near ZERO Injury Prevention and Injury Management System
An Injury Prevention and Injury Management System (near ZERO System) is disclosed. This system is a comprehensive risk management system for the prevention of, and rehabilitation from, industrial accidents. It is characterised by completing a unique set of preliminary processes (2) and key components (3) that then build a system focussing upon the individual workers' personal anatomy, physiology and demonstrated functional capacity for the exact work tasks they perform on a particular site, for a particular employer.
This system is managed by personnel interacting in three clearly defined roles being:
- The Workplace Coordinator, works for the employer,
- The Project Manager is a skilled and well qualified external consultant with a rehabilitation background.
- The Technical Advisor is tertiary qualified in a physical therapy.
The system has Preliminary Processes defined as:
Preliminary Process 1 - Capability Review and
Preliminary Process 2 - The Commitment.
Process 1 requires each party, being workplace Coordinator and Project Manager to come to common understanding of the needs of a system with the focus described above. It also requires them to agree that it is feasible to introduce such a system in the specific workplace. Process 2 requires both parties to convey to all parties affected by the system the intent of the system, and their respective part in it, before any implementation commences.
If the Preliminary Processes as outlined are completed then the three Key Components (in order) are undertaken.
- Component 1 - Profiling and Screening provides a detailed Risk Assessment of the stresses placed on a workers' body whilst performing work related tasks. It also allows the construction and conduction of Screening Tests for each worker, relevant to their work tasks. This in turn leads to an Individual Risk Profile for each worker for those tasks.
- Component 2 - Targeted Interventions allows for the use of the information gained in Component 1 to provide interventions (of a physical therapy or a training nature) to be targeted to group and individual needs to reduce overall risk levels.
- Component 3 - Injury Management provides for the use of all of the information gained through components 1 and 2 to effectively manage any injuries that occur. This process is controlled mainly by the Project Manager (see claim 2) and includes the construction and use of an expert panel of service providers for this eventuality.
The Injury Prevention and Injury Management System disclosed is subject to regular audit according to the scope of the system defined during the Preliminary Processes.
