Of the 497,300 who experienced a work-related injury or illness in 2021-22, two out of three had some time off work.
Safe Work Australia defines an LTI as “an occurrence that resulted in a fatality, permanent disability or time lost from work of one day/shift or more. This includes injuries resulting in fatality or permanent disability.” In this article we take you through the common causes for LTIs, and provide some practical strategies for reducing them.
Lost time injuries (LTIs) contribute greatly to counter-productivity in many Australian businesses. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics close to half a million Australians had a work-related injury or illness in the financial year 2021-22.
Of the 497,300 who experienced a work-related injury or illness in 2021-22, two out of three (66%) had some time off work:
- 10% took off part of a day or shift.
- 36% took one to four days off.
- 17% took five to ten days off.
- 34% took more than ten days off.
- 4% had not returned to work since the injury or illness occurred.
Of those injured workers that took time off work in 2017–18, 48 per cent took five or more days off work, or had not returned to work.
Safe Work Australia performed an analysis based on compensation data from 2012–13. It estimated that incidents resulting in at least one shift of time lost cost businesses $3.1 billion. When workers’ compensation premiums were included in the calculation, this estimate rose to $11.5 billion.
What can be done?
There are many strategies that can be implemented to help reduce the risk of lost-time injuries occurring in the workplace.
1. Create a Safety Culture
Creating a positive safety culture should be a top priority of all workplaces. To nurture a safety culture, WorkSafe QLD recommends:
- Communicating company values and expected behaviour.
- Increasing hazard/risk awareness behaviours
- Effective implementation of safety management systems
- Fostering positive safety attitudes and behaviours
2. Assess regularly
Perform regular risk assessments. When new machinery is implemented, a new worker is introduced, or procedures are changed, a new assessment should be performed.
Perform task analysis and document the inherent requirements of tasks. This can help to ensure that workers have the capacity to meet all inherent requirements of a job.
Up to date task analysis can also help guide recommendations for return to work and alternate duties.
3. Personal protection equipment
Personal protection equipment (PPE) should only be used as a supplement to higher-level control measures, but it is still important to consider.
Investing in good quality equipment can significantly reduce the risk or severity of injuries. In some studies, providing appropriate PPE and training, can reduce the incidence of some injuries by up to 60 per cent.
“Providing appropriate PPE and training, can reduce the incidence of some injuries by up to 60 per cent.”
4. Train and Educate
Training and education for the workforce is essential to ensure they adhere to safe work practices. Topics can include the following:
- Company expectations and rules regarding health and safety
- Risk/hazard identification and reporting
- Harm minimisation strategies
- Task-specific training and induction programs.
Workplace healthcare providers can help address these concerns by providing lifestyle advice and health coaching, to reduce the impact that many preventable lifestyle factors can have on a worker.
5. Injury Management
Ensure there is an effective injury prevention and management program in place. This could be in the form of an early intervention program. The goal is to act early to minimise the impact and duration of injuries or illness.
Overall, effective programs have been shown to deliver a five-fold return on investment. Early intervention programs have been found to improve recovery outcomes and allow employees to remain at work. It has also been shown to reduce the length of time employees are away from work and reduce the likelihood of further absenteeism.
For employers and the workplace, effective early intervention programs have been found to foster a productive and supportive work environment, increase the likelihood of return to work and in the long term, reduce the cost of premiums.
If you would like assistance with injury management and prevention, our onsite services are a great way to reduce the risk of lost-time injuries affecting your workforce. You can also download our posters which have tips on creating a safety culture.