIFO swings. If you are injured on one of them, you may not know which business to tell. Our workers compensation lawyers for Bunbury and the South West can help you identify the businesses involved, what to report, and the order to do things in, by phone or video so you do not lose a day travelling.
Bunbury Workers Compensation Lawyers: How We Help
On a shared site, the business that engaged you and the business running the site may each have a say in how your work is carried out. We look at how your work was arranged in practice and explain which business may need to be told about your injury. Whether you live in Bunbury, travel between South West sites or fly out for your swing, our experienced workers compensation lawyers can guide you through your WA claim from start to finish.
Subcontractors, sole traders and workers on short project or shutdown engagements are sometimes unsure whether workers’ compensation applies to them. The answer depends on the facts, so we look at how you were engaged, who directed your tasks, and who supplied the tools and training.
Records about your injury may be held by different businesses, such as a site log, an incident register or an insurer’s file, as well as your own medical records. We can explain which of these tend to matter and how to request them. We can also explain how the WA scheme works under the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023, the WorkCover WA conciliation and arbitration process if your claim is disputed, and how a common law claim may relate to it.
Shutdown, Industrial and FIFO Injuries Around Bunbury
Bunbury’s work covers the port, construction and civil projects, alumina and mineral sands processing, timber and transport, health and retail, and the shutdown and maintenance crews that move between sites across the South West. Many of those crews are labour-hire or subcontracted, and many Bunbury residents also fly out to the Pilbara or Goldfields for FIFO rosters. The injuries we see include crush and manual-handling injuries, falls from heights and plant, vehicle incidents on the Forrest and South Western highways, and heat and fatigue injuries on shutdowns.
First treatment is usually at Bunbury Regional Hospital or a local GP, with specialists in Bunbury or Perth. If you were injured on a FIFO site, in camp or on the bus to site, the same questions about who engaged you and who directed the work apply, plus questions about travel and accommodation under WA law. Tell us exactly where it happened, who you were working for and who arranged the travel.
Do I Have a Workers' Compensation Claim in Bunbury?
Whether you have a claim depends on how your injury happened and how you were working at the time. A report to your supervisor on site may not reach the other businesses involved, so it helps to put it in writing to both the business that engaged you and the business running the site and keep a copy of each. If you are unsure who your employer is, do this and ask us to help identify the correct party for your workers’ compensation claim. Strict time limits apply to workers compensation claims in WA, so do not put off getting advice.
Records that may help show how you came to be on site:
- Your subcontract, quote, purchase order or work order.
- Site inductions, permits to work and safety briefings you completed.
- Sign-in sheets, shift schedules and text messages about where and when to turn up.
- Invoices, remittance advices or payslips showing who paid you.
- Your roster and swing dates, and any flight, bus or camp details if the injury happened on a FIFO site or in accommodation.
You do not need all of these before getting in touch. A few documents are enough for a first conversation, and if another business holds the rest, we can explain how to ask for them.
When to Speak with a Workers Compensation Lawyer in Bunbury
When several businesses share a site, it can be unclear who is responsible for your injury. The situations below are common examples, and we can help work out which ones apply to you.
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You were injured on a site run by a head contractor Ask the head contractor for a copy of its incident record, and keep it with your own notes. |
You were working under a subcontract or purchase order Keep the paperwork and any variations or instructions that came with it. |
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The incident was not written up on site Ask the site to record it, and note who you spoke to and when. |
You were on a short project or shutdown engagement Save your roster, site access records, and any messages about the end of the job. |
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You were stood down or sent home after the injury Keep the message or note, and record who told you and the reason given. |
You were injured while travelling between sites Note the route, the purpose of the trip and who asked you to make it. |
Step by Step: Working Out Which Business Is Responsible
When a site involves several businesses, it may be unclear which one is responsible. These steps give a general way to work this out at the start.
- Check who engaged you and whose name appears on your paperwork.
- Write down who directed your daily work, approved your hours, and supplied your equipment.
- Note who paid you, how often, and on what basis.
- Send written notice to each business involved, then share your notes with us.
No Win, No Fee for Bunbury and FIFO Workers
On an eligible claim, our legal fees are only payable once your matter has finished.
Before you agree to proceed, ask what the arrangement includes. We set out the terms in writing, including what is covered, when payment is due and what happens if the claim is unsuccessful. For subcontractors and site-based workers, we also explain which businesses are likely to be involved in your matter.
Read any costs agreement carefully and ask about anything that is unclear. You are welcome to take it away to consider and to show it to someone you trust. Any documents from a contractor or insurer should be read just as carefully.
No win, no fee workers compensation
MPK Lawyers offers no win, no fee arrangements for eligible workers compensation claims. Our fees are payable only when the matter resolves, and only in accordance with the costs agreement you approve before we act.
We explain the costs position in plain language before you sign. If report fees, medical evidence or other disbursements may be required, we tell you how those are handled before they are incurred. There are no surprises, so you can focus on your treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Subcontractors and site workers often ask about who to notify, incidents that were not recorded, working under an ABN, injuries while travelling between sites and returning to lighter duties. The answers here are general, so seek advice on your own situation.
Tell the business that engaged you and the business running the site, in writing, and keep a copy of every message. If you are not sure which of them is responsible, tell us, and we will help work it out.
An unrecorded incident can still be reported. Send a written account with the date, location, and the names of anyone who saw it, and ask the site to log it. Keep any notes or photos you have.
Not necessarily. An ABN is only one factor, and the way the work was actually arranged can matter more. Keep your agreement and invoices, and speak with us before assuming you are not covered.
It can depend on why you were travelling and who required it. Record where you were going, who sent you and what happened, and report it to the businesses involved as soon as possible.
Compare the offer with your doctor's advice and ask for the hours, tasks and location in writing. Take time to consider it before you accept or decline.
If you usually work in Western Australia, the WA scheme applies wherever in the state the site is, and the same subcontractor and labour-hire questions on this page apply there too. Tell us where you work and who engaged you, and we will explain the position. If you work interstate, the rules can differ.
No. We act for workers across Bunbury and the South West by phone, video and email, and most matters are handled without you needing to travel. If you would rather meet in person, you are welcome at our Perth office.
Strict time limits apply under the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023, and separate limits apply to common law claims. The safest course is to report the injury straight away and speak with us as early as you can.