2012 has begun with the introduction of new workplace health and safety legislation. In light of this I thought it was opportune for Actevate to present a recent case study that we have been asked to support the employer with forensic analysis of their risk management strategies.

A 34 year old female injured herself in 2009 in a well known hotel in Sydney. The woman was dancing with a friend on the bottom level of the hotel dance floor at midnight on a Saturday evening when she lost balance and sat down abruptly on the adjacent stage step. As a result of losing her balance she landed on what appeared to be broken glass and suffered a severe laceration to the vaginal and perineal region. The woman was taken immediately to hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. Since then she has had a range of surgical procedures conducted with the view to the removal of inbedded glass fragments in the vaginal and perineal region. Consequently, she has been unable to resume a normal life.

Actevate were asked to establish whether there was a; foreseeable risk of injury that was not insignificant and if precautions could have been taken to avoid the risk of harm for this individual. In identifying the foreseeable risk of injury, Actevate obtained Occupational Health and Safety records pertaining to the development and maintenance of a safety management system for the hotel.

As the result of conducting an Australian Standard 4801 safety management system audit, Actevate have determined that the hotel did not have the appropriate procedures in place in order to preclude the advent of the injury sustained to the woman.

In the case example above the employer believed that they did have the appropriate strategies in place to mitigate risk of injury. Unfortunately our review was not able to determine that the appropriate measures were in place to mitigate such risks and accordingly the woman is currently pursuing action against the hotel in the order of $750,000 damages. This case example serves us a salient reminder of how an unfortunate incident and the lack of appropriate risk mitigation measures can lead to common law litigation, WorkCover inspections and the requirement to establish defensive actions requiring retrospective forensic analysis.

Actevate does have a range of services available to assist you in identifying the appropriate protection mechanisms in place to prevent common law and negligence actions. We encourage you to talk with us, with the view to giving you the satisfaction that you are appropriately protected.

By Robert Migliore - Director

New OH&S Legislation Laws as of January 1 2012, employers now have the duty of care to ensure that each employee is working within a safe environment.

Actevate’s Manual Handling Training is a program that is specifically designed to mitigate the risk of workplace injury. The program is designed to educate your staff in the areas of work place injuries, specific work fitness exercises, postural recommendations, manual handling training & safe lifting.

It is essential that Manual Handling risks are considered as part of the overall management of OH&S within the workplace. As part of this new OH&S Legislation Actevate has designed a special offer to ensure you create a safe working environment.

FREE Onsite Task Analysis (normally valued at $1000) for any Manual Handling Training book in March.

The Program:

Part A: Workplace Task Analysis

Actevate Pty Ltd will conduct a FREE Manual Handling & Workplace Task Analysis at your worksite incorporating digital photography. This will identify high risk manual handling hazards and will allow the WorkCover Accredited Exercise Physiologists to tailor the training to mitigating your company’s risks. The task analysis will include consultation with employees, to gain their input on designing and modifying specific tasks that present as high injury risk.

Part B: Manual Handling Training

The Manual Handling Training will be conducted in the form of a specially tailored interactive workshop comprising both workplace specific and practical training. The 60 minute session will include: 

• 40 minutes – concepts and guidelines. WorkCover approved Training.  
• 20 minutes – Onsite practical demonstration

Investment:

Call Rachel Lord our Account Manager – New Business on 9222 7400 for a written quote before the 31^st of March to take advantage of this special offer.

Michael started his career with Actevate in November 2011 as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist. Michael has completed a degree in Exercise and Sports Science and has 4 years experience in the Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention field.

Michael’s previous roles included a Senior Health Coach, where he was working on private health and state government health programs, and an Exercise Specialist for a studio gym, predominantly dealing with elderly clients and their associated injury management. Michael’s previous experience has developed his skills in exercise treatment/prescription, rapport building with clients, and has provided him with a good understanding and utilisation of cognitive behavioural techniques when dealing with clients.

Michael contributes to the Health Team by performing Work Related Activity Programs, Ergonomic Assessments, Manual Handling Seminars, Injury Prevention Training/Seminars and Pre Employment Assessments. He is a highly valued addition to the Actevate team and has continually performed brilliantly with our clients. Michael has received many compliments and great feedback from our external clients.

Michael enjoys the challenge of developing clients’ intrinsic motivation and self management techniques. He believes witnessing an individual becoming empowered to self-manage their health effectively is a great reward and one of the many benefits of his role.

By Rachel Lord and Michael Baveas

Increase the productivity in you workplace by being apart of our OH&S Awareness Month

For the month of December and January book in an Ergonomic Educational Training and Analysis and take advantage of our special offer.

Benefits of Ergonomic Educational Training and Analysis:

• Self directed awareness training specifically designed to improve posture, health & productivity;
• Prevention of potential workplace injuries and therefore reduced number of Workers Compensation claims;
• Reduced cost of replacing office furniture;

What the Ergonomic Educational Training and Analysis involves:

• One of our accredited Exercise Physiologists or Occupational Therapists will attend your premises to conduct 30 minute presentations, with a maximum of 15 staff per group. We will provide a detailed description about the science of ergonomics, what is involved, equipment set up, posture techniques, and preventative measures and stretches to all employees.
• They will then make themselves available to each employee to provide assistance with their workstation set up. The Therapist will spend additional time with any staff member who reports pain or discomfort throughout their work day.
• The Exercise Physiologists or Therapists will answer any questions regarding correct set-up, posture and recommend pause exercises and stretches.
• Handouts on all areas covered will be provided
• A report with summary recommendations, equipment prescription or any individual risk for employees will be provided at the completion of the service

Investment

                                    USUALLY PRICED AT                            NOW                AT A REDUCED RATE OF

                                    $45+GST per person                                                                            $35+GST per person

To BOOK please contact Rachel Lord directly on 9222 7400, get in quickly so you don’t miss out!

Actevate also completes detailed one on one ergonomic assessments. If you feel that certain individuals need a further in depth assessment please don’t hesitate to contact Rachel Lord on 9222 7400

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Actevate’s Offices will be closing over the Christmas and New Year period from the  23^rd of December 2011 to the 3^rd of January 2012. We hope you all have a wonderful and relaxing holiday break, stay safe and we look forward to working with you in the New Year.

We would like to thank you all for the support and generosity you have given us over the past year. Actevate has enjoyed working through the ups and downs of the past year and can’t wait to see what challenges and surprises 2012 will bring to us all.

If you require any urgent assistance during our closing period, please don’t hesitate to contact our General Manager Daniel Willoughby on 0415 415 105

Catherine began with Actevate on the 31^st of October 2011 as our Business Relationships and Rehabilitation Manager. She has a degree in Biochemistry and Physiology, a Bachelor in Occupational Therapy, as well as 11 years experience in the Injury Prevention and Management industry, both with Rehabilitation providers and WorkCover licensed insurers. Her experience has been across all Workers Compensation Schemes in Australia including Comcare, the Military and Defence Force Rehabilitation Schemes and sherecently held the position of Provider Services Manager in the CTP Scheme in NSW with an insurer.

She has brought to Actevate extensive managerial experience through roles including a National Service Delivery role for a provider which included the relationship management of small and large employer and insurer return to work accounts. Her experience has enabled her to understand the challenges employers, insurers and providers face in the development of best practice return to work. Catherine is passionate about ensuring evidence based and proactive service delivery which focuses on engaging all stakeholders in the return to work process.

Catherine believes her greatest achievement to date has been to build valuable relationships through a collaborative approach with our customers by building a partnership and responding to their needs immediately.

"…long term worklessness is one of the greatest risks to health in our society. It is more dangerous than the most dangerous jobs in the construction industry, or the North Sea, and too often we not only fail to protect our patients from worklessness, we sometimes actually push them into it, inadvertently…"

Professor Gordon Waddell, commenting on the health effects of being off work, from the report "Is work good for your health and well being?"

Actevate was engaged to provide return to work assistance to Joseph a 35 year old Truck Driver, who had sustained a severe leg and knee injury following a motorbike accident on his way to work in January 2010. Actevate assisted him with the upgrading of his work capacity; he continued to have ongoing difficulties and was not able to return to his usual duties.

Due to his ongoing limitations, Joseph continued to have significant pain and despite a straight forward recovery process the combination of family stressors meant he became highly withdrawn and consequently felt he would never be able to work again. Joseph’s psychological health had deteriorated to the extent that it was necessary for him to commence treatment with a Psychologist to assist him with chronic depression and anxiety. Actevate facilitated this specialised treatment by providing ongoing assistance with job seeking, reinstalling feelings of self confidence, self efficacy and reminding him of the positive role model he once was for his children.

During our involvement with Joseph he purported to have a family member who worked at a service station within his local community. Establishing contact and putting forward the great incentive of JobCover Placement led to the employer being able to access a highly motivated worker who had an extensive support network to assist him with the employment training and up skilling of his new staff member.

Actevate were able to demonstrate access to a wide range of supports including the Job Cover Placement Program, funding for training and implementation of resources to ensure durable employment was available. Joseph is now reporting significant improvements with his health both physically and psychologically along with benefits with the increased responsibilities and monetary support that his new role provides. Actevate recognises that a physical return to work is the most significant contributing factor in influencing a workers health.

Loss of work has devastating effects on the individual, the family, and the community. While the economic consequences are well recognised, the adverse health effects of being out of work for extended periods are less well recognised and addressed. Research shows that being out of work for extended periods of time is bad for a person’s health. The longer someone spends away from work, the less likely they will ever return.

Actevate are excited that the NSW Government has introduced these wonderful incentives and accordingly we invite you to consider these incentives. The JobCover placement program provides incentives of up to $27,400 to employ an injured worker for the worker’s first year of employment.

The wage subsidy increases according to the length of time the injured worker remains employed with the new employer:

• Up to $400 per week for first 12 weeks ($4,800)

• Up to $500 per week for next 14 weeks ($7,000)

• Up to $600 per week for next 26 weeks ($15,600).

In addition:

• The injured worker’s wages are not included in the calculation of the new employer's workers compensation premium for two years, and

• The new employer is protected against further costs associated with the existing injury for up to two years.

Completed by Nastaran Dianati and Jeremy Bastow

Please note that the Injured Workers name was changed for the purpose of this article.