OHSE 029

Managing injuries and return-to-work

Lobel Services actively manages the return-to-work of any employee who is injured.

Our commitment:

We are committed to ensuring that injured employees return to work. As part of this commitment, we will:

• • provide a safe and healthy working environment;

  • participate in the development of an injury management plan and ensure that injury management commences as soon as possible after an employee is injured;

  • support the injured employee and ensure that early return to work is a normal expectation;

  • provide suitable duties for an injured employee as soon as possible;

  • ensure that our injured employees (and anyone representing them) are aware of their rights and responsibilities – including the right to choose their own doctor and rehabilitation provider, and the responsibility to provide accurate information about the injury and its cause;

  • consult with our employees and, where applicable, unions to ensure that the return-to-work program operates as smoothly as possible;

  • maintain the confidentiality of injured employee’s records; and

  • not dismiss an employee as a result of a work related injury within six months of becoming unfit for employment.

Procedures:

To support the above, we have the following procedures.

Notification of injuries:

• • All injuries must be notified to the Managing Director as soon as possible.

  • All injuries are recorded in the Services Register of Injuries.

  • Our workers' compensation insurance scheme agent is notified, within 48 hours, of any injuries that may require compensation.

Recovery:

• • All injured employees receive appropriate first aid or medical treatment as soon as possible.

  • An injured employee must nominate a treating doctor who will be responsible for the medical management of the injury and assist in planning return to work.

Return-to-work:

• • A suitably-qualified person will be deployed to explain the return to work process to the injured employee.

  • If it becomes evident that an injured employee is not likely to resume pre-injury duties, or cannot do so without changes to the Project workplace or work practices, we will make representation to our workers'compensation insurance scheme agent to provide the injured employee with the assistance of a WorkCover-accredited rehabilitation adviser.

Suitable duties:

• • When an injured employee, according to medical advice, is capable of returning to work, a bespoke return-to-work plan will be developed .

  • The injured employee will be provided with suitable duties that are consistent with medical advice and are meaningful, productive and appropriate to the injured employee’s physical and psychological condition.

  • Depending on the individual circumstances of the injured employee, suitable duties may be at the same workplace or a different workplace, the same job with different hours or modified duties, a different job and may involve full-time or part-time hours.

Dispute resolution:

• • If disagreements about the return-to-work program or suitable duties arise, we will work with the injured employee (and their union representative if applicable) in an attempt to resolve the dispute.

  • If all parties are unable to resolve the dispute, the organization will seek to involve the workers' compensation insurance scheme agent, an accredited rehabilitation advisor, the treating doctor and/or an injury management consultant.

Contacts:

The contact details for Lobel Services Workers' Compensation Insurance scheme are:

Underwriter: QBE Insurance

Policy Number: PE1950480GWC