Supporting an Injured Worker Return to Work. A review commissioned by the. safety initiative

Transcription

1 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Mairéad Coroy Commissioed by the Workplace Safety Iitiative 1 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Mairéad Coroy A review commissioed by the safety iitiative

2 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work To access cotet click o a cotet header below. Cotets Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Table of Cotets page No. List of Appedices 3 List of Tables 3 Ackowledgemets 4 1 Itroductio 5 2 Historical Perspective 6 3 Executive Summary 9 4 Facts ad Figures 20 5 Research, which idetifies best practice 27 6 Beefits i the Republic of Irelad A Geeral Guide 41 7 Maagig the Retur of a Ijured Worker 92 8 Legislatio Recommedatios 120 Glossary 124 Refereces 127 Appedices 134 2

3 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work To access cotet click o a cotet header below. List of Appedices Appedix A Case Studies 135 Appedix B Useful Cotacts 140 Appedix C Sample Job Aalysis Form 152 Appedix D Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs List of Prescribed Occupatioal Diseases 154 Appedix E Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Leaflets 163 List of Tables Table 1 Numbers of disabled people, by age group ad geder 21 Table 2 Work participatio rates of people with disabilities 21 Table 3 Employmet rate of people with disabilities (Aged 15-64) by duratio of disability 22 Table 4 Number of Occupatioal Ijury Beefit Claims Allowed (OIB) 22 Table 5 Duratio of claimats o Ijury Beefit i Table 6 Persos icurrig ijury ad illess (QNHS) 23 Table 7 Accidet Triggers 24 Table 8 Parts of the body ijured i accidets 2002/2003/ Table 9 Type of ijury suffered i accidets 2002/

4 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Ackowledgemets Rehab Group ackowledges the support of the Workplace Safety Iitiative ad its member orgaisatios, i particular IBEC, CIF, ICTU ad IIF for their isight i commissioig ad supportig this review. The views expressed are those of the Author who wishes to sicerely thak the may Departmets, State agecies ad others who helped to provide iformatio, help ad guidace i brigig what hopefully will be a useful cotributio to a subject which is ad will be so importat to may people i Irelad. Mairead Coroy Rehab Eterprises Access Ability Rehab Group Rosly Park Sadymout Dubli 4 [email protected] 4

5 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 1 Itroductio The scope of this review is cocered with those people who despite measures aimed at workplace safety, become ijured or ill due to a accidet at work. I particular itdetails measures, which may be take by employers ad/or workers to facilitate the safe retur to work of the ijured worker. Some of the resources ad supports available to employers ad workers to support the ijured worker back to work are outlied. This review examies how employees abset from work due to work-related ijury ca be most effectively supported i order to make a successful retur to work, thus esurig that the ijury does ot disable a employee, shiftig such a employee from the active labour market ito the disabled/log-term absece category. Absece from the workplace as a result of work ijury geerally leaves idividuals depedet o the Social Welfare Disability Paymets system. Such depedecy, combied with exclusio from a work eviromet has a egative impact o those who are excluded, decreasig their ability to participate i all aspects of Irish life, as well as placig a fiacial cost o society ad a taxatio burde o busiess. This review aims to provide a isight ito best practice i supportig a ijured worker retur to work ad practical guidace o the resources available to employers ad workers. It is hoped that the review will be of practical beefit to ayoe iterested i rehabilitatio ad retetio. The recet chages i health ad safety legislatio as well as a geeral culture shift towards improvig workplace health ad safety has placed obligatios o workers ad employers to cosult together, ad to do their utmost to prevet workplace accidets from occurrig i the first place. There is a growig acceptace that greater effort is eeded to retai employees who have bee affected by poor health, ijury or disability, i paid employmet. 1 Where workplace illess/accidets occur, employers ought to deal with the effects of the accidet or illess i a fair ad humae way. 1 Emery L. (2002) Rehabilitatio ad Retetio What works is what matters. 5

6 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 2 Historical Perspective To uderstad the preset positio of people with disabilities we eed to look to the past. Historically, Irish society has teded to isolate ad segregate idividuals with disabilities. The history of disability i Irelad ad the wester world has bee characterised by the developmet ad evolutio of several models of disability which ifluece ad iform our attitudes ad respose to people with disabilities. There are distict phases i Irish history (ad ideed i the history of coutries further afield) which spa the rage of itervetios from the hidde-away approach, ad the charitable approach to the medical ad social models of disability. The Hidde-Away Approach I the 18th cetury may people with disabilities were kept idoors at home ad were ot ivolved i the commuity. The Charitable Approach I the 19th cetury may people with disabilities were regarded as objects of charity, were housed i istitutios operated by charitable orgaisatios ad were depedet o the goodwill of others. These istitutios operated uder what has become kow as the medical model of disability. The Medical Model of Disability The medical model views people with disabilities as havig medical problems that eed to be cured if possible. A perso with a disability was see as beig sick ad beig i eed of care. The domiat idea is that their lives are restricted by a impairmet. The medical model came about as moder medicie bega to develop i the 19th Cetury. People iflueced by the medical model see people with disabilities as eedig medical treatmet. If a cure is impossible, the they believe society ought to care for people with disabilities, geerally i residetial istitutios ad hospitals. Such people were regarded as sick, ad were excused from the ormal obligatios of society: goig to school, gettig a job, takig o family resposibilities, etc. The medical model domiated for may years ad iflueced the way society treated people with disabilities, which sheltered them ad failed to allow them access to meaigful educatioal ad employmet opportuities. This way of thikig is criticised ow by may 6

7 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work commetators ad activists because it results i disempowerig people with disabilities from leadig idepedet lives. The first major chage i attitudes towards disability came to the fore i Europe after the Secod World War whe rehabilitatio was first cosidered for those who had acquired a disability i adulthood for example, for returig soldiers i eed of artificial limbs. The icreased use of the motor car i the 1960 s ad the correspodig rise of road traffic accidets led to the establishmet i Irelad of a Natioal Medical Rehabilitatio Cetre. The actios of the civil rights movemet i the Uited States also had a impact across Europe durig the 60 s ad led to the foudig of various lobbyig groups i Irelad such as the Uio of Volutary Orgaisatios for the Hadicapped ad the Natioal Associatio for the Metally Hadicapped of Irelad. Both of these orgaisatios are still i existece today ad are ow kow as the Disability Federatio of Irelad ad Iclusio Irelad respectively. The Social Model of Disability The social model of disability was developed i the 1970 s ad has come to the forefrot i recet years ad is a challege to the medical model. I direct cotrast to the medical model, the social model locates resolutio of the disability issue i societal attitudes rather tha withi the idividual. It is based o the premise that people are ot disabled as such because of illess ad impairmet. Istead, it describes disability ot as a medical issue but as oe where people with disabilities face daily obstacles i ordiary livig. This, it is argued, is a result of the way we desig ad build our tows ad cities, ad the way we orgaise our social activities. I tur this approach creates barriers ad obstacles for those with disabilities. This model emphasises the way i which the eviromet or social circumstaces hider a perso from leadig a full ad equal life. I the view of this model, people with disabilities caot compete o equal terms because society has created too may barriers. This is opposed to the medical model that places the cause of disability upo the perso s impairmet. The social model of disability also sees the ability of the idividual as distict from their disability ad idetifies social discrimiatio as beig the most sigificat problem experieced by persos with disabilities. Public policy i Irelad i recet years has bee orieted towards a social model of service provisio which should, over time, iform attitudes ad resposes whe supportig a ijured worker retur to work. 7

8 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Holistic Approach The holistic approach or the whole perso approach ecompasses persoal, social ad evirometal factors. It views disability i terms of the health of the perso ad the evirometal cotext i which they live. It combies the best elemets of the medical ad social models. A holistic approach is eeded i order to successfully support a ijured worker back to work, a model which focuses ot oly o the physical aspect of the worker s ijury or illess, but also o workplace factors ad evirometal barriers which preset additioal barriers for the worker with a disability. To achieve the best outcome from this approach, the emphasis eeds to shift from the perso s disability to the chages society ad busiess ca make relatively easily to miimise the impact of ijury o a worker s capacity to successfully perform his or her job ad to eable that perso to cotribute their skills ad productivity, both to the eterprise ad to the wider society. 8

9 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 3 Executive Summary This review was commissioed by the Workplace Safety Group ad is cocered with the specific subject of supportig the ijured or ill worker to retur to the workforce. I particular, it is cocered with people who become log term abset. For the purposes of the review this is defied as beig abset from the workplace due to a accidet at work, or work-related illess for six weeks or more. I particular, it details measures which might be take by employers ad/or workers to achieve a successful ad safe retur to work. It idetifies curret ad recet research i best practice o supportig workers to retur to the workplace after a work-related ijury ad icludes case studies ad collates available iformatio o the quatum ad rage of services curretly available. Research idicates that 80 percet of those who are log-term abset for six weeks or more eed some assistace to retur to work. By six moths, the probability that a employee will retur to work has reduced to about 50 percet 2 ad for those abset more tha twelve moths, the probability is less tha 20 percet 3. The report also examies how employees abset from work due to work-related ijury ca be supported to retur to work, thus esurig that the ijury does ot disable a employee, shiftig such employees from the active labour market ito the disabled/log-term absece category. Facts ad Figures Cesus 2002 was the first cesus i Irelad to measure the umber of people with disabilities. It showed 8.3 percet of the total populatio ad 10.4 percet of adults had a disability 4. Accordig to figures compiled by the 2002 Quarterly Natioal Household Survey, amog those of workig age with a disability or logstadig illess, 15 percet have had the coditio from birth ad for the rest disability has bee acquired. 5 Most disability is acquired i adult life, ot at birth or i childhood. The umber of Ijury Beefit claims awarded by the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs durig 2005 was 11,759. The vast majority make a good recovery ad the umber of Ijury Beefit claimats who claimed for full duratio (156 days) i 2005 ad the trasferred to Disability Beefit was 266. The statistics show that most disability is acquired i adult life ad that 2 RETURN (2001) Iterim Report o Phase 2 of Research. 3 Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (1995) Disability Maagemet i the Workplace: A Guide to Establishig a Joit Workplace Program. 4 & 18 Natioal Disability Authority (2005) How far towards equality? Measurig how equally people with disabilities are icluded i Irish society. 5 Natioal Disability Authority (2005) Disability ad work The picture we lear from official statistics. 9

10 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work there is a sigificat drop-off i employmet after a year has elapsed sice oset of a disability. This illustrates how importat it is to have strategies that ca keep people i work after the oset of a disability. Review of Iteratioal Practice A rage of key issues emerged i the review of atioal ad iteratioal practice. These iclude: Employer Cocer over Log-term Absece The umber of people claimig log-term disability paymets is risig, exceedig 10 percet of the labour force i some Member States of the Europea Uio. The probability of returig to work is less tha 50 percet for those who are abset for betwee three ad six moths. 6 Log-term absece is a importat maagemet issue. Workplace Factors Workplace factors, such as lack of cotact with workplace maagemet ad colleagues, lack of procedures for dealig with disability ad compay culture, ca all cotribute to the likelihood that someoe will fail to retur to work. I additio, the desig of retur to work systems is ofte iadequate. A timely ad appropriate respose is crucial as soo as a illess/ijury begis to affect a employee s capacity to work 7 or to retur to work. Beefits of Rehabilitatio Rehabilitatio ca be defied as ay method by which people with a coditio resultig from sickess or ijury which iterferes with their ability to work ca be retured to work. 8 There is strog evidece that a greater emphasis o rehabilitatio would improve workers occupatioal health. I New Zealad, the provisio ad use of rehabilitatio services mea that 68 percet of claimats retur to work withi three moths of their ijury, 85 percet retur withi six moths, ad 93 percet withi twelve moths. I Swede, the umber of people compesated through the public sickess isurace system has declied by almost half sice 1990 due to a greater focus o rehabilitatio ad retur to work programmes. I Australia, a steady icrease i rehabilitatio ad retur to work programmes led to the umber of people returig to work icreasig to 86 percet i from 83 percet i Wye R. ad McAaey D. (2004) Employmet ad disability: Back to work strategies. 7 Wye R. ad McAaey D. (2004) Employmet ad disability: Back to work strategies. 8 Labour Research Departmet (2002) Rehabilitatio ad retetio: the workplace view A Trades Uio Cogress report. 9 Associatio of British Isurers (2005) Care ad Compesatio. 10

11 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Employers ca successfully provide rehabilitatio ad (earlier) retur to work by: developig ad implemetig ew policies ad procedures; earlier itervetio i idividual cases; ad workig with isurers to build retur to work ito isurace services. 10 The beefits of rehabilitatio to busiess iclude improved attedace ad improved prospects of retetio, reduced costs from absece ad medical retiremet, compliace with employmet equality legislatio, good practice o health ad safety ad promotig a health culture at work. 11 The Associatio of British Isurers has estimated that savigs to the Exchequer of the order of 1.3 billio might be achieved if the UK s record of rehabilitatio were improved. 12 Early Itervetio Early itervetio is cosistetly cited i the research as beig a key factor i the successful rehabilitatio ad retur to work of a ijured or disabled worker. A 2003 report from a workig group of the (Irish) Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs recommeded the itroductio of early itervetio measures which are aimed at re-itegratig people who sustai serious illesses, ijuries ad disabilities back ito the workforce before they become log-term depedat o social welfare paymets 13. The Orgaisatio for Ecoomic Co-operatio ad Developmet (OECD) has cocluded that sickess maagemet, as well as the timig ad quality of medical ad o-medical itervetios icludig the preparatio of a re-itegratio pla ad the use of full or partial early activatio, largely determie workers chaces of returig to employmet. It recommeds that early itervetio should be a key focus as it is the most effective measure agaist log-term depedece. 14 It has bee show that, for example, itervetios focussig o returig to work ad implemeted i the sub-acute stage of low back pai ca reduce time lost from work by percet 15. Frequetly, simple modificatios to equipmet or hours at work are all that is required to facilitate the retur to work, ofte startig with shorter hours ad gradually buildig the returig worker up to a ormal workig day EEF/IRS survey (2004) Maagig log-term sickess absece ad rehabilitatio. 11 Labour Research Departmet. (2002) Rehabilitatio ad retetio: the workplace view A Trades Uio Cogress report. 12 British Society of Rehabilitatio Medicie. (2000) Vocatioal Rehabilitatio - the Way Forward. 13 Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs (2003) Report of the Workig Group o the Review of Illess ad Disability Paymets. 14 Priz, Christopher (2005) Breakig The Barrier OECD Thematic Review o Reformig Disability Policies to Improve Work Icetives. 15 Frak et al (1998) Prevetig disability from work-related low back pai: ew evidece gives ew hope if we ca just get all the players o side. 16 Labour Research Departmet. (2002) Rehabilitatio ad retetio: the workplace view A Trades 11

