Articles

Work-related injuries can cost companies thousands to millions of dollars each year in insurance premiums, lost time, retraining and lost productivity. There were 142,542 major employment injuries in NSW in the 2007/2008 year¹ – that is fourteen in every one thousand employees being injured.

The risk of workplace injuries can be minimised through the use of comprehensive injury prevention programs, such as injury prevention clinics. A strong injury prevention clinic aids in identifying concerns (both work-related and individual) before they develop into serious issues. Injury prevention programs have been shown to improve productivity, employee relations and staff morale, increase staff retention and health awareness, and reduce overall worker’s compensation costs². For every $1 that is invested in workplace wellness, a company receives approx. $5.80 worth of savings^2,3

Actevate offers comprehensive on-site workplace injury prevention clinics. The clinics are customised to address the specific needs of each client. Today’s workers do not respond particularly well to rehearsed talks or presentations, so Actevate’s clinics are run in the format of one-on-one assessments with employees, and are generally 15-20 minutes in length, depending on the requirements of the assessment.

Actevate’s standard health assessment involves postural assessment, muscular flexibility/range of movement, manual-handling technique/training, blood pressure, lung function and strength tests. Numerous additional assessments, such as ECG, fitness and blood analysis, are also available. Employees then attend a follow-up session, where they receive a report outlining their results, discussion surrounding these results, and a prescription of stretches and/or exercises to address any identified concerns. I endeavour to make each and every employee feel comfortable in the assessment, and trust me enough to be honest about any concerns or questions. In a recent clinic with Grays Online, 40 year old Dinesh reported suffering from regular lower back pain.

Actevate was able to educate Dinesh on  the mechanisms of his pain, and prescribed him a number of stretches and core strengthening exercises to improve his symptoms. The individual employee results are treated as confidential, to ensure full disclosure from the participants, however the employer is provided with a corporate report, outlining general results and a health profile of their employees. Actevate is able to conduct ongoing ‘check-up’ clinic sessions to address and monitor ongoing behavioural and health changes.

Actevate has conducted Injury Prevention Programs with numerous small and large businesses. One such business is Grays Online. Grays Online employees have reported improved workplace relations and increased feelings of support and appreciation from their employer as a result of the clinic, and in turn, management/supervisors have reported a noticeable improvement in staff attitudes. With each and every clinic, we strive to deliver the best possible results for everyone involved.

If you would like any further information on Actevate’s Injury Prevention Clinics please visit the Actevate website or phone (02) 9222 7400.
Nicola MacCue - Exercise Physiologist

Note:
1 – WorkCover NSW Annual Report 2008/2009 – available from www.workcover.nsw.gov.au.
2 – Chapman, L.S. (2007) Proof Positive: An Analysis of the Cost Effectiveness of Worksite Wellness. Seattle, WA: Chapman Institute.
3 – Balcker, K., Cutler, D. & Song, Z. (2010) Workplace Wellness Programs Can Generate Savings. Health Affairs, Feb. 2010, 29(2).