Return to Work Matters - Links Information

RTW Management

Returning to work. - The CentriX Method
A Canadian disability management and rehabilitation service company suggests an approach to understanding work related disability based on a worker's attitudes and beliefs about illness, injury and disability.

“You cannot solve the same problem with the same thinking that created It.” – Albert Einstein

First understand the thinking. The article then provides information on the 'Six Principles of Ethical Influence'

WORK & HEALTH (UK – Waddell and Burton)
Changing how we think about common health problems in healthcare, the workplace and in society. 'Work is generally good for health and well-being'Executive summary of publication changing how we think about common health problems in healthcare, the workplace and in society. 'Work is generally good for health and well-being'

Facilitators and Barriers to Return to Work: A Literature Review (Australia – ReturntoWorkSA)
Work disability and return-to-work are multi-determined outcomes that cannot be accurately predicted just from knowledge of the medical or physical dimensions of the injury or condition.

Managing sickness absence & return to work in small businesses
(UK – Health & Safety Executive)
A concise guide on how to help those off sick return to work.

Managing sickness absence and return to work (UK)
Developed as part of the UK Better Backs Campaign, contains useful info on managing workers with back problems.

Reducing Disability Days: Healing More Than The Injury (US – Dr Jennifer Christian, webility.md )
A comprehensive article about medically unnecessary disability and the interplay of the non medical features that result in lost productive time. The article describes these features and offers pointers to overcome them.

Are People with Disability at Risk at Work - A Review of the Evidence (Australia – Safety and Compensation Council)
This report shows that workers with a disability are not an increased occupational health and safety risk. Workers with a disability have on average, a lower number of OHS incidents and lower workers’ compensation costs. Contrary to common perceptions by employers that people with disability pose an increased OHS risk, this research shows that the opposite is true.

A Guide for Managing Return to Work
(Canada -Human Rights Commission)
An excellent 3 part guide. Part 1 Key Legal Principles. Part 2 Step-by-step Guidelines for Managing the Return to Work and Part 3 Case Studies contain universally useful information and handy tips for managing return to work.

Overview of the American guideline for the prevention of work disability (US – Dr Jennifer Christian)
By Lead Author Dr Jennifer Christian. The document addresses: The ill or injured individual’s personal adjustment (coping) process. The medical care process. The benefits administration process. The reasonable accommodation process under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Concepts of Rehabilitation for the Management of Common Health Problems (UK – Waddell & Burton)
'The stereotype of disability is a severe medical condition with objective evidence of disease and permanent physical or mental impairment.... In fact, most sickness absence and long-term incapacity for work and premature retirement on medical grounds are now caused by less severe conditions.' This report by Gordon Waddell and A Kim Burton for the Department for Work and Pensions, UK reviews the evidence and offers conclusion on the best rehabilitation approaches.

INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYEES

The Workplace

Trust Rules: The Most Important Secret about Trust
Excellent mature article on Trust. If trust is damaged it can effect an employees work productivity or an employer’s confidence in their workers. The article looks at research done in the area of trust in working relationships and provides practical advice and tips on how to develop or re-establish trust in the workplace. About.com – Human Resources.

Culture: Your Environment for People at Work
An overview of workplace culture, the underlying fabric within which partnership is created. What it is, how it is created, how it can be changed. Additional links lead to related articles.

Do your employees trust you?
For employees returning to work trust is vital to success. This article asks does trust matter? How do you find out if you are trusted? About.com management section.

Top 10 Ideas About What Employees Want From Work
Ideas to help you fulfill what people want from work and create employee motivation. This is an interesting page with useful information, some of which may be useful in RTW contexts.

Betrayal of Trust
How to let go and move on when someone you trusted burns you bad. This article from a Teen Advice page has three points of advice that may be useful in some contexts for dealing with a breakdown in trust.

Trust information sheet
Here are ten important things about trust. Use them personally or give to someone who has trust issues. Written for teenagers, but accurate at any age. About.com – Teen Advice section.

