Chapter 35: Mitigation: Health Impacts
Abstract
Although the activities of injury management, claims management and return to work may not be core activities for generalist Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) professionals, knowledge of key health mitigation principles is required to minimise the impact of work related injury, ill health and disease on individuals and organisations. This chapter discusses the importance of: exposure monitoring and health surveillance; early notification of ‘near misses,’ injury or disease; early provision of first aid and quality medical care; compensation for work-related injury and management of the impacts of being in the ‘compensation system;’ ‘stay at work’ or ‘early return to work;’ workplace support for the recovery process of injured workers; and appropriate management of any workplace fatality.
Keywords: health, injury, first aid, return to work, compensation, biological monitoring, health surveillance, occupational physician
First year of publication: 2012
Current Version: 2019
Chapter 35: Mitigation: Health Impacts
Table of contents
| 1 | Introduction |
| 2 | Historical perspective |
| 3 | Key concepts in workplace health mitigation |
| 3.1 | Monitoring as part of mitigating health impacts |
| 3.2 | Early notification of ‘near misses,’ injury or disease |
| 3.3 | Early provision of skilled first aid |
| 3.4 | Early provision of quality medical care where indicated |
| 3.5 | Compensation for work-related injury |
| 3.6 | ‘Stay at work’ or ‘early return to work’ for early recovery |
| 3.7 | Workplace support for the recovery process of an injured worker |
| 3.8 | Management of the workplace fatality |
| 4 | Implications for OHS practice |
| 5 | Summary |
| References |
Expert Advisors
Kevin Sleigh, Consultant Occupational & Environmental Physician
Melinda Miller, ANZSOM President; Consultant Health and Wellbeing Specialist
Sandra Code, Work Health & Safety Consultant (Practically Safe)
Fiona Landgren, Independent consultant
Content Editor
Pam Pryor AO, Manager, OHS Body of Knowledge Development , Australian Institute of Health and Safety
Learning Outcomes: Mitigation: Health impacts
The OHS Body of Knowledge takes a conceptual approach which enables it to be applied in different contexts and frameworks. To optimise its value for education and professional development learning outcomes have been developed for each technical chapter in the Body of Knowledge.
The learning outcomes as described give an indication of what should be the capabilities of a new graduate OHS professional in the workplace. I t is up to those developing OHS education programs, OHS professionals planning their CPD or recruiters or employers selecting or developing people for the OHS function to consider the required breadth vs. depth
Webinars
AIHS Webinar: Implementing and Evaluating Injury Management Programs
Presented in partnership with the Personal injury Education Foundation and looks at the rationale for injury management programs and the process for establishing and evaluating such programs.
Date: 2017
Presenter: Manisha Bhargva
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJtOgq0_7SM
AIHS Webinar: Developing Return to Work & Health Strategies
Presented in partnership with the Personal injury Education Foundation this webinar looks at planning for RTW programs, the components of an RTW program and delivering RTW.
Date: 2017
Presenter: Jeanette Kinahan
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp7_cvvkXuM&t=7s
AIHS Webinar: Managing Complex Return to Work Cases
Presented in partnership with the Personal injury Education Foundation this webinar looks at complexity in RTW, the factors that may RTW difficult, and identifying and resolving conflict and disputes in RTW.
Date: 2017
Presenter: Jeanette Kinahan
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn9FurCzcAc
Podcast
3M Science of Safety Podcast
Discusses workplace health monitoring and why it is important.
Date: 2020
Presenter: Jeanette Kinahan
Source: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cDovLzNtc2NpZW5jZW9mc2FmZXR5LmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz&episode=NDcxYzMyYTctYTk3ZC00OTE3LTk3NWYtNTk5NTI1NTQzMGQz&hl=en-AU&ved=2ahUKEwi95OfditznAhUEfSsKHT1NCvkQjrkEegQICxAE&ep=6
Articles
SWA: Support for families following an industrial death
National Principles
Date: 2021
Source: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cDovLzNtc2NpZW5jZW9mc2FmZXR5LmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz&episode=NDcxYzMyYTctYTk3ZC00OTE3LTk3NWYtNTk5NTI1NTQzMGQz&hl=en-AU&ved=2ahUKEwi95OfditznAhUEfSsKHT1NCvkQjrkEegQICxAE&ep=6