I got injured on the construction site: what should I do?

The steps, in order:

1. Make the area safe and give first aid. Stop the machine, move away from the danger, give first aid with trained colleagues.
2. Call emergency services if it is serious. Ambulance: 144. European emergency number: 112. Poisoning (chemical swallowed or breathed in): 145, Tox Info Suisse.
3. Tell the site manager, the same day. They must know what happened, where, at what time, and who saw the accident.
4. Tell your agency, also the same day. In staff leasing (temp work), your employer is the agency, not the site company.
5. See a doctor. You are free to choose your doctor, dentist and hospital (UVG/LAA art. 10). Tell them it is a work accident.
6. Keep the evidence: names of witnesses, photos of the place, medical certificate, bills.

The UVG/LAA is the Federal Act on Accident Insurance, which makes accident insurance compulsory. It says the worker must report "without delay" to the employer or the insurer any accident that needs medical treatment or causes time off work (UVG/LAA art. 45). Suva advises reporting even a small accident, even if you do not have to stop working: a delay can cost you part of the benefits.

The employer does. The law requires it to notify the insurer without delay as soon as it learns of the accident (UVG/LAA art. 45 para. 2). In temp work, the employer is the agency: so the agency fills in the accident report, usually online on mySuva. The collective labour agreement for staff leasing (GAV Personalverleih / CCT Location de services) states that temp workers are insured with Suva against work accidents during their assignment (art. 30).

Give the agency the exact information: date, time, place, what you were doing, the injury, the doctor's name.

Watch out for delays:

• if you report too late without a good reason, the insurer can cut up to half of the money paid for the period before the report; after three months without a report, it can cut any benefit by half (UVG/LAA art. 46);
• if the employer fails to report without an excuse, it may have to pay the consequences itself (UVG/LAA art. 46 para. 3).

The insured earnings are the last wage received before the accident, counted over a year (UVG/LAA art. 15). The 13th-month salary is included. They are capped at CHF 148'200.00 a year, that is CHF 406.00 a day (UVV/OLAA art. 22, as at 1 January 2026). The allowance is paid for every calendar day, Sundays and public holidays included (UVV/OLAA art. 25).

If you can work half time, the allowance is reduced in the same proportion (UVG/LAA art. 17). It stops when you have fully recovered your capacity to work (UVG/LAA art. 16).

Who pays you the allowance? The law says daily allowances are paid to the employer if it keeps paying you a wage during your time off (ATSG/LPGA art. 19 para. 2). In that case, the agency pays you, with your wage, and Suva pays it back. Otherwise, Suva pays you directly. Ask your agency which of the two applies to you.

Simplified example, to understand the calculation. Your agency does the exact calculation.

Marco is a temp mason. He works on a structural work site. He earns CHF 33.00 an hour, 40.50 h a week on average, with a 13th-month salary of 8.3% (the rate of the National Collective Agreement, LMV/CN). He gets injured on a Monday and the doctor signs him off for 4 weeks, until the Sunday of the 4th week.

Annual earnings (method in annex 2 of the UVV/OLAA):

• CHF 33.00 × 40.50 h × 52 weeks = CHF 69'498.00
• 13th-month salary: 8.3% = CHF 5'768.33
• Annual earnings: CHF 75'266.33

Suva allowance per day: CHF 75'266.33 × 80% ÷ 365 = CHF 164.97

What Marco receives:

• Monday (day of the accident), Tuesday and Wednesday: the agency must pay him at least 80% of his wage. For a day of 8.10 h: 8.10 h × CHF 33.00 × 80% = CHF 213.84 minimum.
• From Thursday, Suva takes over: 25 days (from Thursday of the 1st week to Sunday of the 4th) × CHF 164.97 = CHF 4'124.25.

If he goes back at 50% before the end, the allowance drops to 50%, that is CHF 82.48 a day, and the agency pays the hours worked.

• Occupational accident: it happens during work, during a break, or before and after work when you are rightfully at the workplace (UVG/LAA art. 7).
• Non-occupational accident: all the others (free time, sport, home). You are covered if you work at least 8.00 h a week for the same employer (UVV/OLAA art. 13). The employer pays the premium, but can deduct it from your wage: this is the "NBU/AANP" line on your payslip.
• Less than 8.00 h a week: no free-time cover through the employer. The journey between home and work then counts as an occupational accident (UVV/OLAA art. 13 para. 2). For free time, check with your health insurer.

In both cases, tell the agency: a free-time accident must also be reported to the employer.

This is a relapse or a late after-effect. Suva pays in this case too (UVV/OLAA art. 11). Go back to the doctor, tell them it is linked to the old accident, and tell your agency (or your current employer) the date of the first accident and, if you have it, the Suva claim number.

On the certificate, the doctor writes your rate of incapacity for work (100%, 50%…) and the dates. Give a copy to the agency as soon as possible, and every extension. This rate sets the amount of the allowance. Keep the original and all bills.

Yes. Suva says it clearly: if you do not feel safe, say STOP and stop work. You only restart when safety is restored. It is a right, and also a duty.

In return, you must wear your protective equipment and never remove a safety device without permission (UVG/LAA art. 82 para. 3). If you see a defect you cannot fix yourself, report it to your supervisor at once. In temp work, tell the agency too.