How to demonstrate respect at work
This article from About.com, Human Resources section lists ten simple actions on respect for others in the work place. For employees with work related injuries, employers can demonstrate respect to them by including their ideas on how to change and improve the workplace.

Play Well With Others - Develop Effective Work Relationships
Seven ways you can play well with other at work. The key points of these techniques are communication and cooperation. From About.com- Human Resources section.

Headsup (Australia – Supporting small businesses)
Beyond Blue has developed a guide to help you support the small business owners you know or work with.

ERGONOMICS

Ergonomics (Canada – Centre for Occupational Health & Safety)
Comprehensive range of articles and resources on ergonomics in different work contexts. From manual handling, to hand tools, to offices

An ergonomics check list for desk workers (US – Ankrum Associates)
Things to look for in posture and activities and remedial solutions.

Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders (US – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
A resource list containing an extensive list of programs, guides and interventions.

Safe Computing Tips.com (US)
Range of article on computer use and ergonomic issues, includes articles on laptops and information on some musculoskeletal injuries e.g. RSI, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Cornell University Ergonomics Web (US)
Information from research studies and class work by students and faculty in the Cornell Human Factors and Ergonomics Research Group directed by Professor Alan Hedge, focuses on ways to enhance usability by improving the ergonomic design of hardware, software, and workplaces, to enhance people's comfort, performance and health.

How to make your computer workstation fit you (Canada – WorkSafe BC)
A guide to arranging your computer workstation so it works for you. Includes information on layout, lighting and posture.

How to sit at a computer (Ergonomics in Australia)
Useful advice from desk workers covering how to sit, the keyboard, screen, pauses and breaks

Elements of Ergonomics Programs (US – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
A primer describing the basic elements of a workplace ergonomics program, based on workplace evaluations of a wide range of work settings.

Office Ergonomics Tips (US – Barbre Ergonomics)
Printable two page guide for adjusting a workstation

A Guide to Selecting Non-Powered Hand Tools (US – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
A guide to help employers and workers identify non-powered hand tools that are less likely to cause injury, those that can be used effectively with less force, less repeated movement, and less awkward positioning of the body.

PREVENTION MUSCULOSKELETAL PROBLEMS

HabitAtWork
A browser based self assessment and exercise tool for both office and industrial environments.

BeUpstanding (Australia)
One of the biggest factors impacting your health when working from home is prolonged sitting. BeUpstanding is a FREE health program for teams working from home or in the workplace.

Literature Review - Research on the prevention of work related musculoskeletal disorders (Australia – Safety and Compensation Council)
Summarises literature and other evidence on: the main physical hazards, psychosocial hazards for the main mechanisms of manual handling reported in the National Data Set; recommended hazard identification and risk assessment tools and practices; management practices to reduce the risk of WMSD; and evidence concerning real or perceived barriers to the implementation of risk assessment and control measures.

AGING WORKFORCE

Safe and Healthy – A guide to Managing an Aging Workforce (Canada – Work Safe Alberta)
This book is for employers who are interested in learning more about health and safety issues as they apply to older workers.

SUPERVISORS

Video - Supervisor's response to work injury matters (Canada – IWH)
A research-based video from Institute for Work & Health (IWH) summarising how a supervisor’s response can make a difference to the successful return to work of an injured worker.

Managing injury and supporting return to work: a training package for supervisors (Australia – Return to Work Matters)
Injured workers who feel supported by their supervisors return to work sooner. This online training program is designed to teach supervisors the skills, knowledge and behaviours that promote return to work.

WORK FROM HOME

Working from home - A guide for employers (Comcare)
This publication provides a range of ways managers can help employees overcome the challenges associated with working from home. Set your team up for success .

Working from home - A guide for employees (Comcare)
Many Australians are working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. This flyer provides simple steps employees can take to make working from home a productive and healthy experience.