12 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Differig Experieces of Disability People with disabilities are ot a homogeeous group. Idividuals may have a physical disability, a sesory or itellectual disability, a metal health difficulty, or ay combiatio of these. They may have had a disability from birth, or acquired a disability i their childhood, teeage years or later i life, durig further educatio or while i employmet. Their disability may have little impact o their ability to work ad take part i society, or it may have a major impact, requirig cosiderable support ad assistace. 17 All have differet experieces. Accordig to the published research, the timig of oset of the disability, the ature of the disability, ad the respose of others, to their disability ca affect the extet to which the disability affects the idividual s employmet or employmet retetio prospects. A UK study cocered with the process of becomig disabled durig workig life ad the impact o the idividual ad o his or her family foud that the majority of people with disabilities experiece the oset of their health problem or impairmet durig adulthood. The Irish experiece reflects this fidig. The UK study also oted that the effect o employmet status varies widely by severity of impairmet. While 84 percet of people with the least complex impairmets retaied their employmet, just over half of those with multiple impairmets did so. 18 The research idicates that becomig disabled is a major life-evet ad that the fiacial hardship, ad exclusio from participatio i society which ofte occurs as a result, is a additioal ad uecessary burde. Importace of Supports Evidece from the research o best practice idicates that as a coutry we eed to look at the degree to which the geeral ad the workplace eviromet ad the support services adapt to cater for people with disabilities. It appears to be vital to gather iformatio o the degree to which each of evirometal, commuicatio, policy ad service barriers prevet access to services amog people with disabilities, ad most importatly, how to provide receptive eviromets for people with disabilities. All of these poits illustrate the eed for more research ito the experieces of people with disabilities i the workplace, ad the importace of providig accessible support from the time the ijury occurs i order to resource the worker while s/he is comig to terms with their chagig circumstaces, accessig supports ad services, assessig optios ad attemptig to retur to work. 19 Uio Cogress report. 17 Iteratioal Labour Office. (2002) ILO Code of Practice Maagig Disability i the Workplace. 18 Burchardt T. (2003) Beig ad becomig: Social exclusio ad the oset of disability. 19 Bares H., Thorto P. ad Mayard Campbell S. (1998) Disabled people ad employmet: ew issues for research ad practice. 12

13 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Workplace Strategies A strategy is required to reduce log-term absece ad job loss as a result of ijuries suffered i the workplace, ad thus reducig isurace premia ad other costs of log-term absece. Good practice i the area of retur to work icludes three mai types of workplace health activity which come ito play whe a employee is ijured, ad aim to retur the employee to work i a safe ad timely maer. These are: maagig idetified risks - a prevetive strategy with regard to occupatioal illess ad ijury; udertakig workplace health promotio; ad iterveig early if ad whe a employee suffers a ijury; implemetig retur to work policies ad procedures 20. Retur to work ivolves a umber of parties, such as the worker himself or herself, employer, work colleagues, family, medical professioals, ad occupatioal health ad state support services. Beefits i the Republic of Irelad - a Geeral Guide There are may Govermet Departmets, State Agecies ad idividuals with experiece ad kowledge of providig supports for ijured workers ad their employers. The Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs ad FÁS may provide critical support either i icome support or through the provisio of grats to support the worker o his/her retur to work. Other sources of support would be occupatioal therapists, or physiotherapists who have a specialised kowledge about a particular ijury or disability, disability case maagemet ad the steps to follow to support a ijured worker retur to work. FÁS offers a extesive suite of grats ad supports, icludig a retetio grat, which eables a private sector employer to retai the services of oe or more of these specialists to develop ad co-ordiate the retur to work pla for the ijured worker. If specialised help is ecessary, FÁS ca furish a list of specialists, icludig a list of disability maagemet cosultats ad rehabilitatio experts. I most cases FÁS ad the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs are the first agecies, a employer ad/or worker should approach for advice ad assistace. The Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs operates a scheme of beefits (icome support) for people ijured by a accidet at work or while travellig directly to or from work. A comprehesive series of iformatio leaflets detailig the schemes it operates is available free of charge from the Departmet. A full list of these leaflets is give i Appedix D of this review ad a detailed list of geeral supports ad resources available is cotaied i the Useful Cotacts sectio i the Appedices. 20 Wye R. ad McAaey D. (2004) Employmet ad disability: Back to work strategies. 13

14 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Maagig the Retur to Work of a Ijured Worker May employers oly thik about how to maage the retur to work of a employee followig absece due to work-related ijury whe the accidet actually happes. Due to a lack of experiece ad resources, they are ill-equipped to deal with the situatio effectively. This may be particularly true of small ad medium size eterprises which, ot least because of their small workforce umbers happily may have little experiece of workplace accidets. It is also arguable that there is a lack of awareess i the workplace of the supports ad resources available to assist both the employer ad the ijured worker. Compellig evidece exists to idicate that employers should be proactive, ot reactive, i their approach to work-related ijuries. Good practice requires a proactive set of policies that focus ot oly o the activities that must take place whe a worker becomes ijured, but also o the adoptio of prevetive ad promotioal practices i relatio to worker health ad safety. Developig policies early (ideally before ay accidet takes place) is the first step whe takig a proactive approach. It is ot sufficiet to itroduce ijury maagemet guidelies ad/or a retur to work policy after the worker has sustaied a work related ijury. Tryig to itroduce such a strategy at that time may be much less effective. The existece of supportive ijury maagemet guidelies ad a retur to work policy ad procedure should be itroduced to all employees durig their iductio programme so it is clear from their first day of work what will happe if they become ijured at work. Ijury Maagemet Ijury maagemet is a term used to describe all the processes ivolved i supportig a worker with a work-related ijury to recover ad retur to work ad refers to the steps a employer ad workers ca take to assure that a employee ca recover ad safely retur to their work as early as possible. 21 Retur to Work Pla A retur-to-work pla should be developed ad implemeted cosistet with medical advice ad where ecessary with the aid of a rehabilitatio expert. The rehabilitatio strategy is workplace-based ad aimed at maitaiig the ijured worker withi the workplace or returig him/her to appropriate employmet i a timely, safe ad cost efficiet maer. Close commuicatio ad co-operatio betwee the employer, the ijured employee, his/her family members, the supervisor, the treatig doctor ad the rehabilitatio expert eables the developmet of a co-ordiated retur to work pla. It is importat to ivolve the isurer if there are ay issues of compesatio. Close collaboratio betwee all parties is a critical 21 WorkCover (2001). 14

15 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work success factor. Ivolvig employees i the developmet ad implemetatio of the retur to work programme ecourages a feelig of owership of the programme ad maximises the opportuities for success. Should the ijury be sufficietly serious to impact o the worker s ability to do the job or to access the work eviromet, there are three optios, which ca be used separately or i combiatio: Chage the work eviromet, e.g. chages to the work-statio, to equipmet or i employmet coditios; Chage the job, e.g. modify duties of preset job; move the worker to alterative positio i the orgaisatio; Assist the worker to make the chage, through rehabilitatio ad traiig. All of these optios ca be cosidered whe implemetig a retur to work pla for the ijured worker. 22 Legislatio Legislatio, does ot, or could it i all probability, guaratee job security for a ijured worker. However, the employmet equality legislatio may be of relevace if as a result of a workrelated ijury, the worker ow has a disability which meets the defiitio of disability as laid out i the Employmet Equality Acts 1998 ad Uder this legislatio, it is ulawful for a employer to discrimiate agaist a employee who has a disability or a prospective employee who has a disability i relatio to such measures as: Recruitmet to employmet; Coditios of employmet (other tha remueratio or pesio beefits); Traiig or work experiece; Promotio; Ay beefits (other tha pesio rights) that are provided for employees. Employmet equality legislatio provides that it is ot ulawful for a employer to refuse to employ, retai or promote, a perso who is uwillig to carry out or accept the coditios uder which the duties attached to a post are to be performed or is ot fully capable of carryig out all the essetial duties cocered. People with disabilities would be cosidered fully competet ad capable to udertake ay duties if they could do the work with the aid of special services or facilities (referred 22 Paaschkes-Bell G. ed (1999) The Get Back! Pack. 15

16 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work to as appropriate measures ) uless the provisio of such measures would impose a disproportioate burde o the employer. Sectio 16 of the Equality Act 2004 states that i determiig whether the measures would impose a burde, accout shall be take, i particular, of i) the fiacial ad other costs etailed; ii) the scale ad fiacial resources of the employer s busiess; ad iii) the possibility of obtaiig public fudig or other assistace. 23 The Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act 2005 This review is cocered primarily with the specific issue of returig to work followig a workplace accidet. Such iitiatives, however laudable, must always be placed i the wider cotext of workplace safety ad accidet prevetio i the first place. The primary focus of the 2005 Act as i the earlier 1989 Act is o the prevetio of workplace accidets, illesses ad dagerous occurreces ad oe of its aims is to ecourage a resposible attitude towards accidet prevetio o the part of both employers ad employees. Recommedatios There are critical issues that eed to be addressed, i order to provide opportuities for ijured workers to remai employed. I preparig this review it was felt that particular attetio eeded to be devoted to a umber of areas which were see as key to the successful applicatio of measures to support the ijured worker to retur to the workplace. These are: 3.1 Iformatio Provisio 3.2 Early Itervetio Measures 3.3 Data Collectio 3.4 Review of Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs ad FÁS Suite of Supports 3.5 Esurig a More Effective Beefits System 3.6 Advice Lie 3.7 Developig Core Traiig Modules 23 Equality Act

17 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 3.1 Iformatio Provisio Clearer, more cocise iformatio should be made available to both employers ad workers regardig the supports ad icetives available to assist i a worker s successful ad safe retur to work. Resposibility for processig ad dissemiatig iformatio could be shared both at a atioal ad a local level by FÁS through its Services to Busiess ad Employmet Services Offices ad by the Citizes Iformatio Board through its etwork of Citize Iformatio Cetres. Iformatio providers ought to be cogisat of the fact that people with a acquired disability who eed to access services may ot be familiar with the support structures available or the termiology i use. It should also be bore i mid that these ijured workers, depedig o the severity of their ijuries, may be udergoig a major life-chage. 3.2 Early Itervetio Measures Early itervetio cosists of measures which are aimed at re-itegratig people who sustai serious illesses, ijuries ad disabilities back ito the workforce before they become logterm depedat o social welfare paymets. Early itervetio is cosistetly cited i the research as beig a key factor i the successful rehabilitatio of a ijured/disabled worker. The OECD asserts that the loger a disabled perso stays out of work, the lower the chaces of reitegratio will be. ad cites early itervetio as beig the most effective measure agaist log-term beefit depedece. 24 The possible beefits of early itervetio measures for recipiets of Disability Beefit should be explored at a atioal level through the establishmet by relevat Govermet Departmets ad agecies of a pilot project which would assess the potetial of such measures i terms of re-itegratio back ito the workforce. 3.3 Data Collectio There is a eed for improved data collectio ad aalysis procedures i order to track those who are curretly leavig employmet due to work related ijury ad eterig ecoomic iactivity. The issue of how may people exit from the Irish workplace permaetly as a result of occupatioal ijury or illess is largely ukow. There seems to have bee little attempt to aalyse the employmet potetial ad career iterests of workers abset from work due to ijury i order to idetify the types of support eeded to assist those who wish to retur to employmet. The results of the first Natioal Disability Survey carried out i the Autum of 2006 by the Cetral Statistics Office may provide some of the baselie data required, whe published. 24 OECD (2003) Trasformig Disability ito Ability. Key issues ad policy coclusios. 17

18 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 3.4 Review of State Suite of Supports It is recommeded that the Departmet of Eterprise Trade ad Employmet udertake a idepth research study i collaboratio with FÁS, the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs, the Departmet of Health ad Childre, Eterprise Irelad, the IDA, the Citizes Iformatio Board, ad the Health ad Safety Authority o the suite of supports available. Cosultatio should also take place with trade uios ad employer represetatives. Cosultatio with people with disabilities, particularly those with a acquired disability would be of critical importace. The research should critically aalyse the relevace ad effectiveess of the curret suite of State supports from the perspective of those who supply the supports ad those who make subsequet use of them. It would idetify what ew or additioal itervetios are eeded ad aalyse the timig ad effectiveess of such itervetios. The research would iclude a SWOT aalysis with the objective of makig these supports more user-friedly ad attractive to employers ad workers. 3.5 Esurig a More Effective Beefits System A effective beefits system is eeded to esure that all people o beefit are ecouraged to stay focused o their expectatios ad supported back to work where that is possible. For example, it may be that the ijured worker may have a greater reliace o medical itervetio, ad/or prescriptio medicies. I some situatios it is possible that the isurace/ compesatio ad/or other relevat State supports do ot adequately or fully cover such costs. It is coceivable that situatios may arise where the risk of losig secodary beefits such as the medical card o retur to employmet might well impact more severely o the ijured worker. I such cases, these ad other factors could act as a disicetive ad barrier to returig to the workforce. To avoid such situatios, a disability icome disregard could be cosidered which would icrease the icome limit used whe assessig whether a perso is eligible for a Medical card. This would improve the icetive for some people to retur to work. Ay examiatio of beefits ad proposed solutios will eed to take accout of coflictig effects of positive as well as egative fiacial iflueces. 3.6 Advice Lie The feasibility should be explored of establishig a service similar to Workplace Health Coect. This is a pilot programme i Eglad ad Wales for small ad medium size eterprises offerig free ad impartial advice o workplace health, safety ad retur to work issues. The service cosists of a advice lie ad a supportig website givig tailored practical advice to callers both maagers ad workers. The service aims to trasfer kowledge ad skills to maagers ad workers, eablig them to tackle ad solve ay future workplace health issues themselves. This service is beig delivered i partership with the UK Health ad Safety Executive ad 18

