Injury Management Training for Managers GA WHS 004 Injury Management Standard www.greeningaustralia.org.au

Contents SECTION 1: Objectives SECTION 2: GA WHS 004 Injury Management Standard SECTION 3: Early Intervention SECTION 4: What Works? SECTION 5: Our Approach SECTION 6: Worker’s Compensation Process SECTION 7: Return to Work Plan Process SECTION 8: Psychological Claims SECTION 9: Multiple Choice Quiz www.greeningaustralia.org.au

SECTION 1: Objectives Our injury management system seeks to provide proactive early intervention to the injured/ill person. The following training module objectives are to; Provide management education on what works and the benefits of early intervention Review our process for Greening Australia’s injury management system Review the workers’ compensation and return to work processes

SECTION 2: Injury Management Standard Our Standard The GA WHS 004 Injury Management Standard provides detail on Greening Australia’s requirements for effective management of work related injuries and illnesses. Greening Australia’s injury management process promotes early intervention and is in accordance with external workers compensation and injury management legislation. Greening Australia is committed to providing employees with support and assistance following an injury or illness. The Standard aims to: Define the injury management requirements of the organisation including, but not limited to; Roles and Responsibilities, training, and the confidentiality of all records relating to injury/ill cases Promote early intervention with the injury management process beginning as soon as possible after an injury/illness is reported and will take into account the injured/ill workers’ psychological and physical recovery Promote employees remaining at work while they recover or return to work as soon as medically appropriate Promote employees returning to work as soon as practicably possible following an injury or illness

SECTION 3: Early Intervention This is our typical injury experience over a year at Greening Australia If an injury does occur, we have an obligation to ensure that the injured employee receives the best medical care possible and support to make a full return to work This occurs through an effective injury management system, based on early intervention injury management

SECTION 3: Early Intervention Responding early can often prevent the employee from having long term illness or injury that impacts at work and at home Long term injury can impact a person ever returning to work; 70% of injured employees make a return to work if off for 20 days 50% if off for 45 days 35% if off for 70 days Initiation of Injury Management will occur when: • A work-related injury / illness is sustained whilst performing work related duties; or • A non-work related injury / illness is sustained which precludes the worker’s ability to perform their full work duties safely; or • A treating doctor provides in writing the need for a RTWP; or signs a medical certificate to the effect that the employee has a partial capacity for work. Initiation of Injury Management can occur through one or more of the following ways: • Self-referral by the injured/ill worker; • Referral from supervisors/managers; • Referral from P&C • Referral by a treating doctor

SECTION 4: What Works? Evidence based benefits of work Work is generally good for health and wellbeing Work is an important part of rehabilitation Work is a therapeutic intervention and is part of treatment Most common health conditions will not be ‘cured’ by treatment The longer someone is off work, the less chance they have of ever returning Staying away from work may lead to secondary issues (depression, isolation, poorer health…) Employer supported early return to work promotes recovery Source: Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM)

SECTION 4: What Works? Early intervention: Providing a productive and supportive workplace Demonstrating management commitment to the employee and their involvement Preventing long term absence from the workplace and the development of chronic illness Reducing the adverse effects on co-workers of the injured employee Increasing the probability of RTW Reducing the indirect costs to employers such as lost productivity, recruitment and training costs for replacement staff Continue with ordinary activities of daily living (ADL): Evidence that continuing ADLs as normally as possible despite pain results in the equivalent or faster symptomatic recovery from acute symptoms, leads to short periods of work loss, fewer recurrences and less work loss over the following year than bed rest Injured employee having good coping skills/resilience and supportive relationships at work Evidence that individual and work-related psychosocial factors play an important role in persisting symptoms and disability This includes the IP and Manager having a good working relationship with the Dr and open communication Communication, co-operation and common agreed goals between all parties Provision of modified work Moderate evidence that alternative duties facilitated return to work and reduces time off work, however a return to pre-injury duties, even on a restricted basis, is more effective

SECTION 5: Our Approach Following appropriate first aid assessment and treatment, the Injured Person and Business Unit Leader shall determine if they can remain at work of if further medical assessment is required. Assessing the Injury (initial collaborated decision) Minor – First aid provided and worker returns to normal duties. Moderate – Worker cannot perform normal duties but full recovery is anticipated within 3-5 days; worker does not wish to seek medical review. Significant – The injury requires medical assessment and/or treatment or despite the degree of injury, the worker wishes to seek medical review.

SECTION 5: Our Approach 2) Managing the Injury Minor – First aid is provided and the worker returns to work. Moderate – Business Unit Leader to review Injured Persons’ progress on a daily basis. – Business Unit Leader to offer suitable light, restricted or alternative duties to the Injured Person for a maximum period of 5 working days (Preventative rehabilitation). – If the worker cannot resume normal duties after 5 working days or, wishes to seek medical review at any time the injury is subject to a review. Significant – Injured Person receives medical assessment and/or treatment from a Treating Medical Practitioner (TMP) and receives medical certificate. (Sonic Locations) – Business Unit Leader provides a completed Job Profile of Pre Injury Duties for the Injured Person to take to their medical appointment. – Business Unit Leader provides a copy of the Information for Workers Returning to Work Benefits – Business Unit Leader provides a copy of the Permission to Obtain & Release Medical Information to be signed by the Injured Person. - The injury/illness is managed in accordance with the rest of the Standard.

SECTION 6: Workers’ Compensation Process The primary goal of the Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management legislation is to compensate employees who suffer a workplace injury and support injury management to enable injured/ill employees to return to gainful employment. In summary, the claims management process is as follows; 1) An injured person intending to make a claim for compensation must complete a Workers’ Compensation Claim Form and obtain a First Medical Certificate from the treating medical practitioner. 2) The injured person should submit the First Medical Certificate and Workers’ Compensation Claim Form to their Business Unit Leader as soon as practicable.   3) GA complete the ‘Employer Details’ Section on the Form and forward all documentation to the insurer within 5 working days or receipt from the injured person. 4) Insurer will then assess the claim and make a decision regarding liability within 14 days of receiving the documents. 5) Insurer will notify GA and the worker in writing of its decision within 14 days to either: Accept liability; or Deny liability; or Advise that more time is required to make a decision. 6) If liability is accepted, all relevant accounts and requests for wage reimbursements should be sent promptly to the insurer for payment. 7) Insurer will keep in regular contact with the employer and injured worker to facilitate a prompt recovery and return to work. Assistance maybe sought from specialist providers, such as occupational rehabilitation experts or medical professionals. 8) Worker is certified fit for work with no ongoing treatment. All final accounts / wage reimbursements sent to the insurer for payment. 9) Insurer closes the claim. Note: Organisation can be fined for not following procedure

Return to Work (RTW) hierarchy: SECTION 7: Return to Work Plan Process A Return to Work Plan Template will be developed as soon as practicable after the treating doctor provides in writing the need for a RTWP; or signs a medical certificate to the effect that the employee has a partial capacity for work. The RTWP will comply with the medical restrictions provided by the treating doctor. The RTWP is a legal document and will be documented in writing; signed by the employee and supervisor; and saved to the employee’s file. Note; GA can be fined for not complying with this requirement. Return to Work (RTW) hierarchy: When someone is injured, the RTW goal comes from this hierarchy and is determined by medical opinion Further down the RTW hierarchy we go, the less likely people are to achieve the RTW goal after an injury and are at risk of becoming unemployed The more expensive claims also become and are at a greater cost to the organisation Unemployment is associated with worse, physical, emotional and functional health in both men and women Greening Australia is committed to offering suitable duties as part of a return to work program but it is not able to provide suitable duties indefinitely Return to same position within Greening Australia Return to new position within Greening Australia Return to a position within another organisation

SECTION 7: Return to Work Plan Process Factors Affecting Return to Work General Practitioner management of injury Medical Provider National Work locations Job Profile of Pre Injury Duties taken to Dr Biophysical factors: Pain perception, beliefs, behaviours, passive role in recovery, unsupportive workplace, compensation system factors, financial issues, social support, mental health factors Availability of modified duties GA accommodates alternative, modified or restricted duties (suitable duties) where possible Injured person’s attitude to work GA Information for Workers Returning to Work Benefits Manager involvement in return to work (Take active management and interest in their welfare and recovery) Sonic Locations

SECTION 8: Psychosocial Claims Psychological claims at the organisation can rise from management of performance and behaviour. To assist you please ensure that you undertake any management actions with the support and advice of People & Culture. Documentation of meetings and actions taken is essential. Ensure that any management of performance and behaviour issues is done in conjunction with P&C and that guidelines and procedures are followed Ensure that you document your conversations with employees and any efforts you have made to assist the employee Consider if your actions would be considered to be fair and reasonable by others Consider confidentiality and sensitive issues, in reporting and discussing claims If a claim is lodged then documentation can assist to tell the employers side of the story with factual evidence. Claims of this nature are usually fully investigated by the insurer with external legal advice from experts in the area of Workers Compensation. The process of determining liability can take between 3-8 months. If an employers conduct is shown to be harsh and unreasonable then psychological claims will be successful in establishing liability. These types of claims are very expensive and do not often have a successful outcome.

Copy Available online & in the Standard

SECTION 9: Multiple Choice Quiz – Question 1 www.greeningaustralia.org.au

SECTION 9: Multiple Choice Quiz – Question 2 www.greeningaustralia.org.au

SECTION 9: Multiple Choice Quiz – Question 3 www.greeningaustralia.org.au

SECTION 9: Multiple Choice Quiz – Question 4 www.greeningaustralia.org.au

SECTION 9: Multiple Choice Quiz – Question 5 www.greeningaustralia.org.au

SECTION 9: Multiple Choice Quiz – Question 6 www.greeningaustralia.org.au

SECTION 9: Multiple Choice Quiz – Question 7 www.greeningaustralia.org.au

End - For More Information For more information please refer to the WHS Shed; Injury Management here: WHS Home Shed Page www.greeningaustralia.org.au