Working from home checklist (Comcare)
Comcare's working from home checklist provides employers and workers with minimal guidance and measures on how they can meet their respective work health and safety obligations

Looking after your mental health - fact sheets (Comcare)
The mental health of workers either directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19 is an important consideration. Comcare provides resources and practical tips to help people struggling to deal with feelings of uncertainty, stress and anxiety, and other may be adjusting to self-isolation or working from home

Medical Issues

Indahl Interview (Norway – Aage Indahl interviewed by Mary Wyatt)
Norwegian physician Aage Indahl explains how he informs his patients about back pain, and encourages them to get active. This video provides key information for back pain patients, and has now resulted in major reduction in disability in a number of studies. Requires Quicktime

BackCare, The Charity for Healthier Backs (US)
Information for employees, employers, job seekers, line managers, healthcare providers plus case studies

BackWorks (UK – Health & Safety Executive)
Managing back pain in the workplace, a leaflet for employers and workers in small businesses

Back pain - Help yourself (Australia - ResWorks)
A free mobile phone app on iTunes that provides written information and videos to help those experiencing back pain to manage their condition.

Occupational Health Guidelines for the Management of Low Back Pain (UK – Waddell & Burton, Faculty of Occupational Medicine)
UK guidelines that focus on back pain and work, including prevention, management and work activities.

Guidelines for the evidence-informed primary care management of low back pain (Canada - National Pain Centre)
Recommendations systematically developed to assist practitioner and patient decisions about health care for low back pain.

New Zealand Acute Low Back Pain Guide, Incorporating the Guide to Assessing Psychosocial Yellow Flags in Acute Low Back Pain (NZ – New Zealand Guidelines Group)
Provides a best practice approach and an overview of risk factors for long-term disability and work loss, and an outline of methods to assess these.

Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management (UK - NICE)
This guideline covers physical, psychological, pharmacological and surgical treatments to help people manage their low back pain.

Non-specific lower back pain in adults (UK - Patient)
A comprehensive article that enables sufferers of lower back pain to understand their condition, providing information on its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

Low back pain guidelines (Australia - University of SA)
An evidence-based clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar disc herniation with radiculopathy.

Patient information sheets (UK - Sheffield Back Pain)
A collection of information sheets and leaflets for patients to download covering back pain, care and treatment, including sciatica.

Low back pain: clinical practice guidelines linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health from the Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. (USA - AHRQ)
Guidelines that provide major recommendations and provides gradings on the strength of the evidence.

Neck

Whiplash injury recovery (Australia - Queensland Government)
Based on clinical trials and research, this self help guide aims to aid the recovery of people with a whiplash injury.

Clinical guidelines for best practice management of acute and chronic whiplash-associated disorders (Australia - TRACsa)
Recommendations and treatment guidelines for optimal management of those experiencing acute or chronic neck pain following a vehicle collision or other accident.

Australian clinical practice guidelines (Australian Government)
Guidelines and recommendations for the management of acute whiplash associated disorders for health professionals.

Whiplash (Australia - Recover Injury Research Centre)
Information portal covering the diagnosis, symptoms and treatment of whiplash injuries.

General Musculoskeletal

Occupational Health Toolkit – Musculoskeletal disorders (UK, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health)
A comprehensive best practice toolkit drawn from worldwide resources – Glossary, Training, Prevention action, early intervention, rehabilitation.

Arthritis Australia
The peak arthritis organisation in Australia. Information, brochures and fact sheets, resources, clinical trials on arthritis

Versus Athritis (UK)
Reports on rheumatic conditions intended to provide succinct and practical advice for general practitioners and hospital doctors about the diagnosis and management of common rheumatic conditions.

Improved evidence-based management of acute musculoskeletal pain (Australia – Jager and Ahern, Medical Journal of Australia)
Article on the Guidelines for the Evidence Based Management of Acute Musculoskeletal Pain by the National Health and Medical Research Council. How can we use the guidelines? Are the guidelines unique? How good is the evidence?