19 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work i co-ordiatio with NHS Plus, a etwork of occupatioal health services based i Natioal Health Service hospitals across Eglad. The etwork provides a occupatioal health service to NHS Staff, ad also markets services to the private sector. The proposed review of the provisio of State supports could idetify which Govermet departmet or State agecy i Irelad (or Ombudsma) is best placed to establish ad oversee such a service. 3.7 Develop Core Traiig Modules The statistics idicate that a high proportio of disability is acquired i later life 25. Irelad has a ageig workforce, although less so tha may other coutries, ad the prevalece of disability icreases with age. It ca therefore be assumed that a certai umber of people presetly workig will acquire a disability durig their workig life. I order to circumvet difficulties arisig i the future ad to esure that workers ad employers receive timely ad adequate support whe strivig to esure a worker s retur to work after illess/ijury, Huma Resource professioals, Health ad Safety persoel, medical professioals ad uio represetatives should be required to udergo traiig o such topics as job aalysis, job rehabilitatio ad retur to work. These traiig modules could comprise part of a idividual s cotiuous professioal developmet. 3.8 Establish a Workig Group It would be beeficial to establish a multi-discipliary workig group/advisory committee to cosider these recommedatios ad to collaborate o the proposed review of the State suite of supports ad ay other issues which may arise. The Workig Group could address the issue of barriers to the retur of a ijured worker ad idetify solutios to these barriers. A possible source of fudig, directio ad a cotext for the Workig Group s activities would be the Multi-Aual Ivestmet Programme as metioed i Sectio 33 of the Te Year Framework Social Partership Agreemet Towards 2016 which gives a commitmet to develop a strategically itegrated approach to rehabilitatio services withi the cotext of the Multi-Aual Ivestmet Programme with a view to supportig people back ito employmet, as appropriate, through early itervetio ad ehaced service provisio ad promotig employmet retetio Natioal Disability Authority (2005) Disability ad work. The picture we lear form official statistics. 26 Departmet of the Taoiseach (2006) Toward 2016 Te-Year Framework Social Partership Agreemet

20 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 4 Facts ad Figures Accordig to Europea Statistics 27 every year i the fiftee Member States of the EU (before accessio of ew Member States), about five millio workers are victims of accidets at work leadig to more tha three days of absece from work; furthermore, about 5,000 workers are killed i accidets at work. 28 Besides the huma sufferig, these accidets have a strog ecoomic impact o busiess. 29 There is a geeral cosesus that Log Term Absece from work due to ijury or illess is a gateway to disability. 30 A group of experts ad professioals brought together by the RETURN 31 team to cosider the issue reached a cosesus decisio that the term log term absece should be applied to ay worker for whom the duratio of absece was over six weeks. Research idicates that 80 percet of those who are log-term abset for six weeks or more eed some assistace to retur to work. 32 By six moths, the probability that a employee will retur to work has reduced to about 50 percet. For those abset more tha twelve moths, the probability is less tha 20 percet. 33 Researchers coductig a study o low back pai commeted The dager is that the loger ayoe is off work with back pai the greater the risk of chroic pai ad disability, ad the lower chace of ever returig to work. By six weeks off work, there is a percet risk (depedig o circumstaces) of still beig off work at oe year. By six twelve moths off work, there is a 90 percet chace of ever returig to ay form of work i the foreseeable future. 34 The Iteratioal Uderwriters Associatio has estimated that the chace of a paraplegic returig to employmet is at least 50 percet i Scadiavia, 32 percet i the USA, but oly 14 percet i the UK Eurostat, (2004) Work ad health i the EU. A statistical portrait, Data Mossik J. ad de Greef M. (2002) Ivetory of socioecoomic costs of work accidets. 29 Eurostat (2004) Statistical Aalysis of Socio-ecoomic Costs of Accidets at Work i the Europea Uio Fial Report. 30 Wye R. ad McAaey D., (2004) Employmet ad disability: Back to work strategies. 31 The RETURN project took place i six EU coutries ad was led by a team from Irelad. RETURN coducted a review of policy ad practice relatig to retur to work strategies for people who have become log-term abset (LTA) from work for health reasos. 32 RETURN (2001) Betwee Work ad Welfare: Improvig Retur to Work Strategies for Log Term Abset Employees. 33 Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (1995) Disability Maagemet i the Workplace: A Guide to Establishig a Joit Workplace Program. 34 Waddell G., Aylward M. ad Sawey P. (2002) Back pai, Icapacity for Work ad Social Security Beefits. 35 Iteratioal Uderwritig Associatio. (2003) Third UK Bodily Ijury Awards Study. 20

21 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Icidece of Disability Cesus 2002 was the first cesus i Irelad to measure the umber of people with disabilities. It showed 8.3 percet of the total populatio ad 10.4 percet of adults had a disability. 36 Table 1: Numbers of disabled people, by age group ad geder Age Me Wome ,000 10, ,000 78, ,000 84,000 Total 152, ,000 Source: Cesus 2002 Most disability is acquired i adult life, ot at birth or i childhood. Fewer tha 10 percet of those with a disability i Irelad are aged uder Accordig to figures published i the 2002 Quarterly Natioal Household Survey (QNHS), amog Irish people of workig age with a disability or logstadig illess, 15 percet have had the coditio from birth ad for the rest disability has bee acquired. The legth of time sice the oset of the illess or disability affects employmet rates, with higher employmet rates the more recet the oset, ad the loger a disability has lasted, the lower the level of employmet. There is a sustaied drop-off i employmet after a year has elapsed sice oset of a disability. 38 The proportio of people with a disability who are i work is much lower tha for the rest of the workig age populatio. The Cesus figures show people with disabilities are two ad a half times less likely to have a job. 39 Table 2: Work participatio rates of people with disabilities Age group Cesus 2002 % No disability, Gap Natioal Disability Authority (2005) How far towards equality? Measurig how equally people with disabilities are icluded i Irish society. 37 Natioal Disability Authority. (2006) The demographics of disability i Irelad. 38 Natioal Disability Authority (2005) Disability ad work The picture we lear from official statistics. 39 Natioal Disability Authority (2005) Disability ad work The picture we lear from official statistics. 21

22 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The table above shows the percetage gap i employmet rates i each age group betwee people with disabilities ad the rest of the populatio, usig the Cesus figures. Apart from teeagers, most of who are still i school rather tha at work, there is a large jobs gap i each age group ad for both me ad wome. 40 Table 3: Employmet rate of people with disabilities (Aged 15-64) by duratio of disability % 0-6 moths moths years years years years years 37.4 sice birth 39.0 Total 40.1 Source: CSO Quarterly Natioal Household Budget Survey 2002 Because a high proportio of disability is acquired i later life, this shows how importat it is to have strategies that ca keep people i work after the oset of a disability. Ijury Beefit Claims Table 4: Number of Occupatioal Ijury Beefit Claims Allowed (OIB) Year Claims Allowed 11,169 11,686 11,311 11,995 12,050 12,280 11,096 11,705 11,759 Source: Health ad Safety Authority (2006) Summary of Fatality, Ijury ad Illess Statistics Durig 2005, the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs allowed 11,759 occupatioal ijury claims (of which just 440 were illesses or o-physical ijury related) i respect of workplace ijuries ad illesses ivolvig more tha three days absece from work. The system, which admiisters this beefit, icludes a validatio system admiistrative scrutiy ad medical vettig to cofirm their validity. As a result a sigificat umber of claims submitted each year are disallowed. The umber of work related ijuries i the Quarterly Natioal Household Survey for 2004 were 21,900. It should be oted that Occupatioal Ijury Beefit isurace cover excludes self-employed ad some civil servats who were i employmet before April I total approximately 18 percet of those at work. 40 Ibid. 22

23 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Table 5: Duratio of claimats o Ijury Beefit i 2005 Uder 1 week weeks weeks weeks weeks weeks 1356 Source: Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Jauary 2006 The umber of Ijury Beefit claimats who claimed for full duratio (156 days) i 2005 ad the trasferred to Disability Beefit was 266. Table 6: Persos icurrig ijury ad illess (QNHS) Number Rate per 1000 Number Rate per 1000 Number Total i employmet 1,745,550 1,772,000 1,835,900 Rate per 1000 Ijury Total sufferig ijury 51, , , days absece 16, , , days absece 9, , , >3 days absece 26, , , Source: CSO Quarterly Natioal Household Budget Survey The Quarterly Natioal Household Survey (QNHS) The Cetral Statistics Office (CSO) produces the estimatios of occupatioal ijuries ad ill-health cases based o the Quarterly Natioal Household Survey. This survey is a quarterly atioal sample survey of employmet coducted by the Cetral Statistics Office (CSO), usig a methodology agreed across all EU states. It icludes self-reported iformatio o occupatioal ijuries ad ill health. The data is produced from a face-to-face admiistered questioaire with a radom sample of households (about 39,000 of households i Irelad). The fial figures for the populatio as a whole are extrapolated from this sample. As these are sample surveys for which the data is collected by iterviewers usig a questioaire, they are subject to samplig errors. The questioaire has bee chaged i recet years to allow more elaborate iformatio o occupatioal ijuries ad ill health, but this also itroduced some icosistecies i the results betwee years. 23

24 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Table 7: Accidet triggers Accidet triggers* 2004 Maual hadlig 29.4 % Slips/trips/falls 16.1 % Movemet by ijured perso 9.3 % Shock, fright, violece of others 6.9 % Fall, collapse, breakage of material 5.6 % Loss of cotrol: hadtool 4.1 % Loss of cotrol: object 3.9 % Fall from height 3.4 % Loss of cotrol: machie 3.0 % Loss of cotrol: road trasport 2.6 % Loss of cotrol: trasport/hadlig equipmet 2.2 % * The HSA i the report Summary of Fatality, Ijury ad Illess Statistics chaged the categorisatio of the causes of accidets ad ow looks at what is described as the accidet trigger. While i broad terms this equates with the cause, the chage has allowed the Authority to expad upo the causes/triggers of accidets, with 2 1 categories of triggers listed i the 2004 report, compared to 15 categories of causes i previous years. I the table above the triggers of accidets over 1 percet are listed. The triggers ot listed above each accout for less tha 1 percet of all accidets ad cumulatively for 3.2 percet. Those classified by the HSA as other accout for 7.3 percet of the total. Source: Health & Safety Review Statistical Supplemet

25 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Table 8: Parts of the body ijured i accidets Parts of the body ijured i accidets 2002/2003/2004 HSA reported icidet figures* Back/spie 24.1 % 25.6 % 21.7 % Figers 13.0 % 12.7 % 11.7 % Kee/lower arm/elbow 12.1 % 12.2 % 10.1 % Had 8.4 % 0.0 % 8.7 % Shoulder/upper arm/elbow 6.9 % 8.9 % 6.1 % Lower arms/wrist 6.6 % 7.4 % 6.0 % Head (except eyes) 5.3 % 6.7 % 5.3 % Foot 4.3 % 4.7 % 4.7 % Neck 2.8 % 3.4 % 4.1 % Hip/thigh/kee cap 2.7 % 3.0 % 2.8 % Chest 2.2 % 2.5 % 2.7 % Eyes 2.4 % 2.4 % 2.3 % Toes 1.1 % 0.9 % 1.8 % Abdome 1.1 % 0.6 % 1.0 % OIB claims top five** Back/eck/rib/disc 4,150 3,784 3,680 Had/figer/wrist 2,101 1,657 1,767 Leg/kee/akle 1,296 1,108 1,278 Fracture/broke 1,117 1, RTA/multiple ijury Shoulder/elbow/arm Total claims 12,280 11,096 11,649 *The HSA i the report Summary of Fatality, Ijury ad Illess Statistics altered the categorisatio of the parts of the body ijured. By doig so, the Authority has bee able to provide more detailed iformatio tha i previous years. There are 20 categories listed i the 2004 report, compared to 14 i previous years. I the table above, ijuries over 1 percet of the total are listed. Those ot listed accout for less tha 1 percet of the total ad cumulatively accout for just 2 percet. Those classified as other by the HSA accout for 6 percet. ** The OIB figures are give as total umbers. Ijuries are classified ito 91 classificatios. Source: Health & Safety Review Statistical Supplemet

26 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Table 9: Type of ijury suffered i accidets Type of ijury suffered i accidets 2002/2003* ** Sprai/tor ligamets 21.6 % 33.2 % 33.4 % Bruisig/cotusio 21.6 % 24.6 % 21.4 % Ope woud 15.7 % 15.0 % 13.1 % Closed fracture 12.3 % 13.1 % 12.7 % Burs/scalds/frostbite 2.9 % 4.1 % Abrasio/graze 2.2 % 3.1 % Dislocatio 1.2 % 1.5 % 1.5 % Iteral ijuries 1.5 % 1.5 % 0.9 % Amputatio 0.8 % 0.9 % 0.8 % Ope fracture 0.6 % 0.9 % 0.8 % Cocussio 0.0 % 0.9 % Ifectio 0.6 % 0.5 % 1.0 % Electrical Ijury 0.4 % 0.4 % Gassig 0.1 % 0.2 % Suffocatio/asphyxiatio 0.1 % 0.2 % Poisoig 0.1 % * Figures from HSA reports. Based o reported accidet/icidet figures. Raked by referece to 2004 figures. **I Summary of Fatality, Ijury ad Illess Statistics , the HSA reduced the umber of categories of ijury types from 15 to 10. Source: Health ad Safety Review Statistical Supplemet

