Suitable Work Plans

"Suitable Work Plans" are typically developed by either an employer or a Workplace Rehabilitation Provider in the NSW Workers Compensation scheme. With recent changes to NSW legislation, the Suitable Work Plan (or what used to be called the Suitable Duties Plan) has become an important tool not only in the management of a worker's return to work but also in the identification of a worker's current work capacity. 

Below are a number of key points to consider when developing Suitable Work Plans:

- Include worker's pre-injury job title as well as a job title for any current role the worker is performing as part of their graded return to work

- Avoid broad descriptions of the duties the worker is performing (such as "Office Duties") and use more specific descriptions such as: filing, greeting customers, answering phones, etc

- Detail any training the worker has or is undertaking as part of their return to work. This could be pre-scheduled company training or additional training the worker has completed as part of their suitable work (e.g.: Microsoft Word training)

- Ensure plans are always signed by key parties, including the NTD. The signed version should be provided to the insurer.

- You should always attempt to put proposed "stages" into the plan. Guidance on how the worker should upgrade would come from discussions with the worker, NTD, and any other treating parties

- Keep record of how long the worker has been performing the current suitable work options

Although the above list is not exhaustive it will provide positive guidance to employers and workplace rehabilitation providers when developing these plans in practice.

A sample "Suitable Work Plan" is also attached to this link for your reference. Please feel free to modify and utilise within your workplace as you see fit.

Manual Handling Champions/Coaches - Terms of Reference

As I have referred to previously in a number of posts, manual handling injuries account for a large percentage of workplace injuries across Australia and Internationally. In addition to carrying out manual handling training, many organisations implement "Manual Handling Coaches/Champions". These Coaches or Champions are introduced into workplaces to help re-enforce the principles of manual handling discussed in the formal manual handling training.

Typically, these coaches/champions are workers whom have been provided with some additional training to help them encourage their fellow workers to apply the principles of manual handling to their day to day activities. However, for this risk management strategy to be effective, the champions/coaches need to understand what their role can and cannot do. This is where a formal "Terms of Reference" comes in for them which provides guidance on what the business/management expects of them in their new role and what they are NOT expected to do. 

Below is a "Sample Manual Handling Champions/Coaches Terms of Reference" which you can utilise within your organisation if you want to implement such a strategy within your workplace.

If you need help to implement manual handling training or a structured "coaches/champion" program around manual handling within your business please contact me to discuss further.

Sample Manual Handling Champions/Coaches Terms of Reference

Health & Safety Budget - Does Your Workplace Have One & What Should Be Included?

Running a business can be hard and one of the most complex aspects of doing so is maintaining a budget for the entire business. All important things should be in the budget such as wages, plant & equipment, stationary supplies, staff functions, etc. But what about a specific budget for Health & Safety? This is often forgotten by many workplaces. However, below I have put together a "non-exhaustive" list of possible items which could be included in a dedicated Health & Safety budget. Even if your business dedicates an overall set amount to health & safety, this list may help you to divide that overall amount up into smaller segments.

• Training - including HSR/Committee training, manual handling training, risk management, office ergonomics, etc
• Personal Protective Equipment - this list can be extensive and varies depending on the hazards and risks at your workplace
• Auditing - including a budget for at least bi-annual auditing from an external auditor provides confidence in the health & safety system being operated at the workplace
• Maintenance & Equipment - Purchasing new equipment and then having a scheduled maintenance program for such is key to ensuring workplace safety
• Personnel - the wages and expenses of the key work, health & safety personnel should be included here. Often the Return To Work Coordinator may also be included within this area of the budget
• Insurance - including workers compensation. Many workplaces also tie the workers compensation premium back to individual departments so any increase from claims goes directly back to the department where the injury occurred
• Work Health & Safety Activities - although it may not be a specific line in a budget, all workplaces should consider the additional time required for workers to undertake certain health and safety activities, whether that be doing pre-start risk assessments, attending awareness sessions, toolbox meetings, etc

As noted above, this list is not exhaustive. However, starting with at least some form of "budget" for health and safety shows both a commitment from senior management to this key workplace function but also allows the personnel working in the area of health and safety to apply some strategic thinking in how best to utilise the monies set aside for this important business function.

