2 important things to remember when managing work related injuries & illnesses?
How does your business manage non-work-related injuries and illnesses- Well, poorly or not at all?
I have become involved in the management of many non-work related injuries or illnesses after things have taken a turn for the worst. Because many employers do not have policies or processes for the management of these injuries or illnesses, on any given day they could have numerous employees who are restricted in their capacity to perform their job.
Why is this an issue? Those employees who are suffering from non-work related injuries or illnesses are owed the same duty of care in relation to their health and safety at work as everyone else. This extends to ensuring that they do not aggravate or exacerbate said injuries or illnesses whilst in the workplace. When this happens you can end up with a workers compensation claim even though the original ailment was nothing to do with work.
Sometimes businesses think they are managing non-work related injuries and illnesses well when they are not. Two common approaches I encounter are a) The one size fits all approach of ‘stay away until you are recovered, and b) the ‘you can come back to work when you have a clearance’ approach.
Approach a) fails to recognize that in many cases employees with injuries and illnesses can safely return to work performing modified or suitable duties, and approach b) is particularly problematic in that it often results in employees who are quite clearly restricted from performing their usual duties presenting at work exactly as per the request- with a clearance.
The above scenario then poses a problem in terms of management. Should you send the person home or back to their doctor, or should you take a guess at what the person’s medical restrictions might be and prepare a suitable duties plan? When there is no clear medical advice or guidance on what the employee can or cannot do it can be difficult and sometimes impossible to find appropriate and safe duties for them. Without this information, the risk of the person sustaining an aggravation or exacerbation at work remains uncontrolled.
So what can you do to manage the risk of work-related aggravation of non-work related injuries and illnesses? The key is having a workplace culture which promotes open dialogue on these matters and has clear processes for managing them, so employees are not afraid to report these injuries or illnesses in the first place and managers and supervisors understand what they should do.
Secondly, the way you respond to reports of illnesses and injuries should keep in mind that the safety of an employee at work is the highest priority. I always discourage use of the term ‘clearance’ when speaking with injured or ill employees or their treating practitioners as it more often than not confuses matters and prevents more useful information being shared. Where necessary clarification and further information about the injured or ill employee’s capacity for work should be sought, rather than taking chances which could result in disastrous consequences for employee and employer.
At HR Business Direction we are able to assist with managing non-work-related illnesses and injuries in the workplace. Contact us here.
Christina Willcox MHSc; PostGradDip OHS; BBus(HRM)
Workplace Health & Safety Specialist
christina.willcox@hrbd.com.au
07 3890 2066
www.hrbd.com.au
