According to the latest update from SafeWork Australia, body stressing injuries topped the list as the most common injury resulting in a claim (36 per cent).
Taking a proactive and preventative approach to musculoskeletal injuries onsite is proven to affect the duration of an injury, while also reducing the risk of it going to claim. This is great not only for your employees, as they remain productive and at work, but also for your business.
READ MORE: The four steps of food safety systems
“The World Health Organisation (2008) has clearly identified the workplace as an important area of action for health promotion and disease prevention.” – Comcare, Effective Health & Wellbeing Programs
What should you look for in an onsite health provider?
An onsite healthcare provider is more than just ‘the person who comes to you’ for injury treatment. A qualified and experienced allied health professional will partner with you, fully integrating with your workplace.
With a focus on injury prevention and management, an onsite health provider will:
- Identify how a worker is using their body to perform their role
- Understand the injury and health risks associated with each task being performed
- Identify underlying health conditions that may affect injury recovery and outcomes (diabetes, for example)
- Develop tailored return to work programs
Learn more about Work Healthy Australia’s approach to Onsite healthcare here.
A physical presence onsite, dedicated treatment / rehabilitation space and key stakeholder engagement are key to a successful onsite program. But the proactive and preventative elements of an onsite system of care will be informed by the valuable treatment data and health insights that are gathered along the way.
Data example: Body region by length of service
In this example you can see that the top 3 body regions being treated are shoulder, lower back and neck.
Data Source: Work Healthy Australia
If we look closer, we can see that 85 per cent of these injuries have occurred in workers who have been with the business for under three years.
Data Source: Work Healthy Australia
Why is it important that an onsite health provider records this information?
A skilled onsite provider will be able to use and interpret treatment data to help you improve your processes, programs and ultimately help you reduce your risk of injuries in the workplace.
The example given above could form the basis for your approach to your induction program, a targeted strengthening and exercise program, or it may even inform your pre-employment medical process.
“Work health and safety improvements are best achieved when health and safety is supported by the organisation’s culture and embedded in its procedures and processes.”
–SafeWork Australia, Australian Work Health & Safety Strategy (2012-2022)
Everyone wins with an onsite program
Engaging workers is key to maintaining a healthy and productive workplace. When a successful onsite system of care is implemented, workers can:
- Better understand the importance of adhering to health & safety processes
- Contributed to a positive safety culture
- Utilise treatment services at the appropriate times
- Safely perform their duties; and
- Feel valued in the workplace
By utilising specialist onsite services to develop an effective system of care, businesses can experience positive change in the health and safety of their workplace.
Onsite care, including the integration of onsite treatment, provides:
- Easy access to allied health professionals
- Less disruption to worker schedules
- A close-up and unique understanding of the workplace environment
- Positive employee morale and workplace culture
- Direct communication lines with relevant safety supervisors and management
- Tailored data driven solutions
- A focus on productivity efficiencies
If you’d like to find out more about implementing an onsite system of care in your workplace, contact the team Work Healthy Australia.