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JUST CLOCKING ON IS NOT ON Safe, decent work for injured workers

Some employers are getting injured workers back to work, at any cost. Just to make their Lost Time Injury Frequency Rates look good.

If you are injured or made ill through work, you have a right

• to return to safe decent, meaningful work.
• to attend the doctor of your choice. (This is a fundamental human right and if anyone wishes to take away this right they must make an application to the courts to do so).

Employers can send you to their doctor for an opinion during the workers compensation process but you have the right to choose your own treating doctor.

Employers have an obligation to follow the recommendations of treating doctors.

Suitable duties need to be agreed between the treating doctor, the injured person and the workplace.

People on return to work programs:

• must not be treated differently from other workers
• have the right to choose their own treating doctor
• must be provided with work, according to the requirements of the medical certificate
• suitable work, means meaningful work, not just clocking on
• need treating doctors approval, if the duties are to be changed.

It is important that injured members report to their delegates and/or H&S Reps whenever:

• there is an accident or near miss, it must be recorded in the accident report book
• you are not provided with suitable duties (clocking on is not a suitable duty)
• your treating doctor is contacted without your consent.

Delegates and Health & Safety Reps should be involved in discussions regarding return to work programs (in S.A. H&S Reps have this right under health and safety law).

[in pdf format]

Deb Vallance
National OHS Co-ordinator Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union

HAZARDS MAGAZINE   •  WORKERS' HEALTH INTERNATIONAL NEWS