Arm

Management of upper limb disorders and the biopsychosocial model (UK – Health and Safety Executive)
This review uses a best evidence synthesis to examine the evidence on management strategies for work-relevant upper limb disorders and establish the extent to which the biopsychosocial model can be applied.

Leg

The diagnosis and management of soft tissue knee injuries: internal derangements. (NZ – Guidelines Group)
Practical guideline for doctors, covering diagnosis, use of x-ray, management, referral, rehabilitation and post operative management.

PAIN

Chronic Pain Australia
Australian site providing information for people experiencing pain, as well those caring for them and health care professionals.

Australian Pain Management Association (Australia)
The Australian Pain Management Association exists to help people living with persistent pain be empowered and connected in a community of like-minded people. It’s website has fact sheets, stories from people with lived experience of pain, a helpline that offers support to people distressed by living with unrelieved pain and pain support groups.

Empowered beyond pain podcast (Australia)
This podcast by Body Logic Physiotherapy talks to world-leading researchers, clinicians and patients who deal with pain conditions. It aims to make sense of pain science for the layperson and empower clinicians to provide the best care for people in pain. Each episode has practical tips and insights to help increase your understanding and shift your behaviours to live beyond pain.

Self-care guides (UK)
This website belongs to the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. It provides information and resources about self-care for back pain and injuries. Their self-care guides offer advice and tips on how to self-manage your symptoms and when it may be important to seek healthcare.

Tell me about your pain
Host Alan Gordon and Alon Ziv discuss the science behind the ‘pain-fear cycle’ and speak with real chronic pain sufferers to help listeners overcome obstacles to healing through evidence-based techniques.

The pain management guidebook
This guidebook was created by Matt Del Brocco from The Honest Physio. In it, healthcare professionals ‘guide you during your pain journey and allow you to 'fly solo' rather than being a passenger along the way.’ It’s designed as a tool to be used alongside working with clinicians to create your own self-management plan.

Joint Action (Australia)
Joint Action is hosted by Professor David Hunter, an expert in the field of osteoarthritis. Join David as he interviews the world's leading experts in the field talk about how people with osteoarthritis can increase their knowledge about how to manage the condition.

Musculoskeletal Australia
Musculoskeletal Australia is a consumer organisation that works with, and advocates for, people with arthritis, osteoporosis, back pain and other conditions. On its website you can find a Pain guide that gives you ideas to try to manage your pain.

Pain Concern (UK)
A registered charity (UK) offering information and support for people who live with pain. We campaign on pain issues, provide a helpline for pain sufferers, a quarterly Pain Matters magazine, a forum and free leaflets to help people manage their pain

Position papers on pain
The Australian Pain Society has a series of evidence based position papers on the management of pain problems.

Pain-ed.com
Pain-ed.com provides education and resources (including videos) for healthcare professionals and the general public about managing musculoskeletal pain. It covers a wide range of topics on different types of pain, musculoskeletal pain and provides self-management strategies to help people better manage their pain and improve their overall quality of life.

PainScience.com (Canada)
PainScience.com provides information about pain and pain management, including the science of pain, common pain conditions and various treatment and self-management options. It has in-depth articles, research summaries and educational resources for both healthcare professionals and the general public.

Acute (short term) pain

Acute pain management: scientific evidence (Aust/NZ - ANZCA)
The Faculty of Pain Medicine, provides guidelines for and principles of acute pain management. (2020)

Chronic (long term) pain

Chronic pain (Australia - NPS Medicinewise)
An article that features definitions of chronic pain, discusses the role of opioids - the evidence, implications of tolerance, risks involved and possible complications.

Pain HEALTH (Australia - WA Gov)
PainHEALTH was developed by the Department of Health, Western Australia, in collaboration with Curtin University, the University of Western Australia and the Musculoskeletal Health Network. It aims help people living with musculoskeletal pain manage their pain, health and wellbeing with clinically supported information, tips, support and personal stories.