27 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 5 Research, which idetifies Best Practice This review aims to idetify ad describe key research fidigs o the retur to work of people after a work-related illess/ijury i order to derive some commo priciples of best practice which will iform the developmet of a framework of practical guidelies which employers ad workers ca cosult whe deliberatig o what actios to take to esure the worker s safe retur to work. A rage of key issues emerged which are preseted below. Beefits of Rehabilitatio The Associatio of British Isurers Care ad Compesatio report asserts that there is strog evidece that a greater emphasis o rehabilitatio would improve their atio s occupatioal health ad that iteratioal evidece reveals the beefits of rehabilitatio. I New Zealad, rehabilitatio services mea that 68 percet of claimats retur to work withi three moths of their ijury. 85 percet retur withi six moths, ad 93 percet withi twelve moths; I Swede, the umber of people compesated through the public sickess isurace system has declied by almost half sice 1990 due to a greater focus o rehabilitatio ad retur to work programmes; I Australia, a steady icrease i rehabilitatio ad retur to work programmes led to the umber of people returig to work icreasig to 86 percet i from 83 percet i EEF, the Egieerig Employers Federatio, a major UK employers orgaisatio coducted a survey of its members i September 2003 o log term sickess absece ad rehabilitatio busiesses respoded. The sample was skewed towards smaller sites with 76.6% sayig they employ fewer tha 250. The survey covers over 200,000 employees. 41 Associatio of British Isurers (2005) Care ad Compesatio. 42 EEF/IRS survey (2004) Maagig log-term sickess absece ad rehabilitatio. 27

28 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Summary of Key Results of EEF Survey I half of the busiesses surveyed, log-term absece is growig i importace as a maagemet issue; beig drive by seior maagemet s cocer at the cost of this type of sick leave, ad the fact that it is risig as a proportio of total absece. Nearly all busiesses surveyed (83.4 percet) offer rehabilitatio to employees o log-term sick leave. Rehabilitatio is successful - resultig i the retur of employees to their previous jobs i most cases. Employers provide rehabilitatio by: developig ad implemetig ew policies ad procedures; earlier itervetio i idividual cases; ad workig with isurers to build retur to work ito isurace services. Over half (53.1 percet) of workplaces surveyed had writte policies coverig log-term absece ad rehabilitatio. The UK Trades Uio Cogress (T.U.C.) commissioed research ito the issue of rehabilitatio, defiig it as ay method by which people with a coditio resultig from sickess or ijury which iterferes with their ability to work ca be retured to work. The research bega i 2001 with a survey of 2,000 UK safety represetatives, with a 63 percet respose rate. The survey provided a sapshot of the approach to rehabilitatio, ad sickess absece. To supplemet the survey, iterviews with maagers, occupatioal health staff, uio represetatives ad idividual employees were coducted at ie compaies ad orgaisatios. These iterviews cofirm the busiess beefits of rehabilitatio (improved attedace ad retetio, reduced costs from absece ad medical retiremet, compliace with the UK Disability Discrimiatio Act, good practice o health ad safety ad promotig a health culture at work) ad show how good practice o rehabilitatio works. 43 The key fidigs of Employmet ad Disability, Back to Work Strategies, a 2004 report published by The Europea Foudatio for the Improvemet of Workig ad Livig Coditios were: The umber of people claimig log-term disability paymets is risig, exceedig 10 percet of the labour force i some member states; The desig of retur to work systems is ofte iadequate; A timely ad appropriate respose is crucial as soo as a illess begis to affect a employee s capacity to work. 43 Labour Research Departmet. (2002) Rehabilitatio ad retetio: the workplace view A Trades Uio Cogress report. 28

29 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The probability of returig to work is less tha 50 percet for those who are abset for betwee three ad six moths; Workplace factors, such as lack of cotact with the workplace, lack of procedures for dealig with disability, ad compay culture, ca all cotribute to the likelihood that someoe will fail to retur to work; Re-itegratio ito work ivolves a umber of parties, such as the worker, family, employer, doctor, occupatioal health ad HR staff. 44 The Europea Agecy for Safety ad Health at Work Itervetios i the Workplace publicatio cocluded, that the limited literature o work itervetios provides some evidece, both i cotrolled ad ucotrolled studies, of the potetial beefits of workplace itervetios. 45 Early Itervetio The 2003 report from the (Irish) Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Report of the Workig Group o the Review of Illess ad Disability Paymets recommeded the itroductio of early itervetio measures which are aimed at re-itegratig people who sustai serious illesses, ijuries ad disabilities back ito the workforce before they become log-term depedat o social welfare paymets. 46 The report also recommeded for Disability Beefit recipiets who are likely to drift ito log-term illess, the possible beefits of early itervetio measures should also be explored through the establishmet of a pilot project which would assess the potetial of such measures i terms of re-itegratio back ito the workforce. 47 Orgaisatio for Ecoomic Co-operatio ad Developmet (OECD) A OECD Framework Paper o reviewig disability policies to improve work icetives cocluded that workers eter the path ito log-term disability through sickess beefit programmes ad stated that sickess maagemet, medical ad fuctioal assessmet ad moitorig procedures as well as the timig ad quality of medical ad o-medical itervetios of such schemes icludig e.g. the preparatio of a re-itegratio pla ad the use of full or partial early activatio ad of medical ad o-medical rehabilitatio largely determie workers chaces to retur to employmet Wye R. ad McAaey D. (2004) Employmet ad disability: Back to work strategies. 45 Mossik J. ad de Greef M. (2002) Itervetios i the Workplace. 46 Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs (2003) Report of the Workig Group o the Review of Illess ad Disability Paymets. 47 Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. (2003) Report of the Workig Group o the Review of Illess ad Disability Paymets. 48 Priz, Christopher (2005) Breakig The Barrier OECD Thematic Review o Reformig Disability Policies to Improve Work Icetives. 29

30 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Early itervetio is cosistetly cited i the research as beig a key factor i the successful rehabilitatio of a ijured/disabled worker. The Orgaisatio for Ecoomic Co-operatio ad Developmet (OECD) published a report i 2002 which provides a systematic aalysis of labour market ad social protectio programmes aimed at people with disabilities of workig age across twety OECD member coutries. The report cotaied a umber of policy recommedatios ad oe of its mai coclusios was that early itervetio should be a key focus as the loger a disabled perso stays out of work, the lower the chaces of reitegratio will be. Early itervetio ca i may cases be the most effective measure agaist logterm beefit depedece. As soo as a perso becomes disabled, a process of tailored vocatioal itervetio should be iitiated, where appropriate icludig, for example job search, rehabilitatio ad/or further traiig. 49 It has bee show that itervetios focussig o returig to work ad implemeted i the sub-acute stage of low back pai ca reduce time lost from work by percet. 50 Frequetly, simple modificatios to equipmet or hours at work are all that is required to facilitate the retur to work, ofte startig with shorter hours ad gradually buildig the returig worker up to a ormal workig day. 51 The Associatio of British Isurers has estimated that savigs to the Exchequer of the order of 1.3 billio might be achieved if the UK s record of rehabilitatio was improved. 52 The Associatio describes rehabilitatio as coverig a rage of itervetios, icludig medical ad o-medical treatmets. It deals with accidets, acute ad chroic coditios ad offers a diverse rage of services, such as surgery, cousellig ad work placemets. 53 A report Cost & Beefits of Retur to Work ad Vocatioal Rehabilitatio i the UK 54 commissioed by the Associatio of British Isurers cocluded that 1. Fewer cases of serious ijury meas: Fewer employers liability claims; Less staff absece icurred by employers; Reduced or cotaied employers liability costs; ad Fewer ijuries reportable to the Health ad Safety Executive. 49 Orgaisatio for Ecoomic Co-operatio ad Developmet (2003) Trasformig Disability ito Ability Policies to Promote Work ad Icome Security for Disabled People. 50 Frak et al (1998) Prevetig disability from work-related low back pai: ew evidece gives ew hope if we ca just get all the players o side. 51 Labour Research Departmet. (2002) Rehabilitatio ad retetio: the workplace view. 52 The Associatio of British Isurers (2003) Vocatioal Rehabilitatio - the Way Forward. 53 The Associatio of British Isurers (2005) Care ad Compesatio. 54 Wright M. et al (2004) Cost & Beefits of retur to work ad vocatioal rehabilitatio i the UK. 30

31 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 2. Early itervetio ca prevet: Mior ijury becomig serious; Acute ijury becomig chroic; Serious ijury becomig disablig. 3. Geuie attempts to support the ijured employee s retur to work meas: Employees are less likely to feel aggrieved; ad Less likely to seek justice through a compesatio claim. Alterative Itervetios The UK Job Rehabilitatio ad Retetio Pilot (JRRP) was a radomised cotrolled trial desiged to test three alterative itervetios, all aimed at icreasig the retur-to-work rate of those off-work sick for six weeks or more. The trial ra from April 2003 for a period of two years ad was aimed at people who were i employmet of sixtee hours or more who had bee o sickess absece for betwee six ad twety six weeks. The three itervetios were: A workplace itervetio, aimed at achievig a retur-to-work by addressig issues i the workplace; A health itervetio, aimed at achievig a retur-to-work by addressig the health issues of the idividual; ad A combied itervetio, this beig a mix of the above two itervetios. The primary aim for each of the three itervetio groups was a retur-to-work for a period of at least 13 cosecutive weeks. 55 The most commo health coditios cited by participats of the pilot were musculoskeletal (33 percet) ad metal ad behavioural (30 percet). Fourtee percet described their sickess abseces as due to a ijury. The report o the impact of the pilot showed o evidece that offerig Job Retetio ad Rehabilitatio Pilot (JRRP) itervetios to those off work sick improved their chaces of returig to work whe measured agaist all participats of the trial. However, the retur-towork rates were higher amogst the itervetio groups for those off work because of a ijury (that is, the itervetios had a positive impact), 36 percet of those i the cotrol group retured to work compared to 55 percet of those i oe of the itervetio groups. These results idicate that the itervetios seem to be most helpful to those off work sick because of a ijury Purdo et al (2006) Impact of the Job Retetio ad Rehabilitatio Pilot. 56 Departmet for Works ad Pesios (2006) Experieces ad Impacts of the Job Retetio ad Rehabilitatio Pilot Research Summary. 31

32 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Whilst the authors state that they are usure why the itervetios did ot improve the chaces of all participats returig to work, oe possibility put forward was that a 13-week retur to work is simply too difficult a target for this populatio group (who, have bee off work for at least six weeks), Other suggestios put forward as likely explaatios for the o impact fidig overall were: that the itervetios offered were ot always see to be appropriate to the cliets or meetig their eeds fully; service providers faced barriers from employers ad GPs that reduced the probability of their beig able to gai a successful retur-to-work. 57 The qualitative research showed that sickess absece brought boredom, frustratio, isolatio ad feeligs of guilt, ad as it wet o affected people s metal wellbeig. It also had fiacial implicatios which people had usually ot cosidered whe they wet off sick. They geerally had limited kowledge about the state beefits that would be available if they were off sick log term. People valued the support they received from cotact with their lie maagers ad geerally wated regular cotact, but with the emphasis o their health ad wellbeig rather tha o whe they would retur to work, util they felt well eough to do so. 58 The features of a vocatioal rehabilitatio service valued by participats of the pilot were: health services such as psychological therapies, itervetios to boost stregth ad mobility, referrals to specialists, surgical itervetios ad complemetary therapies; workplace support particularly employer liaiso, advice o strategies for returig, assessmets, vocatioal advice ad help with job search ad fiacial advice; active case maagemet; early itervetio; holistic ad tailored support. Legitimacy Oe cocept, which has received icreasig attetio, is the oe of legitimacy. 59 Legitimacy refers to the degree to which a ijured employee feels believed by others i regard to the geuieess of their ijury ad of their symptoms. 60 This feelig of legitimacy is of particular importace to ijuries, which ivolve work abseces, ad to ijuries, which are ivisible, such as soft tissue sprais ad strais. If a employee feels workplace staff questio the legitimacy 57 S. Purdo et al (2006) Impact of the Job Retetio ad Rehabilitatio Pilot. 58 Farrell, C. et al (2006) Experieces of the Job Retetio ad Rehabilitatio Pilot. 59 Tarasuk V. ad Eaki J M, (1995) The problem of legitimacy i the experiece of work related back ijury. 60 Smith et al (ed.) (1998) ECC Progosis Modellig Group, Progosis of musculoskeletal disorders, effects of legitimacy ad job vulerability. 32

33 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work of symptoms, the worker may develop egative feeligs towards the workplace, which will weigh agaist their decidig to retur to work. Qualitative studies of ijured employees suggest that a o-cofrotatioal ad ojudgemetal approach from the workplace after ijury is essetial to success o retur to work. 61 The importace of a supportive supervisor respose has bee raised i qualitative studies ad empirical studies 62. I a study of 434 employees with low-back pai, low supervisor support reduced retur to work rates by 21 percet. 63 Psychosocial Factors Research udertake by The Australasia Faculty of Occupatioal Medicie of the Royal Australasia College of Physicias states that psychosocial factors i log-term disability are importat ad that recet evidece suggests that appropriate medical itervetio that takes this ito accout ca sigificatly reduce log-term disability. How a employee believes their employers feels about workplace ijury ad how valued they feel i the workplace may affect the outcome. The researchers listed some of the factors, which may cotribute to poorer health outcomes for people with compesable ijuries. These iclude: the psychosocial eviromet of the ijured perso at the time of ijury (for example, low job satisfactio, poor social etworks, lack of purposeful use of time). This icludes societal attitudes towards ijury ad compesatio; the psychosocial eviromet of the ijured perso after the time of ijury (for example, a workplace ot prepared to adapt to a retur to work programme, family members usupportive of rehabilitatio programmes); the iitial respose to claimats by isurers (for example, actig as though claimats are automatically assumed to be fraudulet, thus pushig them ito a defesive I ll show them I m really sick attitude); the maagemet of iitial treatmet; the hadlig of case maagemet by isurers (for example, ot developig appropriate retur to work programmes or moitorig these, ot providig claimats with good iformatio about the effects of log term sick leave, etc.); the legth of time away from work Clark J., Cole D. ad Ferer S. (2000) Retur to work after a soft tissue ijury: A qualitative exploratio. 62 Côte et al (2000) A report o chiropractors ad retur to work, the experiece of 3 Caadia focus groups. 63 Krauss et al (2001) Psychosocial job factors ad retur to work after low back ijury. 64 The Australasia Faculty of Occupatioal Medicie (2001) Compesable Ijuries ad Health Outcomes. 33