Mental Health Resources - New Website

We have all heard the statistics many times before. 1 in 5 people will typically have a mental health episode of some form during their lifetime. This "episode" just doesn't happen at home but obviously can have a large impact at the workplace. As such, all workplaces need to work on their employee's mental health and implement policies and procedures to help workers manage their mental health effectively and maintain active and productive employment.

A new website has been created as a joint initiative between the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance and Beyond Blue in Australia. This website (called Heads Up) provides workplaces with a variety of tools and resources to help businesses create mentally healthy workplaces. Even if you think all is good at your workplace the below website might surprise you. Check it out!!

Heads Up website

Manual Handling Literature Review

In most countries and industries across the world, injuries from manual handling related hazards and risks is typically the most common cause of workplace injury. Below is a Literature Review report produced by the Health & Safety Executive in England. The two key objectives of the report were:

• To carry out a literature review of issues related to load and frequency in manual handling, including updating the previous HSL review on the load-frequency trade-off
• In the light of the findings of the review, to develop a method of risk assessment that could be applied to jobs, such as order picking in warehousing, where either the load or frequency of handling are very variable

If you are working in an industry where manual handling risk is an issue for your worker's safety, this report may be a useful resource to use to lessen that risk.

HSE Manual Handling Report

Attention RTW Coordinators: Do you grab the attention of your supervisors at least once a year?

As return to work coordinators your job can be made a lot harder or easier by what your supervisors do on the floor when managing the return to work of injured workers and/or notification of injuries. There are numerous issues which can impact on what role the supervisor plays in this process including: the size of the workplace, the level of roles within the workplace supporting WHS and RTW; whether the RTW Coordinator works part/full time; whether the business operations are 9am-5pm or work 24/7 rosters, etc. However, one thing that all RTW Coordinators should do is get in front of their supervisor group (or at least provide them with training/education) at least every 12 months (preferably every 6 months) to update them on key issues in workers comp and RTW. By doing this not only will you more likely have better return to work rates, but your job as a RTW Coordinator will be made a lot easier.

Suggested key topics you may wish to discuss with your supervisors every 6-12 months are included on the attached handout (link below). These are just my suggestions and you may have other items you wish to discuss within your workplace.

Another suggestion is to develop a "New Manager/Supervisor RTW/Injury Management Pack". Many supervisors/managers within workplaces graduate to such roles after being a worker on the shop floor and working their way "up the ranks". Often RTW and Injury Reporting is not the highest priority for such a new supervisor/manager and providing new managers with a "Welcome Pack" to RTW and Injury Reporting can again make your role as a RTW Coordinator/WHS Manager a lot easier in the long run. Again the topics listed in the below attachment can be used to create that "Welcome Pack".

Suggested RTW Topics for Supervisors/Managers

How Important is the Employer in an Injured Worker’s Return To Work?

Safe Work Australia has recently published the results of a study analyzing return to work outcomes and experiences of injured workers across Australia and New Zealand (see link to study below).

For those of us involved in the workers compensation industry the results of the study are probably not surprising, especially as the results relate to what impact the employer has in the success (or otherwise) of any return to work program. The goal of any workers compensation system is for timely, affordable, safe and sustainable return to work for workers whom are unfortunately injured at work. What was clear from the study was that the employer (at several levels – return to work coordinator, supervisors, middle and upper management) has a large impact on the success (or otherwise) and timeliness of an individual’s return to work.

Studies noted in the final report have shown that a worker’s satisfaction with their employer in the return to work process is the single most important factor in the worker’s employment stability and return to work outcomes. Other key outcomes from the study included:

• The workplace at the time of injury

o   The study revealed that workers whom were more satisfied with their workplace (such as worker/management support and commitment to WHS, overall job satisfaction, value of their work to others, etc) prior to their injury were more likely to return to work than those with less pre-injury job satisfaction.

