THE economic cost of work-related injury and illness to the Australian economy is more than $60 billion a year.
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In its most recent report Safe Work Australia estimated the cost in 2012-13 at $61.8 billion, which was 4.1 per cent of GDP.
Border-based Rehabilitation Outcomes director Brad Stevens said Safe Work Australia found that for every dollar saved in direct workers’ compensation costs, it spared the community $4 in extra costs such as carer’s leave.
“We know the impact of getting people back to work is dramatic,” he said.
“Rates of depression and suicide are alarmingly high for workers who are out of work.”
Since 2002, Rehabilitation Outcomes has helped 3000 people return to work in Albury-Wodonga, Wagga, Wangaratta and as far as Deniliquin.
Rehabilitation Outcomes Job Placement and HR consultant Nell Showers said they worked with people whose worlds had been turned upside down through injury.
“It’s a real shock to many people who injure themselves at work, and are trying to get back to their original role, as they are confronted with issues of identity, finances, physical and mental health,” she said.
“Sometimes getting a worker back to their original role isn’t possible so the New Employment Services team works with them to establish transferable skills into another industry, retraining and job seeking skills.”
Ms Showers said swapping careers midway through a person’s life could be challenging but still have a good outcome.
“I’ve seen people transition from retail to working in a mechanic workshop, from home care to becoming a pharmacy assistant or in hospitality and a delivery driver to full-time work as a traffic controller,” she said.
Mr Stevens said injured workers needed more than treatment to return to meaningful work.
“We understand their capacity for work and we understand their transferable skills,” he said.
“We connect the dots to help people find work; our physiotherapists and occupational therapists help people because treatment isn’t enough - they talk to supervisors and make sure it’s working.”