4.5.20.7 Provision of firewood
Firewood and alternative means of heating/cooling, such as split systems or air conditioning units and associated running costs are not approved or funded under the scheme.
Consideration can only be made if all of the following eligibility criteria are met:
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where the worker has no other means of heating the living areas of the home (kitchen, lounge, utilised bedroom), and
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the residential home of the worker is not connected to mains gas, and
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the residential home of the worker is not connected to electricity supply.
If the worker has relocated to this home since the time of the work related injury or illness, justification for moving to this property may be considered.
Where the Agent requires additional information on the worker's eligibility for firewood they should send the FIRE2 Firewood request for further info v2 - Worker letter to the injured worker. Consideration for firewood should only be made when:
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the FIRE2 Firewood request for further info v2 - Worker letter and corresponding questionnaire has been sufficiently completed by the injured worker and returned to the Agent
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the worker's correspondence confirms that they meet the firewood eligibility criteria
If eligible as per above criteria, firewood can be provided once a year for a maximum of three years. Maximum approval per year may not exceed $2,300.
Note: room temperature control equipment (not including firewood) is still funded under the equipment and related services policy for workers with a spinal cord lesion (T6 or higher) or other exceptional medical circumstances resulting in a medically diagnosed, permanent inability to regulate their own body temperature.