34 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Worker Morale WorkCover New South Wales reports that compesatio schemes that implemet ijury maagemet programmes show sigificat savigs due to icreased retur to work ad lower medical beefits paymets. 65 I oe study ivolvig a geriatric hospital, 46 percet of ursig aids iitiated low back idustrial claims, with a 82 percet recurrece rate. The hospital i a effort to cotrol workers compesatio losses, implemeted a programme of back school traiig, with idividual educatio o ijury prevetio ad careful follow-up of reported ijuries. A follow-up study revealed essetially o chage i the ijury ad recurrece rates amog their employees. However, whe the same hospital bega a persoel policy of immediate cotact followig a ijury ad regular 10-day follow-up cotacts, coupled with a evaluatio of retraiig ad early retur-to-work possibilities, they foud they were three times more effective i reducig time loss ad recurrece rates for low back ijuries. This hospital s experiece clearly illustrates that makig employees feel that they are valued ad eeded at the workplace ca have a sigificat impact o the employer s bottom lie. I aother study of 31,200 Boeig employees, a strog correlatio was foud betwee the icidece of lost-time soft tissue ijuries ad a poor supervisor relatioship. A similar study has bee completed with urba trasit operators. These studies demostrate that a employer s policies ca ofte be more successful i returig employees to work i a timely maer ad i reducig the umber of claims, tha medical persoel ca be by treatig subjective complaits. 66 Experieces of Treatig Doctors A 2005 study i the Uited Kigdom explored Geeral Practitioers approaches to maagig sickess absece ad to assistig patiets i returig to work. The study ivolved i-depth iterviews with 24 GPs, purposively selected from a atioal database of GP surgeries. Key samplig criteria icluded the extet of GPs experiece ad ay specialist expertise i occupatioal health. The fidigs suggested that geeral practitioers views about work sickess depeds o a geeral practitioer s ow persoal views, patiet characteristics, time available, expertise i occupatioal health, ad views about cotiuity of care ad stated that ogoig egagemet with the medical professio is likely to be required to clarify geeral practitioers roles i relatio to retur to work. 65 WorkCover (1997) Ijury Maagemet Iitiatives, Workers Compesatio that Works! 66 Colledge A & Johso H (2000) SPICE A Model for Reducig the Icidece ad Costs of Occupatioally Etitled Claims. 34

35 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The UK report cocluded that it seems likely that prevetio ad maagig log-term sickessrelated absece will be icreasigly importat areas, with medical practitioers ecouraged to do more to help workers stay i ad retai work. Previously, geeral practitioers have ot see such dimesios as part of their role ad have lacked the tools, traiig ad fiacial icetives to offer such supports. 67 Ega & Mitchell writig i Workforce Magazie commeted that a physicia isolated from the iput of a employer may uecessarily limit the patiet s work optios. Usually, this is uitetioal ad the result of icomplete or iaccurate iformatio. Doctors are experts i the field of diagosis ad treatmet of disease ad disability, but eed the co-operatio of employers i order to make well-iformed retur-to-work assessmets. Employers hold essetial iformatio about the job demads ad policies of their specific workplace. They recommed that employers make it possible for a doctor to defie the coditios uder which a employee ca resume a safe trasitio back to full job duties by: iformig whether trasitioal work is available; iformig about specific workplace coditios ad job demads. 68 Writig i the 2004 Witer issue of the Occupatioal Health Joural Colledge & Johso commet that physicias, therapists, maagemet, ad labour all too ofte ecourage disability by prologig the ijured worker s separatio from the workplace ad argue that this is particularly true whe the employer requires 100 percet recovery prior to ay work release ad that a 100 percet recovery policy may prove more costly to the employer tha ay other expese. The authors state that effective accomplishmet of returig impaired idividuals to work ofte requires the combied efforts of the idividual, health care provider, ad employer, to carefully evaluate the patiet s ability ad the, if ecessary, cosider efforts to provide reasoable accommodatios. 69 The authors further state that cliicias who treat the ijured worker should be comfortable with the type of work required for a ijured worker to perform his/her job as this kowledge allows determiatio of the capability of the patiet ad that the cliicia should also be well iformed o workplace parameters such as the availability of modified duty Mowlam, A. ad J. Lewis (2005) Explorig How Geeral Practitioers Work with Patiets o Sick Leave. Research Report No 257, 68 Ega E & Mitchell K (2002) Workforce Magazie. 69 Colledge A & Johso H (2000) SPICE A Model for Reducig the Icidece ad Costs of Occupatioally Etitled Claims

36 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The S.P.I.C.E. Model 71 S.P.I.C.E. is a Forward treatmet method developed by the US military to prevet systemiduced disability amog battle casualties. The SPICE model itegrates medical ad busiess maagemet activities. Colledge & Johso advocate that the applicatio of this model allows everyoe ivolved with the disability maagemet process to participate i reducig both icidece rates ad costs. The S.P.I.C.E. model cosists of five compoets: Simplicity the cocept that simple, beig coditios, treated i a complicated fashio, become complicated. Proximity the eed to keep the worker associated with the workplace by buildig morale ad support of employees. Immediacy the eed to deal with idustrial claims i a timely maer. Cetrality all parties ivolved with workers share a commo philosophy ad ultimate goal of returig the idividual back to gaiful employmet as quickly as possible. Expectacy the cocept that idividuals ofte fulfil the expectatios placed o them. 72 Differig Experieces of Disability People with disabilities are ot a homogeous group. This review is focused o people returig to work after absece from work due to a work-related illess or ijury. Accordig to the literature, the timig of oset of the disability, the ature of the disability, ad the respose of others, to their disability ca affect the extet to which the disability affects the idividual s employmet/employmet retetio prospects. It is less clear from the literature what is kow about how people with acquired disability adjust to their disability ad this topic warrats further study. I a paper published i Disability Studies i 2003, Yasmi Hussai discusses the itersectios betwee disability, ethicity ad geder i life course trasitios. The paper reveals the views of youg people growig up with physical impairmets ad asserts there is a differece betwee those who had acquired the impairmet durig life ad those who were bor with it. The latter made plas for the future, those who had acquired their disability felt that it had come as a devastatig blow to the family. Those who were workig were disabled from birth, were positive about their employmet ad comfortable with their disability. Their cofidece was evidet Colledge A & Johso H (2000) SPICE A Model for Reducig the Icidece ad Costs of Occupatioally Etitled Claims. 36

37 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work from their commets; they blamed society for ot allowig them to participate fully due to iadequate facilities. However, those who had acquired a disability were more fatalistic i their outlook. There was a cocetratio o the barriers ad obstacles that preveted them from effectig a trasitio ito employmet. They also focused o life before the icidets which led to their impairmet ad talked about themselves egatively, as they were still comig to terms with their disability ad saw it as the cause of their uemploymet. 73 A paper preseted at Bridgig Gaps: Refiig the Disability Research Ageda for Rehabilitatio ad Social Scieces coferece proceedigs icluded fidigs that psychological adjustmet to acquired disabilities has bee viewed historically i the literature as a sequetial process ivolvig three to five aturally occurrig stages (Bracke, Shephard & Webb, 1981, Hohma, 1975; Siller, 1963, Stewart, 1977). For example, Stewart (1977) proposed a three-stage model of copig ad adaptatio that icluded:- (a) deial, (b) depressio, ad (c) moratorium/restitutio (a stage typically marked by some form of acceptace of the disability. That is, the impairmet itself, or the loss of fuctioality as a result of the specified impairmet, is the factor deemed to be pivotal i evaluatig the adjustmet process. 74 A UK study cocered with the process of becomig disabled durig workig life ad the impact o the idividual ad his or her family foud that the majority of disabled people experiece the oset of their health problem or impairmet durig adulthood. The effect o employmet status varies widely by severity of impairmet. 84 percet of people with the least complex impairmets retaied their employmet, whilst just over half of those with multiple impairmets did so. 75 Importace of Supports Evidece from the literature review idicates that we eed to look at the degree to which the eviromet ad support services adapt to iclude people with disabilities. It appears to be importat to gather iformatio o the degree to which evirometal, commuicatio, policy ad/or service barriers prevet access to services amog people with disabilities, ad most importatly, how to provide receptive eviromets for people with disabilities. Without guidig priciples to service support, it ca be difficult to begi to provide a adequate service. Thorto et al coducted a review i 1998 of research ad developmet iitiatives aimed at helpig people with disabilities fid ad keep a job. The review looked at four differet stages i the process of fidig ad keepig work, oe of the stages beig becomig disabled at work. 73 Yasmi Hussai Trasitios ito Adulthood: disability, ethicity ad geder amog British South Asias. 74 Mez, F. E., & Thomas, D. F. (eds.). (2003). Bridgig gaps: Refiig the disability research ageda for rehabilitatio ad the social scieces Coferece proceedigs. 75 T Burchardt (2003) Social exclusio ad the oset of disability. 37

38 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The review foud that sustaiig employmet may be difficult, requirig formal iput from a outside orgaisatio. Alteratively, the presece of a supportive idividual i the workplace is ofte a key factor i whether the perso with a disability is able to maitai employmet. Aother theme, which emerged strogly from the review was the eed for more research ito the experieces of people with disabilities i the workplace, ad for workplace practices to reflect the fact that the eeds of a workig perso with a disability are everyday oes. For istace, adaptatios do ot usually ivolve expesive techology, but are more likely to be mudae ad easy tasks such as chagig the height of a desk, improvig lightig or allowig rest breaks. 76 The review idetified a gap i the research literature regardig acquirig a disability while i work ad asserted that there are some tesios betwee the eeds of those who become disabled later i life ad those who have ever worked. The fial study of sigificace o this theme was coducted i the UK i 2003 ad explored the strategies used by workers with disabilities to get by i the workplace, ad looked at the ature ad role of support they received. It used a atioal survey plus iterviews ad focus groups to examie how workig people with disabilities maage i the workplace, ad how they survive or thrive at work. The study established the importace of strategies ad support. The research foud that the followig were some of the most importat strategies used by the participats i the study i order to get o better at work. A wide rage of supports were used, such as moral ad fiacial support, empathy, give ad take, ad mutual support ad advice. There was o uiversally beeficial strategy that could be applied. What worked for oe may be uhelpful or risky i a differet workplace; Assertig your eeds as a worker with a disability (without beig too aggressive) was oted by a umber of participats. The assertiveess usually took the form of workers askig for what they eeded, but sometimes was about resistig job chages or uwated developmets, icludig promotios if, for example, the promotio would ivolve movig to a less accessible eviromet; Beig ope about impairmet, disability ad barriers at work as this allows a fuller uderstadig by colleagues of workplace challeges; Major sources of support metioed were colleagues, Jobcetre Plus Access to work provisio, family ad frieds, employers ad maagers, orgaisatio of ad for disabled people, ad trade uios; Empathy ad acceptace of differece were see as very importat. 76 Bares H., Thorto P, ad Mayard Campbell S. (1998) Disabled people ad employmet: ew issues for research ad practice. 38

39 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The researchers coclude that much still eeds to be doe to uderstad ad respod systematically to the eeds of workers with disabilities ad to provide access to more structured formalised ad appropriate support. They assert that the implicatio for Govermet is recogisig the pivotal role played by Govermet support schemes ad addressig their weakesses which icluded delays i assessmet ad provisio, ad lack of kowledge ad skills cocerig a rage of impairmets ad barriers. The report recommeded that Govermet agecies providig support to workers with a disabilities eed to be better iformed about the rage of eeds of workers with disabilities, be cosistet ad equitable i provisio, be resposive ad flexible, ad look at more impartial meas of support. 77 All of these poits illustrate the importace of providig accessible support from the time the ijury occurs i order to resource the worker while s/he is comig to terms with their ew circumstaces, accessig supports ad services, assessig optios ad tryig to retur to work. Future Research The OECD has commissioed a review which will follow workers who are i work but who become (log-term) sick. It aims to follow up o the OECD study Trasformig Disability ito Ability (published i early 2003) ad will examie i more depth atioal policies to maage ad reduce the iflow ito sickess ad disability beefit programmes ad to assist those beeficiaries who wat to re-itegrate ito the labour market. The objective is to reach a better uderstadig of the mechaisms ad policies that lead a perso with a health problem or a disability to withdraw from the labour market, temporarily or permaetly. It will examie the roles of doctors, employers, ad social isurace istitutios, at the oset of sickess ad evetually i the trasitio to disability. The role of the isurace compaies i helpig compaies to idetify problems or providig advice o maagig sickess will also be examied. Particular attetio will be give to ay differeces there may be betwee the procedures followed i case of geeral sickess as opposed to occupatioal ijuries ad diseases. The reviews will map out policies aimed to help people with a medical coditio, ad those o disability-type beefits i particular, re-itegrate ito the labour market, examiig how people are assisted i this process, ad whether they are receivig special support. Three coutries will be reviewed at a time, with the pla to prepare oe comparative report per year ad to dissemiate the fidigs i the form of atioal semiars i all three coutries. 78 Irelad will be icluded i this study ad the fidigs will be beeficial to policy makers. 77 Ala Roulstoe et al (2003) Thrivig ad survivig at work: Disabled people s employmet strategies. 78 Sourced 39

40 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Natioal Disability Survey The first Natioal Disability Survey was carried out i the Autum of 2006 by the Cetral Statistics Office. The questioaire will iclude sectios o impairmets, o aids ad supports ad o policy areas such as employmet, educatio, ad the built eviromet. The itetio beig that the survey will for the first time provide the baselie data required by policy makers ad service providers. 40

41 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 6 Beefits i the Republic of Irelad A Geeral Guide All data refers to Levels of beefits etc. may chage from time to time so always check with your local social welfare office for curret paymet rates. Sources of Support There are may groups ad idividuals who have experiece ad kowledge i supportig ijured workers ad their employers. Both the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs ad FÁS may provide critical support either i icome support or through the provisio of grats to support the worker o his/her retur to work. Other sources of support would be occupatioal therapists, or physiotherapists who have a specialised kowledge about a particular ijury or disability, disability case maagemet ad the steps to follow to support a ijured worker retur to work. FÁS offers the Employee Retetio Grat Scheme which allows a employer to retai the services of a specialist competet to idetify the rehabilitatio eeds, recommed actio ad subsequetly implemet this course of actio as part of the retur to work pla for the ijured worker. I most cases, FÁS is the first agecy, a employer should approach for advice ad assistace. If more specialised help is ecessary, FÁS ca furish a list of specialists, icludig a list of disability maagemet cosultats ad rehabilitatio experts. (Cotact details of specialist orgaisatios are listed i the Appedices). Icome Support for Ijured Workers There are differet types of social welfare paymets available which are outlied below. Occupatioal Ijuries Beefit Scheme (O.I.B.) The Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs operates a scheme of beefits for people ijured by a accidet at work or while travellig directly to or from work. 41

42 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Self-employed people are ot covered uder the scheme. PRSI Class B (paid by Civil Servats recruited prior to 6 April 1995) does ot give cover for Ijury Beefit but does give cover for other beefits available uder the Occupatioal Ijuries Scheme. I geeral people i employmet isurable at PRSI Class A, D, J or M are covered i full for Occupatioal Ijuries Beefits. FÁS Traiees, people o FÁS Schemes ad people over 66 who are workig are also covered for Occupatioal Ijuries Beefits. Ulike other social isurace beefits it is ot ecessary to have a set umber of PRSI cotributios to qualify. It is simply ecessary to be i employmet which is isurable for Occupatioal Ijuries. Workers are covered from their first day at work. It is the employer ad ot the employee who makes the cotributio towards the Occupatioal Ijuries Fud. There are a umber of beefits available ad there are differet coditios attached to each beefit. (See sectio o Grats/Supports ad Icetives for a comprehesive descriptio of all social welfare disability paymets, paymet rates, qualificatio criteria ad applicatio details). The Occupatioal Ijuries beefits are as follows: Ijury Beefit; Disablemet Beefit; Icapacity Supplemet. Ijury Beefit Ijury Beefit is a weekly paymet which a ijured worker will receive if ufit for work due to a accidet. It ca be paid for up to 26 weeks from the date of the accidet. Disablemet Beefit Disablemet Beefit is paid if a worker sustais a loss of physical or metal faculty as a result of a ijury at work. The worker does ot have to be ufit for work to be eligible for this paymet. The worker must have a medical assessmet to determie the degree of loss of faculty ad the rate of beefit is based o this. It differs fudametally from other Social Welfare icome support paymets i that it is a compesatory paymet, rather tha a icome maiteace paymet. Accordigly Disablemet Pesio ca be paid i additio to other Social Welfare paymets such as Illess Beefit ad Ivalidity Pesio ad ca also be paid where a perso cotiues to work. 42

43 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work icapacity Supplemet (formerly Uemployability Supplemet) Uemployability Supplemet is a supplemet to Disablemet Pesio where a perso is cosidered to be permaetly icapable of work as a result of a occupatioal accidet/disease ad does ot qualify for aother Social Welfare beefit. Medical Care If a worker icurs medical costs as a result of the occupatioal ijury s/he ca claim for the cost of certai expeses which are ot already covered by the Health Service Executive or by the Treatmet Beefit Scheme. Other Social Welfare Paymets Illess Beefit (formerly Disability Beefit) If the employee i receipt of Ijury Beefit is still uable to work after 26 weeks, s/he may be etitled to Illess Beefit if certai PRSI cotributio coditios are satisfied. Illess Beefit is most ofte used to support log term abset workers. Almost 20% of those i receipt of it have bee out of work for more tha 12 moths. It is subject to icome tax. Ivalidity Pesio This is a social isurace paymet made to people who have bee o Illess Beefit or a alterative beefit called Disability Allowace for at least 1 year ad who will be icapable of work for at least a further year. I some cases where the applicat is ulikely to work for the remaider of their life, they may go oto Ivalidity Pesio directly. Disability Allowace Disability Allowace is payable to those who have ot eough social isurace cotributios to quality for Illess Beefit. It is meas tested. The scope of Disability Allowace icludes ayoe with a ijury, which has cotiued or may reasoably be expected to cotiue for at least 1 year. Disability Allowace is a log-term icome support. It applies to ayoe betwee the ages of 16 ad 66 years ad there is o fixed limit o the legth of paymet. Blid Pesio The Blid Pesio is a meas-tested paymet paid to blid ad certai people with low visio, aged 18 or over who are ormally livig i the State ad satisfy a meas test. Note: Please see sectio o Grats/Supports ad Icetives for a comprehesive descriptio of all social welfare disability paymets, paymet rates ad applicatio details. 43

44 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Claims for Damages If a worker suffers from a occupatioal ijury s/he ca register the ijury ad seek a assessmet of their ijury with the Persoal Ijuries Assessmet Board. The Persoal Ijuries Assessmet Board (PIAB) is a statutory body, which provides idepedet assessmet of persoal ijury compesatio for victims of workplace, motor ad public liability accidets. It was established uder the PIAB Act The fact that the worker has received a Occupatioal Ijuries paymet does ot i itself mea that compesatio will be awarded. Uder this legislatio all claims for persoal ijury (excludig medical egligece) must be submitted to PIAB before legal proceedigs ca be take. (It is of course ope to the parties to reach a settlemet o their ow iitiative). Depedig o the outcome of the assessmet, the ijured worker, if still dissatisfied may the brig a civil claim for damages agaist the employer. It is also ope to the employer to challege the assessmet i the Civil Court. Whe the civil court is assessig damages it must take ito accout ay Ijury Beefit ad Disablemet Beefit paid. Other social welfare paymets are disregarded. Sick Leave I geeral i Irelad, there is o existig employmet legislatio o the issue of sick pay or sick leave. This meas that the employer is ot obliged to pay a abset employee sick pay. It is at the discretio of the employer to decide his/her ow policy o sick pay ad sick leave, subject to the worker s cotract or terms of employmet. Uder Sectio 3 of the Terms of Employmet Acts 1994 ad 2001 a employer is obliged to provide a employee with a writte statemet of terms of employmet withi two moths of the commecemet of employmet. Oe of the terms referred to i this Act o which the employer must provide iformatio is the terms or coditios relatig to icapacity for work due to sickess or ijury. Where there is a etitlemet to sick pay, i may cases, moey from the employer will ormally be et of ay beefit from the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. Eve where the Exchequer carries the burde of sick pay or ijury/disability beefits, the employer icurs direct costs i overtime ad replacemet costs ad idirectly i higher persoel turover, reduced productivity, low staff morale, loss of experiece, ad higher isurace premiums. As research demostrates, 80% of workers who are abset from work for 6 weeks or more will require some assistace i returig to work. A strategy is therefore required to reduce log-term absece ad job loss as a result of ijuries suffered i the workplace, ad thus reducig premiums ad other costs of log-term absece. Beig prepared to support a ijured worker retur to work makes good busiess sese. 44

45 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work FÁS Supports FÁS Employee Retetio Grat Scheme FÁS operates a retetio grat to ecourage ad assist private sector employers, to retai employees who acquire a ijury or disability, which causes difficulty for them whe they try to do their work. The grat provides fudig to: idetify accommodatio ad/or traiig to allow the worker cotiue i his/her curret job; or re-trai him/her so that s/he ca take up aother job withi the compay. Workplace Equipmet/Adaptatio Grat A ijured worker returig to work or the employer may apply to FÁS for a grat towards the costs of adaptig the workplace or equipmet. A maximum grat of 6,350 is available towards the cost of adaptatios to premises or equipmet ad ca also be used to upgrade adapted equipmet fuded previously. Wage Subsidy Scheme If the ijured worker is workig more tha 20 hours per week ad his/her productivity levels are ow betwee 51 percet ad 80 percet of ormal work performace, a wage subsidy paymet may be paid by FÁS. Persoal Reader Grat If the returig worker is visually impaired ad requires assistace with job-related readig, the worker ca apply for a grat to allow for the employmet of a persoal reader. FÁS will pay a hourly fee i lie with miimum wage. It will be paid o a short- term basis, up to a maximum of 640 hours per aum. Disability Awareess Traiig Support Scheme A grat is available to private sector employers towards providig disability awareess traiig to their staff. The Disability Awareess Traiig Support Scheme is iteded to assist i the itegratio of disabled workers ad ijured returig workers ito the workplace. Fudig is available at a level of 90 percet of cost i the first year of traiig ad thereafter, 80 percet of eligible programme costs are grated. This grat ca be useful to prepare your workforce for the retur of a colleague after ijury. FÁS has a list of approved traiers. Note: Full details of FÁS grats are give i the sectio o Grats, Supports ad Icetives. 45

46 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Grats/Supports ad Icetives Grats, supports ad icetives are curretly available from FÁS, the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs ad the Reveue Commissioers. FÁS Employee Retetio Grat Scheme FÁS operates a retetio grat to ecourage ad assist employers, to retai employees who acquire a ijury or disability, which causes difficulty for them whe they try to do their work. The grat provides fudig to: idetify accommodatio ad/or traiig to allow the worker cotiue i his/her curret job; or re-trai him/her so that s/he ca take up aother job withi the compay. How does it work? This scheme cosists of two stages: Stage I facilitates employers by eablig them to buy i exteral specialist skills ad kowledge eeded to develop a idividualised Retetio Strategy for a ijured worker. FÁS pays 90 percet of the cost, up to a maximum of 2,500 towards the developmet of a retetio strategy for ay oe employee. Example: The specialist/exteral case co-ordiator ca help you i job task aalysis ad explore possible accommodatios with you, icludig usig Assist Irelad, a atioal database hosted by Citizes Advice Board (formerly kow as Comhairle) to share iformatio about accommodatios ad adaptive equipmet. Accommodatios might ivolve the use of adaptive equipmet, a shift of job duties, a reduced schedule, or, for example, a device that helps a employee i firm graspig. America studies have show that 31% of accommodatios provided do ot cost aythig. This could iclude those situatios where a employee uses a available cart to move boxes istead of carryig them. I selectig a case co-ordiator, make sure they have the ecessary expertise ad uderstad the full implicatios of the employmet equality legislatio. You eed to esure a good fit betwee the employee, the tools they use, ad the work they do i order to maximise the likelihood of a successful retur to work. Note: Details of exteral specialists may be obtaied from FÁS Disability Policy Tel. No Stage II provides fudig to the employer towards the implemetatio of the writte Retetio Strategy, icludig retraiig, job coachig ad/or hirig of a exteral coordiator to oversee ad maage its implemetatio. FÁS agai pays 90 percet of the cost, up to a maximum of 12,500 towards the implemetatio of a retetio strategy for ay oe employee. 46

47 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Who is eligible? All compaies i the private sector are eligible to apply for this support. Fudig is available to support the retetio of ay employee, at all levels ad positios withi the compay, who acquires a ijury or disability, which impacts o their ability to do the job. How do I apply? Cotact the local FÁS Services to Busiess Office, which ca be accessed usig your local telephoe directory or loggig oto Other supports, which ca be accessed as part of the retetio strategy, are the Workplace/ Equipmet Adaptatio Grat, Wage Subsidy Scheme ad the Persoal Reader Grat. (See below). Workplace Equipmet/Adaptatio Grat If a perso with a disability has bee offered employmet or is curretly i employmet ad requires a more accessible workplace or adapted equipmet to do their job, s/he or their employer may apply to FÁS for a grat towards the costs of adaptig the workplace or equipmet. This applicatio should be made i cosultatio with the employer. A maximum grat of 6,350 is available towards the cost of adaptatios to premises or equipmet ad ca also be used to upgrade adapted equipmet fuded previously. Example 79 Positio: Ijury: Job Duties: Customer Care Spial cord ijury resultig i limited use of arms ad hads ad uses wheelchair for mobility Dealig with icomig calls, accessig computer database for product iformatio ad sales Accommodatios provided: Desk was raised to accommodate wheelchair. A trackball was purchased so that employee could access the iformatio o the computer. Cost: Raised desk o cost Trackball mouse 96 (paid by FÁS Workplace Equipmet Adaptatio Grat) 79 IBEC/ICTU (2005) Workway Disability ad Employmet Guidelies. 47

48 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Further examples of adaptatios for which a grat may be give: mior buildig modificatios such as ramps or modified toilets; alarm systems with flashig lights; equipmet adaptatios such as voice sythesisers for computers or amplifiers for telephoes. Who ca apply? You or your employer ca apply for this grat if you: have bee offered employmet ad require a adaptatio to equipmet or premises to udertake the duties required; are i employmet or recetly chaged jobs ad require a adaptatio to equipmet or premises to udertake the duties required. How does this grat work? The employer or employee cotacts their local FÁS Employmet Services Office to obtai a applicatio form; The applicatio idetifies the equipmet ad/or adaptatio eeded, justifyig why it is eeded ad providig quotatios; FÁS ad the applicat review the applicatio; FÁS pays a grat to the applicat to cover the costs agreed. Note: For further details, cotact your local FÁS Employmet Services Office. Wage Subsidy Scheme If the ijured worker is workig more tha 20 hours per week ad his/her productivity levels are ow betwee 51 percet ad 80 percet or below 50 percet of ormal work performace, a wage subsidy paymet may be paid by FÁS. How does the scheme work? The shortfall i productivity is determied by the employer i cosultatio with the employee ad agreed with a FÁS Employmet Service Officer. If the worker o returig to work after ijury has a productivity level betwee 51 percet ad 80 percet of ormal work performace, a maximum subsidy up to 7,650 per aum is provided. If the ijured worker has a productivity level below 50 percet of ormal work performace a maximum subsidy up to 9,500 per aum is provided. 48

