Fit for work and worker’s compensation
South West WorkCare Forum | Wednesday 30 August, 2023
LGIS Injury Management Consultant
Mereesha is a Senior Occupational Therapist with an extensive background in clinical rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation and injury management. Mereesha provides professional injury management advice, support and education to LGIS Members. Support includes, but is not limited to, injury management advice, early intervention strategies, training and return to work guidance.
Despite these factors and the obstacles they pose, developing a return to work plan for injured workers should be a priority for employers. Resources such as the Health Benefits of Good Return to Work (2011), Good Work Design (2013) and the National Return to Work Strategy 2020 – 2030 by Safe Work Australia, provide a framework, which helps employers through any challenges posed in developing a good return to work.
As employers, you have a legal obligation under the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 to support an injured worker to return to work and develop a structured return to work plan if medically appropriate. It is imperative to support workers return to work (RTW) as evidences show that the longer you are off work, the less likely you are to return to work.
Experience shows that if you are off work for:
This has significant implications from several perspectives like claims cost, business culture, work force capacity, policies and procedures.
South West WorkCare Forum | Wednesday 30 August, 2023
Getting back to work – Injury
management, LGIS Office Ergonomic Champions and more.
Mental health issues are increasingly prevalent throughout organisations; 1 in 5 Australians are
diagnosed with a mental health condition every year (such as depression, anxiety and substance use).
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine launched a position statement in 2013, outlining the fundamental premise behind the question, ‘What is Good Work?’. They identified four domains of good work by design:
a. Aware managers, but not necessarily aware employees, who manage change effectively, focusing on mental and psychological wellbeing, security and life balance;
b. Clear and realistic performance indicators to guide and acknowledge the efforts of the worker;
c. Use of hard and transparent ‘people productivity metrics’; and
d. Matching ‘the work’ to the ‘individual’.
Return to work programs and planning support optimal recovery and a timely and positive re-engagement in work that is productive for both the worker and employer.
Workers return to physically and psychologically safe and supportive workplace.
Stakeholders understand, promote and embed the principles of ‘Good Work’ in practice, recognising that good work is good for health and supports recovery.
Stakeholders share relevant information and engage in coordinated and collaborative approach to return to work.
There is commitment to using data and evidence, measuring success and sharing learnings to drive innovation and continual improvement.
Although we are working within an evolving landscape, using the Good Work Design and Guiding Principles can support you in designing a good return to work program for an injured employee. It provides you with a framework for being agile and adaptable whilst reaping the numerous health benefits for employees. With healthy employees come many positive effects for your organisation, ranging from improved productivity, culture and work practices to positive claims experiences and improved claims costs.
A key part of WorkCover WA’s role is providing education and assistance to employers to support them with return to work and they have created extensive resources for employers.
LGIS injury management team provides regular training on return to work and is able to assist you with your return to work queries. Please contact [email protected] for queries or support.
Each month we take your questions to one of our LGIS team members to answer.
If you want to submit a question for next issue, email us at [email protected]
Whether it’s making sure that waste is collected, roads are maintained and that sports fields are bounce down ready, it only happens because of the sector’s specialist equipment and operators’ breadth of fleet and assets.
The City of Mandurah was one of the 17 LGIS members who participated in the motor fleet pilot program. Across the City there’s
a proactive risk approach and this was apparent when assessing
their fleet and plant management.
It was April 2022 when the LGIS injury prevention team visited Craigie Leisure Centre (CLC) to review the Kindy Gym program.
LGIS is the unifying name for the dedicated suite of risk financing and management services for WA local governments, established by the WA Local Government Association in conjunction with JLT Public Sector (part of the Marsh group of companies). LGIS is managed by JLT Public Sector (ABN 69 009 098 864 AFS Licence 226827).
Risk Matters, via this website, is designed to keep members, their staff and elected members informed on topical risk management and insurance issues and LGIS programs and services.
