WICA & Work Injury Compensation
Construction is dangerous work, and a serious injury on site can cost a worker their livelihood and a contractor their business. In Kenya the Work Injury Benefits Act sets out what happens when a worker is hurt on the job: the employer must hold work-injury cover, report the accident, and support the claim. The contractors who handle this well are the ones whose records are already in order. This guide explains what WIBA covers, what employers must do, how claims are handled, and how payroll records prove your cover.
Updated October 17, 2026 · Guides
What WIBA covers on a construction site
The Work Injury Benefits Act, commonly referred to as WICA, provides compensation to employees who are injured or contract a disease in the course of their work. On a construction site the risks are obvious — falls, falling objects, plant, cuts and strains. The Act is built on the principle that the employer carries work-injury cover, so an injured worker is compensated rather than left to sue for negligence.
- Injuries sustained at work, including on site and in the course of duties.
- Occupational diseases arising from the work.
- Death resulting from a work-related injury, with benefits for dependants.
- Medical costs and lost earnings within the statutory framework.
Employer duties: insurance and reporting
Your first duty is cover, not paperwork. Employers must hold work-injury insurance — WIBA cover — for their employees, taken out with a licensed insurer. The second duty is reporting: an accident must be notified promptly so the claim can be assessed. When you use FundiPay you are working with a contractor who can account for every worker on the payroll, because the insurer and the authority will want to know that the injured person was genuinely employed on your site.
How a claim is handled
A work injury claim runs through the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services and, where it is disputed, the Director of Dispute Resolution. The employer's role is to report the accident, provide the employment and wage records, and cooperate with the assessment. The quality of that evidence determines how quickly the matter resolves — a claim supported by clear records moves forward, while one built on incomplete site paperwork stalls and can end up disputed.
How payroll records prove your cover
This is the quiet value of a clean payroll. A locked muster roll and a digital payslip show that the injured worker was on site on the day, that they were on your payroll, and what they earned — the exact facts a compensation claim turns on. With FundiPay, attendance is geotagged and locked before payment, and every fundi receives a digital payslip. If an injury claim ever arises, you are producing evidence, not reconstructing it from memory.
Frequently asked questions
Is work-injury insurance compulsory for construction employers in Kenya?
Yes. Employers are required to hold work-injury (WIBA) cover for their employees under the Work Injury Benefits Act. On a construction site, where the risk of injury is high, failing to hold cover is both a legal exposure and a serious financial one.
What must I do when a worker is injured on site?
Provide immediate first aid and medical attention, then report the accident promptly so the claim can be assessed. Keep the worker's employment and wage records ready — they are what the assessment relies on to establish the claim.
How are work injury claims handled in Kenya?
Claims run through the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services, with disputes referred to the Director of Dispute Resolution. The employer reports the accident, provides records and cooperates with the assessment.
How does payroll software help with a work injury claim?
It proves the worker was employed and on site. A locked, geotagged muster roll and a digital payslip establish attendance and earnings on the day — exactly the evidence a compensation claim requires, produced without a scramble.
Keep reading
Guides
NCA Compliance Guide for Contractors
How Kenyan contractors stay NCA compliant — registration, project registration, the construction levy, site records and the payroll documents inspectors expect.
Guides
Muster Roll Requirements in Kenya
What Kenyan construction sites must record about workers, why NCA expects a muster roll kept on site, and how a digital roll satisfies and strengthens an audit.
Glossary
WICA (Work Injury Benefits)
The Work Injury Benefits Act 2007, which requires Kenyan employers to insure workers against injury and compensates those hurt on site.
Solutions
FundiPay for Contractors
Run every site from one dashboard — geofenced muster rolls, direct M-Pesa B2C wages, payroll float and automated statutory deductions.