49 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The amout of the subsidy will vary depedig o the umber of hours the worker is employed. The employer pays the goig rate for the job, as per ay other employee. There is a further strad to the grat that is available to employers who employ 3 or more people with a disability. They ca apply for this top up to cover additioal supervisory, maagemet ad other work-based costs. How to apply? The employer cotacts their local FÁS Employmet Services Office ad obtais a WSS applicatio form. Persoal Reader Grat If you are a returig worker who is visually impaired or blid ad require assistace with job- related readig, you ca apply for a grat to allow you to employ a persoal reader. FÁS will pay a hourly fee i lie with miimum wage. It will be paid o a short-term basis, up to a maximum of 640 hours per aum. How does the grat work? Employees should cotact their local FÁS Employmet Services Office to obtai ad complete a applicatio form; FÁS, the employee ad the employer agree the umber of hours ad duratio based o the amout of readig required; FÁS pays a grat to the employee to cover the costs of a persoal reader; The persoal reader must ot be replacig ay readig help ormally give by work colleagues, relatives or frieds. For further details, cotact your local FÁS Employmet Services Office. Disability Awareess Traiig Support Scheme A grat is available to private sector employers towards providig disability awareess traiig to their staff. The Disability Awareess Traiig Support Scheme is iteded to assist i the itegratio of people with disabilities ito the workplace. Disability awareess traiig is of beefit to everyoe, as we are ofte usure of appropriate etiquette whe dealig with people with disabilities, be they our work colleagues, cliets, employees or customers. Fudig is available at a level of 90 percet of cost i the first year of traiig ad thereafter, 80 percet of eligible programme costs are grated. This grat ca be useful to prepare your workforce for the retur of a colleague after ijury. FÁS has a list of approved traiers. For further details, cotact the Services to Busiess sectio of your local FÁS Office. 49

50 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Back to Work Allowace (BTWA) Scheme (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Leaflet SW 93) This is a weekly social welfare paymet admiistered by the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs that ca be made i additio to wages. It provides a fiacial cushio to support social welfare recipiets who retur to work for a miimum of 20 hours per week. Eligible idividuals iclude those who have bee i receipt of disability allowace, blid pesio or ivalidity pesio for 15 moths (12 moths if aged over 50 years). People i receipt of Illess beefit for three years are also eligible. I additio to their wage, participats ca retai a percetage of their weekly social welfare paymet for a period of up to three years (75 percet i the first year, 50 percet i the secod year ad 25 percet i the third year). Secodary beefits may also be retaied, subject to certai coditios. Criteria for employmet are: likelihood that the job will be log term ad will last at least 12 moths; the employee will work for a miimum of 20 hours per week; acceptace of the job will ot ivolve leavig existig employmet. Employees must apply before commecig/returig to work. Employers who ca provide suitable jobs are eligible to take part i the scheme. Employers must offer work that: does ot displace aother employee; is for a miimum of 20 hours work per week; ad will last for at least 12 moths or loger. How do I apply for the allowace? Cotact: Employmet Support Services Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs P.O. Box 3840 Dubli 2 Note: You must apply at least 14 days before you start work. Applicatios made after work begis may be disallowed. 50

51 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How do I get paid the allowace? You ca get the Back to Work Allowace by direct paymet each week ito your bak or buildig society accout. Ca I get ay additioal supports? If you qualify for the Back to Work Allowace as a employee you may get fiacial assistace to help you develop your employmet potetial, by improvig your iterview, literacy or computer skills. You ca get more iformatio about this by makig a appoitmet with the Jobs Facilitator i your local Social Welfare Office, who is available for support ad advice. Employer s PRSI Exemptio Scheme (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Leaflet SW 73) This scheme admiistered by the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs beefits employers that recruit a perso with a disability who is participatig for the first time i the Back to Work Allowace scheme. Employers are exempted from their portio of the PRSI cotributio for a maximum period of two years i respect of each first- time participat i the Back to Work Allowace scheme, provided the perso cotiues i their employmet. Whe the employee is awarded the Back to Work Allowace (BTWA) the employer is cotacted by the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. As soo as the employer submits a curret Tax Clearace Certificate, or C2 card, the Exemptio Certificate is issued automatically. The exemptio Certificate is set to the employer statig the employers ame ad Registered Number, the employee s ame, Persoal Public Service Number ad the period of exemptio. Applicatios are dealt with cetrally i the Departmet s Employer s PRSI Exemptio Scheme Sectio. All equiries should be set to Employmet Support Services Employer s PRSI Exemptio Scheme Sectio Groud Floor Gado House Amies Street Dubli 1 Tel: (01)

52 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Reveue Job Assist Double Deductio Reveue Job Assist will give employers double deductio of the employee s wage from their compay s taxable icome for up to three years if they recruit a perso who has bee uemployed for 12 moths or more, provided that the employee remais workig with them. The scheme also eables such a perso to receive extra tax allowaces for three tax years if they take up employmet. Employmet: must be for a miimum of 30 hours per week; must be for at least 12 moths; must ot have come about as a result of a redudacy i the positio i the past 26 weeks; must ot have come about as a result of ufair dismissal of the previous employee; Reveue Job Assist ca apply to both ew ad existig jobs. Note: It is ecessary to have a tax clearace certificate. Employee Secodary beefits ad medical cards ca be retaied for a period of three years from the date a employee returs to work. Other secodary beefits such as ret/mortgage subsidy ad fuel allowace ca be retaied for a period of three years (subject to weekly icome). The family icome supplemet ca also be claimed if family icome falls below a certai limit (subject to coditios). Applicats must have bee claimig oe of the followig for 12 moths or more: Jobseeker s Beefit; Jobseeker s Allowace; Blid pesio; Disability allowace. For further iformatio, cotact your local tax office, the Cetral Reveue Telephoe Iformatio Office at (01) or go to 52

53 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Social Welfare Paymets Ijury Beefit (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklets SW 30 ad SW 101) Ijury Beefit is a weekly paymet made to a idividual ufit to work due to a accidet at work or travellig to or from work, or who cotracted a disease due to the work s/he does, for example from cotact with physical or chemical agets. I geeral, if you pay PRSI at classes A, D, J ad M ad are i part-time or full-time employmet you are covered for Ijury Beefit from the first day of employmet. Self-employed people are ot covered uder the scheme. How do I qualify? You will qualify if: you are ufit for work due to illess because of a accidet at work or if you cotract a prescribed occupatioal disease; ad your illess lasts for at least 4 days (excludig Sudays). How much ca I get? Your paymet is made up a persoal rate for yourself ad extra amouts for a qualified adult ad ay qualified childre. Curret rates of paymet Persoal Rate: Qualified Adult: Child Depedet (full rate): Child Depedet (half rate*): *You ca get a icrease of for each qualified child if you qualify for a icrease for a qualified adult. If you do ot qualify for a icrease for a qualified adult you may get a half-rate qualified child icrease, if your spouse or parter has earigs of 400 or less per week. Example Total for a married ma with a o-workig spouse ad two childre uder the age of 18 is per week Who is a qualified adult? A qualified adult is your spouse or someoe you are livig with as husbad ad wife whom you are wholly or maily maitaiig. 53

54 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work You will ot get a icrease for them as a qualified adult if they: have a gross weekly icome of more tha ; or are gettig a social welfare paymet i their ow right; or are disqualified from gettig uemploymet paymets while takig part i a trade dispute. Note: If your spouse or parter has a gross weekly icome of over 88.88, you may get a icrease for them at a reducig rate util their gross weekly icome reaches 220 or more. Who is a qualified child? A qualified child is ay child who ormally lives with ad is beig supported by you up to the ed of the academic year i which they reach age 18. (I certai cases, a child who is ot livig with you ca also be a qualified child if you are supportig them). A child who is age 18 or over ad beig supported by you is also a qualified child for: the 3 moth period after they leave secod level educatio; the 3 moth period after they complete the Leavig Certificate exams; or up to the ed of the academic year i which they reach 18 provided they are attedig a full-time course of study by day at a school, college or uiversity. You may get a Qualified Child Icrease for ay child i full-time educatio up to age 22 or up to the ed of the academic year i which they reach 22 if you have bee gettig a combiatio of Ijury Beefit ad certai other short-term paymets for more tha 156 days. Do I pay icome tax o Ijury Beefit? No, you ca get Ijury Beefit directly without ay deductio of icome tax. However, Ijury Beefit (excludig the first 6 weeks i each tax year ad ay icreases for qualified childre) is reckoable for icome tax. If you are employed, your employer will take your Ijury Beefit ito accout for PAYE purposes. If you are uemployed, Reveue will take accout of ay Ijury Beefit you receive whe adjustig your tax free allowaces or reviewig the tax affairs of your spouse or parter. You should cotact your local tax office for more iformatio. How do I get my paymet? You ca get Ijury Beefit weekly by cheque or directly ito your bak or buildig society accout by direct paymet. 54

55 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How log does paymet last? Ijury Beefit is ormally paid from the 4th day of your illess or icapacity ad you may get it for up to 26 weeks. If you are still uable to work after 26 weeks, you may qualify for other paymets such as Illess Beefit (formerly called Disability Beefit). (See page 70 for further iformatio). You may also qualify for Disablemet Beefit if you suffer a loss of physical or metal ability because of the accidet or disease. (See page 84 for further iformatio). If you do ot qualify for Illess Beefit ad you are awarded Disablemet Beefit, you may qualify for Icapacity Supplemet (formerly Uemployability Supplemet). (See page 89 for further iformatio). Whe ad how do I apply for Ijury Beefit? To apply for Ijury Beefit, you should: go to a doctor ad get a first social welfare medical certificate which icludes a applicatio form; ad complete the medical certificate ad applicatio form fully. You ca had your certificate ito your local Social Welfare Office or post it to: Ijury Beefit Sectio Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs P.O. Box 1650 Dubli 1. You should forward a medical certificate each week as log as you are ufit for work. You should apply for Ijury Beefit withi 21 days of becomig ill/ijured, otherwise you may lose beefit. Importat: All work accidets ad diseases do ot result immediately i illess or icapacity. I such a case, to secure your future right to beefit, you should apply for a declaratio (usig Form DB/OB 1) that your accidet or disease occurred at work. You ca get the applicatio form from: Ijury Beefit Sectio Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Áras Mhic Dhiarmada Store Street Dubli 2 Telephoe: (01) /

56 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work What extra beefits ca I get while claimig Ijury Beefit? Smokeless Fuel Allowace (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 17a) If you are gettig Ijury Beefit for at least 3 moths ad your household satisfies a meas test, you may qualify for a Smokeless Fuel Allowace. This weekly allowace is paid from late September to mid-april to help households meet the extra costs of usig smokeless fuels i certai areas where the sale of bitumious fuel is baed. If you get Ijury Beefit, the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs will automatically sed you a applicatio form for this allowace. (See page 104 for further iformatio). Ret or Mortgage Iterest Supplemet (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 54) If you are gettig Ijury Beefit ad you have difficulty payig your ret or mortgage, you may qualify for a supplemet uder the Supplemetary Welfare Allowace Scheme. I the case of mortgage supplemets, you get assistace oly with the iterest portio of your repaymet. Apply to the Commuity Welfare Officer at your local office of the Health Service Executive. The Health Service Executive takes your situatio ito accout ad they decide whether or ot you ca get a supplemet. (See page 104 for further iformatio). Back to School Clothig ad Footwear Allowace (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 54) You may also qualify for a Back to School Clothig ad Footwear Allowace for school-goig childre uder the Supplemetary Welfare Allowaces Scheme. This allowace operates from 1st Jue to 30th September each year ad helps towards the cost of childre s uiforms ad footwear. Your total icome must be at or below a certai amout. You should apply to the Commuity Welfare Officer at your local office of the Health Service Executive. (See page 105 for further iformatio). If I am ot happy with a decisio o my claim for Ijury Beefit ca I appeal it? Every claim for Ijury Beefit is decided by a Decidig Officer i the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. If you are ot satisfied with a decisio from the Decidig Officer, you ca appeal it to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. 56

57 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The Appeals Office operates idepedetly of the Departmet. If you wish to appeal, you must do so i writig withi 21 days of the date o which you are told of the decisio. You ca sed your appeal to Ijury Beefit Sectio or directly to: Social Welfare Appeals Office D Olier House D Olier Street Dubli 2 Telephoe: (01) LoCall: Do I eed to go for a medical examiatio? While claimig Ijury Beefit, you may have to atted a medical exam by a Medical Assessor. This examiatio is coducted by a doctor employed by the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. Their fuctio is to give a secod opiio o whether you are icapable of work, takig accout of your curret state of health. Notice of a appoitmet for your medical examiatio will be give i advace. At the examiatio, you may brig alog whatever medical evidece you wish the Medical Assessor to see. The Decidig Officer will take the Medical Assessor s opiio ito accout whe cosiderig your cotiued etitlemet to Occupatioal Ijury Beefit. If your paymet is stopped o the basis of the medical exam, you will be iformed immediately ad told of your right to appeal the decisio. Are there ay reasos why I may ot get Ijury Beefit? Disqualificatios Ijury Beefit may be suspeded for up to 9 weeks if you: become icapable of work through your ow miscoduct; or fail, without good reaso, to atted a medical exam or have treatmet that you may eed; or do ot observe the «Rules of Behaviour» outlied below. Offeces If you make a false or misleadig statemet to get Ijury Beefit, either for yourself or ay other perso, you may get a fie, a priso setece or both. 57

58 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work If you get Ijury Beefit agaist the rules, you must repay it to the Departmet of Social & Family Affairs. If ecessary, the Miister for Social ad Family Affairs ca take legal actio or make deductios from ay future claims to which you become etitled to recover beefit. Do I eed to obey ay rules while claimig Ijury Beefit? While you are claimig Ijury Beefit, you must obey the followig Rules of Behaviour : 1. Obey the istructios of your doctor; 2. Do ot behave i a way that is likely to delay your recovery; 3. If you are away from home, tell somebody where you are goig; 4. Do ot refuse ureasoably to see ay of the Departmet of Social & Family Affair s Social Welfare Ivestigators or Medical Assessors or aswer reasoable questios o your claim; 5. Do ot do ay work uless you are allowed to do it uder the Departmet s regulatios. The type of work allowed is: work for which you are ot, or would ormally ot be, gettig ay paymet; work which is doe as a part of treatmet while you are a patiet i hospital or similar place; or work doe as a out worker uder a charitable scheme, provided the weekly earigs are below a certai amout. You must first get permissio from the Departmet before udertakig work of ay kid. If you do ot obey these rules, you could lose Ijury Beefit. Exemptios from Rule 5 I certai cases, you may udertake: paid employmet that helps with your recovery, for a maximum of 20 hours per week; or a approved traiig course, if you ca o loger follow your usual occupatio. Before startig work or traiig of ay kid, you must first get permissio i writig from the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. What ca I claim if I do ot qualify for either Ijury Beefit or Illess Beefit? If you do ot qualify for either Ijury Beefit or Illess Beefit, you may qualify for either Disability Allowace or Supplemetary Welfare Allowace. 58