MyJointPain (Australia - Arthritis Australia)
This Australian website provides information and support for people with joint pain. It has information on causes, diagnosis, treatment options and self-management techniques. It also has an interactive symptom checker and information on local support groups and healthcare professionals.

The Pain Disability Prevention Program (Canadian – PDP Program)
A program administered by Psychologists aimed at disability prevention in people who suffers persistent pain due to injury or illness. The program targets psychosocial risk factors for pain and disability and poses activity as a key to rehabilitation success.

CurableHealth (USA)
Can our thoughts and feelings really affect our physical health? Join the Curable crew as they interview top researchers, best-selling authors and experts about the astonishing ways the mind can affect the body. They also have an App that uses science-backed techniques to relieve chronic pain.

Using opioids in general practice for chronic non-cancer pain (Australia - The Medical Journal of Australia)
An overview of the evidence available on frameworks for considering opioid prescription and ongoing use.

Chronic Pain Management – Treatment Options (Anxiety Treatment Australia)
Overcoming anxiety, depression and anger, relaxation techniques, challenging negative thoughts and beliefs, distraction techniques, pacing techniques, where you can get help.

Chronic Pain (UK – Action of Pain)
Information on chronic pain, Pain Gate Theory, assessment tools, planning tools, medication. This information is free, but site also offers a fee based subscription.

Chronic pain: A self help guide (UK - Mood Juice)
Information on understanding and managing pain for patients, includes goal setting and relaxation techniques.

ACI Pain Management Network (Australia - NSW Gov)
This website provides information and support for people with chronic pain in New South Wales. It offers information on causes, diagnosis, treatment options and self-management techniques. It also provides information on local support groups and healthcare professionals to help people understand and manage their pain.

LivePlanBe
This is a Canadian online self-management tool to help those living with persistent or chronic pain. You can learn about chronic pain, complete pain self-assessments, keep track of symptoms, develop plans for pain management and quality of life, connect with others who live with pain and find the latest in pain research and practical, evidence based resources.

American Chronic Pain Association (USA)
The ACPA offers education in pain management skills to people with pain and their family and friends and health care professionals. The resources and tools help you better understand your pain and work more effectively with your health care team.

Opioid prescription in chronic pain conditions - Guidelines for SA GPs (Australia - SA Government)
Guidelines for GPs that encourage balance between addressing the treatment of pain, while minimising the risks involved.

IASP Guidelines (International Association for the Study of Pain)
Links to guidelines including recommendations for treatment wait-times, pain treatment services and clinical guidelines in the field of pain.

Chronic Pain Australia
User-friendly, research-based information and support for those experiencing chronic pain, put together by volunteers who have experienced pain, as well as researchers and treaters.

Patient education and resources (USA - American Academy of Pain Medicine)
Online videos and tools to help patients learn more about managing their pain.

3 things the drug companies don't want you to know (Australia - SurviveStriveThrive)
This article outlines how you can use your own natural pain-relieving chemicals to take control of your chronic pain.

Tame The Beast
Tame the Beast is a collaboration between pain researcher, Prof. Lorimer Moseley, pain physiotherapist, Dave Moen and professional communicator Sam Chisholm. It aims to give people evidence-based direction to guide their recovery from pain and inspire research-based action in the treatment of chronic pain. Tame the Beast is an animation, a question-and-answer and a podcast series.

The pain toolkit
The Pain Toolkit is a website that provides information and resources to help people better understand and cope with chronic pain and improve their overall quality of life. It includes self-assessment tools, educational materials and guided exercises.

People Issues

RTW Motivation - CentriX Disability Management
'People are always motivated for something.' Don't lament what appears to be an absence of motivation, instead ask yourself “What is this person motivated for?” This is the key to creating change. Includes a formula to explain what return to work motivation is comprised of. Suggests emotion and expectation are important.