•  Employer support following an injury

o   The study revealed that workers returned to work quicker post injury if their employer supported them with information about their rights and responsibilities as an injured worker; made an effort to find suitable employment options; assisted where possible in their recovery; and treated workers fairly during the claims process.

•  Continuing Employer Support

o   The study revealed that workers whom received ongoing support and assistance from their employer’s post injury were 7 times more likely to return to work than those worker’s whom felt their employer was no longer providing adequate support.

• Experiences at the workplace when submitting a claim

o   The study revealed return to work results were poorest in claims where the worker was discouraged to put in a claim or felt they were treated differently after they had completed the claim.

So what should you do with the results of this study?

As I noted above, for most people working in the industry these results will not be a surprise. However, as WHS managers/advisors and/or Return To Work Coordinators gaining the support of the rest of the business (supervisors, management) can be a challenge when it comes to workers comp and return to work. The results of this report may help provide additional evidence and weight to your strategies that you may be looking to implement within your workplace to improve return to work performance and to gain more support from the various levels of management in the business. Supporting and having positive attitudes and approaches to return to work and workers comp is not just a RTW Coordinator or WHS Managers role, it is the responsibility of all at the workplace from the workers themselves through to upper level management.

For the full study findings please follow the below link:

The National Return To Work Survey

Health & Safety Representatives/Health & Safety Committee Compendium

In many workplaces, the Health & Safety Committee or Health & Safety Representatives are workers whom have a passion to improve safety within their workplace. They are often coaxed to undertake the role due to their previous history/background with the company or their proactive approach to showing safety leadership within the business. However, for many people entering this role it can be daunting how much they need to learn about the running of an effective committee or representative role and being organised is key.

As such, I have developed a sample compendium Table of Contents pack for new Health & Safety Representatives or Health & Safety Committee members. Please feel free to use this as a template and tailor this for your workplace. Many workplaces offer a "pack" to their new Health & Safety Representatives and/or Health & Safety Committees and this sample table of contents may be useful as a starting point for establishing such for your workplace. The full details of each heading are not included in the sample but I can assist your company to establish the working document if this is required.

Health & Safety Representative/Health & Safety Committee Compendium Table of Contents

Injury Management & RTW Info Booklet for Injured Workers

The world of workers compensation can often be a complex and confusing place for those that work within it, let alone the injured workers whom unfortunately become a party to the scheme often at no fault of their own. As employers, it is recommended that you develop a tailored Return To Work Program at your workplace to assist injured workers to return to work as quickly and safely as possible. One of the ways employers can help injured workers is to provide them with key information about the relevant workers compensation scheme you are working within. For most workers, the last thing they want to worry about is all the paperwork and confusing terminology often associated with such schemes. However, some information is also necessary to help them understand not only their rights and responsibilities but also those of other key parties in the scheme.

Below is a copy of a "sample" table of contents for an Information Pack which employers should provide to their newly injured workers. The sample is NSW (Australia) centric, so please modify and tailor as you see fit for your workplace and relevant legislative jurisdiction. If you need help filling the blanks under each heading please feel free to contact me regarding my ability to assist your company in doing so.

Injury Management & RTW Information Booklet for Injured Workers

Ergonomics & Musculo-Skeletal Disorders

In most industrialised countries, one of the highest risk factors to worker safety relates to poor workplace ergonomics. This then leads to a high prevalence of musculo-skeletal disorders. Over the past 15 years working in the area of workplace rehabilitation and return to work a large percentage of the injured workers I have assisted to return to work have experienced such injuries and finding resources to support the need to improve workplace ergonomics has often been difficult. However, while surfing the web for useful resources I came across the below link to the "Centers for Disease Control & Prevention".

The site has a lot of great resources including:

• A searchable bibliographic database of various OHS publications
• Links to long term epidemiological studies of workplace musculoskeletal disorders
• Ergonomic resources based on industry (e.g.: Construction, Agriculture, Healthcare, etc)

Thus, if you have some time I would recommend looking at this site and although every country has different legislative requirements for OHS/WHS, reviewing these resources may help to implement new strategies to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in your workplace.

Ergonomic Resources - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention