The Victorian Coalition government recently launched a new WorkCover campaign which will focus on preventing musculoskeletal injuries.
State assistant treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips announced the new plan on Sunday June 10, acknowledging the huge cost that these injuries have on some workplaces, individuals and the region as a whole.
“Musculoskeletal injuries are the most common workplace injury, costing nearly $1 billion a year in medical costs, wages and other expenses,” Mr Rich-Phillips explained.
He went on to say that more than 40 Victorian workers are affected by these injuries every day – a problem that costs over $50,000 in compensation and wages.
To counteract this, the Victorian government has decreased the WorkCover premiums – a move that aims to save businesses millions per year.
For those of you who are unsure about what types of injuries can be classified as musculoskeletal, anything that damages the muscular or skeletal systems could fall into this category.
“They affect the body’s muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves, are easily prevented, often difficult to treat and can be long-lasting and a source of great pain,” Mr Rich-Phillips explained.
Although this new campaign is unique to Victoria, the announcement does serve as a useful reminder about the importance of minimising risk and preventing musculoskeletal injuries in the workplace.
These types of accidents can occur in any state or region and in a large number of different jobs – therefore they are something that all employers and employees may like to be aware of.
According to Mr Rich-Phillips, exercising caution and putting preventative measures in place is key.
“Ensuring people are properly trained and supervised, use the right equipment and clean up spills to prevent falls are no-cost or low-cost measures that will reduce workplace accidents,” he asserted.
If you believe you could be entitled to workplace compensation for this type of injury or any other work-related accident, then you may be interested to know that there are lawyers in Sydney that help to gain adequate reimbursement for individuals across the region.
In NSW, if you are injured at work or while travelling to or from work, you are entitled to compensation.
Expert lawyers can help you with legal costs, medical and rehabilitation expenses, financial funding for the loss of wages or work as well as lump sum payments for pain or permanent impairments.
Certain lawyers also operate on a no win no fee basis, meaning that if your compensation claim is unsuccessful you do not need to pay the legal team.