Relapse prevention and goal setting.
A Skills for Healthy Living review of a study on how 'participants in a pain management program view achievement of goals' conducted by Guck et al at the University of Nebraska.

Includes links to other articles on Relapse Prevention (link under 'high risk situations'), the rule violation effect, and the SMART goal schema. The study concludes that relapse prevention theory may be beneficial in some circumstances; goal-setting should be relevant to the participants; workers need to be taught to cope with facts that affect return to work goals that are external and uncontrollable.

Top 10 Ideas About What Employees Want From Work
Ideas to help you fulfil what people want from work and create employee motivation. This is an interesting page with useful information, some of which may be useful in RTW contexts.

Motivation is valuable in rehabilitation and return to work
A review of a study on motivation in the work rehabilitation and planning process by Gard and Larsen at Lulea University of Technology Sweden. This article gives perspectives from the employee, employer, treater and insurer viewpoints. From rtwknowledge.org

COMMUNICATION

Managing the relationship with an injured or ill worker during return to work (SWA)
This guide by Safe Work Australia is aimed at small to medium businesses that face complex challenges when their workers become ill or injured. This guide focuses on the most important relationship: the one between the supervisor and the injured or ill worker.

Communicating With Difficult People
One of the greatest challenges for any manager is to handle resistance and difficult people with grace and professionalism. Don't argue, let then vent, repeat back what they say so they know you get it - from Deborah Mackin of The Sideroad website

Five Ways to Influence Change in Others
Understand their perspective, acknowledge it, speak to their interests, recognise natural tendencies, be patient. 'People don't resist change, they resist being changed' – by Kevin Eikenberry - from the Sideroad website.

How to Handle Difficult People
Five choices for dealing with aggression, unsolicited advice, criticism or emotional blackmail. From counsellor Kevin FitzMaurice. Page also links to 25 Interpersonal Relational Styles – communicate better with insight into where individuals are coming from.

Team Development: The Four Stages of a Developing Team
Forming, storming, norming and performing. A well-functioning team is always working on two objectives simultaneously: completing tasks and managing processes. When teams start to experience difficulty, it's typically because the tasks have moved ahead and the processes -- such as communication, role clarity, and decision making -- are breaking down. By Deborah Macklin from The Sideroad.

Communication In Business: Why Bother Communicating?
Use succinct statements, set realistic goals, define priorities and payoffs, make performance expectations understandable, have receptive feedback systems. - useful 1 pager from Deborah Mackin of The Sideroad website.

Dealing with Difficult People Takes Practice
One page article offers a toolbox of advice on communication techniques by Patrick J Donadio, published on AutoInc.org – The American Automotive Service Association.

Improve Your Listening Skills Even When You Don't Want to Listen
Kevin Eikenberry lists the 7 'gets' to improve your listening when it’s hard to do so. Get: curious, a pen, focussed, over it, over yourself, space, practice.

Internal Communications: Identifying Missing Links in Your Systems
Questions to ask your team when it is important to improve communications by Deborah Macklin from The Sideroad

Negotiating Tips: The People Side of Negotiations
The application of 'power', the use of 'time' and the use of 'information'. 'Negotiation is often more about how we interact with people than having a logical, convincing argument' by Deborah Macklin from the Sideroad.

10 tips to help a loved one in pain (Australia - SurviveStriveThrive)
This article provides tips on communication for family members of people managing chronic pain.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

General

Workplace interventions for people with common mental health problems: evidence review and recommendations. (UK – British Occupational Health Research Foundation )
To provide evidence-based answers on mental ill health in the workplace. To assist managers, occupational health professionals and other interested parties in making management decisions and offering advice. To provide employers and occupational health professionals with information to prevent or limit mental health in their workplace, minimise sickness absence and enable workers who experience mental ill health to remain in work, restored to full productivity

Workplace Mental Health (US – Partnership for Mental Health)
Resources, profiles of innovative employer programs and programs, how to information on effective employer approaches to mental health.

Workplace Mental Health Resources (Australia - SuperFriend)
A list of evidence based guides providing simple, practical information to assist improving the mental health of workplaces.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (US – National Assoc of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists)
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do.

Getting Back To Work (Australia – Sane Australia)
Getting back to work when you have a mental illness can be a challenge. This fact sheet covers how to get started. Disclosing illness to an employer. What you can do to stay at work.

Mental Health Foundation (UK)
Resource site includes an A-Z of mental health, strategies and treatments, wide range of downloadable information booklets.

Reasonable adjustments for psychological injuries (Australia - Workplace Health & Safety Queenlsand)
A recorded webcast by Michael O'Hanlon from BeyondBlue on reasonable adjustments that employers can make to support a worker with a psychological injury.

Anxiety

Anxiety - The Facts (Australia – beyondblue)
Types of anxiety disorders, signs and symptoms, risks, treatments, helping yourself, helping others

Depression

Beyondblue (Australia – The National Depression Initiative)
Aims to build a society that understands and responds to the personal and social impact of depression, works to prevent it, and improve the quality of life for every one affected.

The MoodGYM (Australia – Australian National University)
Online training program – for preventing depression. Why you feel the way you do, changing the way you think, changing 'warped' thoughts, knowing what makes you upset, assertiveness and interpersonal skills training.

Heads up (The Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance & Beyondblue)
Heads Up gives individuals and businesses free tools and resources to develop action plans and create mentally healthy workplaces.

Report on the Value of a Screening Program for Depression (US – ACOEM)
Informational report on screening for depression together with recommendations.

WORKPLACE STRESS

Overview

Review of work stress
VicHealth’s in depth review of work stress assesses the impact of work stress on health, and explores ways of managing work stress.

Prevention

Preventing Work-Related Stress a guide for employers (Australia – WorkSafe Victoria)
This guide provides practical advice to help workplaces understand their legal obligations for workplace consultation and the prevention of risks to psychological and physical health that arise from work-related stress.

Using humour to reduce workplace stress
The do’s and don’ts of workplace humour. Humour can help improve the workplace environment, but laughing with not at people is vital.

Management

Best practice in rehabilitating employees following absence due to work-related stress (UK – Health & Safety Executive)
The emphasis of this research is on identifying specific examples of best-practice following absence due to stress-related illness. This provides employers with information on different types of practices, and the evidence of their effectiveness.

System Issues

Comparative Performance Monitoring Report Comparison of occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation schemes in Australia and New Zealand
A comprehensive comparison of occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation schemes in Australia and New Zealand. The report is prepared for the Workplace Relations Ministers’ Council and compares the performance of relevant jurisdictions and notes trends over time. An excellent resource.

The Legal Concept of Work-Related Injury and Disease in Australian OHS and Workers’ Compensation Systems
Written by a research team at the Australian National University, the paper explores the concept of work relatedness, a key threshold for ill or injured workers in many workers’ compensation systems.

Effective Disability Management and Return to Work Practices:
Rehabilitation and return to work policy review using back pain as the case study basis.

Determining What Constitutes An Occupational Disorder: Is the Horse Already Well Out of the Barn Door?
A Canadian paper exploring the complex area of work contribution in work illness and injuries and compensation.

National Workers' Compensation and Occupational Health and Safety Frameworks – Productivity Commission report
2004 major review into the OH&S and compensation systems. The report explores injury management, factors that facilitate recovery and return to work, as well as policy approaches.

The Prevention of Occupational Injuries and Illness: The Role of Economic Incentives
Written by a research team at the Australian National University, the paper explores whether economic incentives such as the WorkCover premiums help prevent work injuries and work disability.

Historical Trends in the Epidemiology of Injury and Industrial Disease at the B.C. Worker's Compensation Board (1950-1996).
An interesting report highlighting the significant changes in work injury claims over fifty years. The report examines changes in claims as well as the changing nature of employment.

INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMS

Workers’ compensation: Benefits, Coverage, and Costs, 2006
A comprehensive workers compensation report on US benefits and costs from The National Academy of Social Insurance. Written for businesses, journalists, policy makers, and consultants.

What’s Happening in Workers’ Compensation? National Academy of Social Insurance
Transcript of a 2006 conference meeting exploring “What’s happening in workers compensation?” in the US. Easy to read and informative.

2008 Oregon Workers’ Compensation Premium Rate Ranking Summary
Provided for Oregon employers, but also includes a list of Workers’ compensation premium rate rankings for all US states.

Who returns to work and why? International Social Security Association Research Programme
Summarizes the outcome of a study comparing return to work across six countries – Denmark, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Sates. The paper analyses factors such as the duration of work absence, medical and vocational rehabilitation interventions, and labour market policies and practices.

A comparative review of workfare programs in the United States, Canada and Australia – Department for Work and Pensions UK
A review of government systems to assist people back to work through “work for benefit” programs.

Comparative Review of Workers’ Compensation Systems in Select Jurisdictions - Germany
Written in 1998, the review provides a rich source of information on the well respected German work injury and compensation system at that time.

Comparative Review of Workers’ Compensation Systems in Select Jurisdictions – New Zealand
Written in 1998, the review provides a rich source of information on the 24 hour coverage New Zealand work injury and compensation system at that time.

Comparative Review of Workers’ Compensation Systems in Select Jurisdictions – Sweden
Written in 1998, the review provides a rich source of information on the Swedish national insurance system at that time

Comparive Review of Workers’ Compensation Systems and Governance Models- Canada
Compares workers compensation and return to work systems in Canada, US, Australia NZ, Sweden and Germany. Written for the Royal Commission on Workers’ Compensation, in British Columbia Canada, in 1998.

WORKERS COMPENSATION HISTORY

A Brief History of Workers' Compensation
Written for doctors who treat people with work injury, the article gives a background on workers’ compensation and how the current US system has come about.

A Brief History of Workers' Compensation in the US - Georgia

Workers' Compensation in Australia- Industry Commission Report 1994
A review of prevention, return to work, rehabilitation and compensation. Much of the recorded information remains relevant today. The review contains a historical review in Appendix F.

Professional Development

Case Management Society of America
US based association that provides resources and support for case managers. About 20% of case managers in the US are involved with work injury management and rehabilitation. The organisation provides a range of training resources and seminars and conferences.

Case Management Society of Australia
Similar to the CMS of America

Training at Active Occupational Health Services
RTW Coordinator Training - Basic & advanced - Various topics

Graduate Certificate in Service Coordination and Rehabilitation Postgraduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Studies
LaTrobe University courses that train professionals in rehabilitation concepts and practices.

ASORC Accredited Courses
Australian Society of Rehabilitation Counsellors list of accredited courses to enable a person become a qualified rehabilitation professional in some states.

CONTENTS

RTW OVERVIEW

INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYEES

Return to work information

Getting the best health care

Fitness

INFORMATION FOR TREATERS

INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS

CONTENTS

Workplace Culture

ERGONOMICS

PREVENTION MUSCULOSKELETAL PROBLEMS

AGING WORKFORCE

SUPERVISORS

WORK FROM HOME

CONTENTS

CONSEQUENCES OF BEING OFF WORK

ACTIVITY AND FITNESS

PHYSICAL HEALTH CONDITIONS

Back

Neck

General Musculoskeletal

Arm

Leg

PAIN

Acute (short term) pain

Chronic (long term) pain

CONTENTS

BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES

MOTIVATION

COMMUNICATION

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

General

Anxiety

Depression

WORKPLACE STRESS

Overview

Prevention

Management

CONTENTS

WORKERS COMPENSATION POLICY

INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMS

WORKERS COMPENSATION HISTORY

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