59 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Disability Allowace This is a meas-tested allowace, which you may get if the illess is expected to last for at least 12 moths. (See page 81 for further iformatio). Supplemetary Welfare Allowace (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 54) If your meas are too low to meet your eeds, you may qualify for Supplemetary Welfare Allowace, payable by the Health Service Executive. You should apply to the Commuity Welfare Officer at your local office of the Health Service Executive. (See page 104 for further iformatio). Medical Care Scheme (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 34) The Medical Care Scheme is oe of the beefits available uder the Occupatioal Ijuries Scheme. It allows you to get a refud of the costs of certai medical care ad attetio. How do I qualify for refuds uder the Medical Care Scheme? To qualify for a refud of medical costs: your ijury must have bee caused by a accidet at work, or travellig o a ubroke jourey to or from work, or as a result of your work you have cotracted a presecribed occupatioal disease, ad you must tell the Departmet of Social & Family Affairs of your itetio to claim medical care. This should ormally be doe withi 6 weeks of the start of your medical treatmet, ad you must have PRSI cotributios at Class A, B, D, J or M. I the case of PRSI Class B cotributios, oly expeses icurred subsequet to 26 weeks after the accidet or developmet of the disease ca be covered. Medical expeses which may be refuded You may get a refud of the followig expeses if they are ot fully covered by the Health Service Executive or the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Treatmet Beefit Scheme: doctor s visits; doctor s prescriptios. 59

60 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work certai medical or surgical appliaces ad the repair ad replacemet of these (for example, artificial limbs or hearig aids); certai detal ad eye treatmet; certai qualified ursig at home o the istructio of a doctor; certai treatmet prescribed by your doctor; ad certai travellig expeses, usually limited to the cost of public trasport. The expeses must be reasoable ad ecessary. Where to apply Occupatioal Ijuries (Medical Care) Sectio Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Floor 5 AMD Store street Dubli 1 Tel: (01) A claim is made by submittig a completed applicatio form C1 (available from your local social welfare office) i the post. Your Persoal Public Service Number (PPS No.) should be quoted o ay receipts you sed i with the applicatio form. Medical care refuds are made by cheque. Normally you may get oly oe paymet but if the treatmet is ogoig, you may get paymet i istalmets. Illess Beefit (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 119) Illess Beefit is a paymet for isured people who caot work due to illess. It replaced the paymet previously kow as Disability Beefit from 2 October How do I qualify? You may qualify for Illess Beefit if you: are uable to work due to illess; satisfy the PRSI coditios; ad are uder age

61 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How may PRSI coditios do I eed for Illess Beefit? You must have: at least 52 weeks PRSI cotributios paid sice you first started work; ad 39 weeks PRSI cotributios paid or credited i the relevat tax year (13 of these must be paid cotributios); or 26 weeks PRSI cotributios paid i the relevat tax year ad 26 weeks PRSI cotributios paid i the tax year immediately before the relevat tax year. Note: - Oly PRSI paid i classes A, E, H ad P cout towards Illess Beefit. - If you get Ivalidity Pesio immediately before applyig for Illess Beefit, you do ot eed to have 13 paid cotributios. - If you were gettig Illess Beefit for at least 5 years, but you retur to work ad discover withi 13 weeks that you are ot fit to work, you may retur to Illess Beefit without havig to satisfy ay further coditios. - If you were gettig Occupatioal Ijury Beefit immediately before applyig for Illess Beefit, you ca use the curret or previous relevat tax year to qualify for Illess Beefit. Do I get Illess Beefit immediately? Illess Beefit is ot ormally paid for the first 3 days of your claim. These days are kow as waitig days. However, sometimes these waitig days do ot apply. No paymets are made for ay Suday durig your illess. How much ca I get? Illess Beefit is made up of a persoal rate for yourself with extra amouts for your qualified adult ad qualified child(re). You will get less Illess Beefit if your average weekly earigs are below a certai amout (curretly 150 per week) i the relevat tax year. You ca get extra paymets for a qualified adult ad qualified child(re). Persoal rate _ Each qualified child Full rate* _22.00 Icrease for a Qualified Adult** _ Half rate *_11.00 *You ca get a icrease of _22.00 for each qualified child if you qualify for a icrease for a qualified adult. If you do ot qualify for a icrease for a qualified adult you may get a half-rate qualified child icrease, if your spouse or parter has icome of _400 or less per week. **You may get a reduced rate icrease if your spouse or parter has earigs or icome of betwee ad gross per week. 61

62 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How do I get my paymet? Illess Beefit ca be paid weekly by: direct paymet ito your accout i a fiacial istitutio; or by cheque, which is posted to you. How log does my paymet last? If you have 260 weeks PRSI cotributios paid sice you first started work, you may get Illess Beefit for as log as you are ufit for work ad you are uder age 66. If you have betwee 52 ad 259 weeks PRSI cotributios paid, you may qualify for Illess Beefit for up to 52 weeks. At the ed of this period, you must get a extra 13 paid cotributios (or a lower umber if it brigs the total cotributios up to 260) to re-qualify for beefit. Whe ad how do I apply? To apply for Illess Beefit you should: 1. go to a doctor ad get a first social welfare medical certificate (kow as MC 1), which icludes a applicatio form, 2. complete this medical certificate ad applicatio form, givig details of ay depedats, icludig your spouse s or parter s PPS No. ad your Child Beefit umber, if you have oe, 3. make sure you sig the declaratio o the applicatio form, ad 4. had your certificate ito your local Social Welfare Office or post it to: Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs P.O. Box 1650 Dubli 1 You should apply for Illess Beefit withi 7 days of becomig ill. A delay of more tha 7 days may cause you to lose some of your paymet. If there is a good reaso for a delay i applyig, your paymet may be backdated. You must sed i a medical certificate (kow as MC 2) each week for as log as you are ill, uless you are told otherwise. You must get a fial medical certificate from your doctor before you go back to work. Note: Your doctor should ot charge you for a medical certificate if a medical examiatio has ot take place. 62

63 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Who decides o my Illess Beefit applicatio? A Decidig Officer from the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs decides o every applicatio for Illess Beefit. If you are ot satisfied with their decisio, you ca have it reviewed. You ca also appeal it to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, either straight away or after the review. To request a review, sed ay relevat writte evidece to the Illess Beefit Sectio withi 21 days. A Decidig Officer will review your case. If you are ot satisfied with their decisio after the review, you may appeal it to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, which is idepedet of the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. If you wish to appeal, you should do so i writig withi 21 days of the date you were told of the decisio. You ca sed your appeal to the Illess Beefit Sectio or directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, at the address below. Social Welfare Appeals Office D Olier House D Olier Street Dubli 2 Telephoe: LoCall: Ca I claim Illess Beefit while gettig aother social welfare paymet? If you are applyig for Illess Beefit ad gettig full rate: Widow s or Widower s (Cotributory) Pesio; Deserted Wife s Beefit; or Oe-Paret Family Paymet. you may get half the persoal rate of Illess Beefit for up to 15 moths or up to 12 moths if you have less tha 260 paid cotributios. You caot get a icrease for (a) qualified child(re). If you are gettig a reduced rate of ay of the above paymets, you may get more tha half the persoal rate of Illess Beefit. If you are gettig Disablemet Beefit you may also get Illess Beefit if you are ill ad ufit for work ad satisfy the PRSI coditios. If you are gettig Blid Pesio, you may also get Illess Beefit if you are ill ad icapable of work ad you satisfy the PRSI coditios Requiremets to atted for a medical assessmet ad the Rules of Behaviour for claimats of Illess Beefit are similar to those outlied uder the Ijury Beefit scheme. You may also be etitled to other beefits such as the Supplemetary Welfare Allowace ad the Smokeless Fuel Allowace. 63

64 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work What happes to my social isurace record while claimig Illess Beefit? If you are abset from work due to illess, PRSI deductios may ot be made. However, you may qualify for credits istead. Credits keep your social isurace record up to date, which helps to protect your etitlemet to beefits ad pesios i the future. You usually get credits at the same PRSI class as your last paid PRSI cotributio ad will get them for the whole time you claim Illess Beefit. You may also get credits for each complete cotributio week that you claim Illess Beefit, eve if you are ot receivig a paymet. It is very importat that you cotiue to sed i medical certificates eve if you are oly etitled to credits. This could help you to qualify for social welfare beefits ad pesios i the future. The Illess Beefit Telephoe Equiry Sectio, will tell you about your etitlemet to credits while o Illess Beefit, telephoe (01) Do I pay tax o Illess Beefit? You will get Illess Beefit directly without ay deductio of tax. However Illess Beefit (excludig ay qualified child(re) icreases), is cosidered as icome for icome tax purposes. The first six weeks of Illess Beefit i each tax year is ot reckoable for icome tax purposes. If you are employed, your employer will take your Illess Beefit ito accout for PAYE purposes. If you are uemployed or become uemployed, Reveue will take accout of the amout of your Illess Beefit, where relevat, whe they adjust your tax credits or review the tax affairs of your spouse or parter. Occupatioal Ijury/Disability Beefit Late Claims Possible Further Paymets (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 101) If you wat to claim Occupatioal Ijury Beefit, you must claim withi 21 days of the oset of the ijury. If you wat to claim Illess Beefit, you must apply for it withi seve days of the start of your illess or icapacity. If you do ot claim for the Beefit you wat withi the correct time, you may lose out o a day s paymet for each day that you delay. If your applicatio is late, the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs may backdate your paymet if you have a good reaso for the delay. However, the Departmet ormally oly backdates paymet up to a maximum of six moths before they receive a applicatio. I certai special cases of late applicatio, the Departmet may backdate paymet for more tha 6 moths. 64

65 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Possible further paymets The Departmet may cosider backdatig paymets for more tha 6 moths i the cases outlied below. Example Cases You did ot apply because of iformatio the staff of the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs supplied to you or to someoe who was actig for you. What you must do You must give full details of the iformatio you got, icludig the ame of the officer who supplied the iformatio (if kow), the office where they supplied the iformatio ad the date they supplied it. You failed to claim o time because you were so ill that you could ot apply or istruct aother perso to apply for you. What you must do You must supply specific medical evidece from your doctor that emphasises why the ijury or illess preveted you from applyig yourself or appoitig someoe to apply for you. You failed to claim o time because you suffered a force majeure. A evet or actio that was so overwhelmig that it was impossible for you to make your claim. Examples iclude atural disasters, flood or war. What you must do You must give full details of the circumstaces that preveted you from claimig o time. You eed paymet to prevet or relieve curret fiacial hardship. To make a claim i this case you must: have curret debts; show that your curret icome, icludig ay social welfare paymet, is ot eough to meet o-goig expeses; ad show that you are uable to pay off or reduce your debts by usig moey i a fiacial istitutio or other disposable assets that you could sell. Your family home is ot regarded as disposable for this purpose. 65

66 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work What you must do: If you believe you satisfy these coditios you should sed i iformatio o your curret debts ad ay assets you ow. You should also supply evidece of your icome from all sources. Exceptios to further backdatig of paymets The Departmet will ot further backdate paymets of Disability or Occupatioal Ijury Beefits if you have failed to claim o time because of: lack of kowledge about your etitlemet; lack of kowledge by someoe actig for you; lack of kowledge by third parties; a agecy besides the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs givig icorrect iformatio or advice; or a idividual or agecy other tha the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs failig to act. Ivalidity Pesio (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 44) Ivalidity Pesio is a paymet for people who are permaetly icapable of work because of a illess or icapacity. How do I qualify? To qualify, you must satisfy both medical ad social isurace (PRSI) coditios. What are the medical coditios? To qualify, you must: have bee icapable of work for at least 12 moths ad be likely to be icapable of work for at least aother 12 moths (you will probably have bee gettig Illess Beefit or Disability Allowace for that period); or be permaetly icapable of work (i certai cases of very serious icapacity, you ca trasfer directly from aother social welfare paymet or from your job to Ivalidity Pesio); or be over age 60 ad have a serious illess or icapacity. 66

67 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work What are the social isurace cotributio coditios? To qualify for Ivalidity Pesio, you must have: a total of 260 weeks PRSI paid; ad 48 weeks PRSI paid or credited* i the last complete tax year before your claim. Oly PRSI paid at Classes A, E ad H are reckoable. I additio, if you have o reckoable cotributios paid or credited for two cosecutive years, you caot get Ivalidity Pesio, or credited cotributios, util you have paid 26 qualifyig cotributios. Credits are special cotributios similar to PRSI cotributios that we may give to people claimig certai social welfare paymets. These credits help to protect your etitlemets to beefits ad pesios i the future. How much ca I get? Ivalidity Pesio is made up of a stadard persoal rate for yourself ad extra amouts for a qualified adult ad qualified childre. Your persoal rate is ot affected by ay other icome, savigs or occupatioal pesio you may have. Curret Rates of Ivalidity Pesio are: Persoal Rate Rate per week Aged uder 65 yrs Aged 65 ad over Qualified Adult aged uder 66 yrs Qualified Adult aged 66 or over A icrease of is payable for each child depedat if you are gettig a paymet for a qualified adult. You may get a half-rate child depedat icrease of if you do ot qualify for a icrease for a qualified adult. You may get a reduced rate icrease if your spouse or parter has earigs or icome of betwee ad gross per week This is a taxable source of icome Recipiets of Ivalidity Pesio may be etitled to additioal beefits such as the Household Beefits Package, Free Travel ad Fuel Allowace (See page 96 for further iformatio). How do I get my paymet? Your pesio will be paid directly ito your bak or buildig society accout. 67

68 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work If you do ot wat to receive your paymet i this way, you may make other arragemets to have your pesio paid by a book of payable orders, which ca be cashed at a chose post office. Electroic Iformatio Trasfer (EIT) If you wish to use the Household Budget Service, you may get your paymet by Electroic Iformatio Trasfer (EIT). With this optio your Ivalidity Pesio is paid usig a Social Services Card. You must collect your paymet weekly ad i perso. This paymet optio is oly available after you start to get your Ivalidity Pesio. EIT allows you to avail of the Household Budget Service which is a free service operated by A Post to give you a easy-pay optio for household bills. With a direct debit you ca make a fixed paymet to ay of the followig: participatig local authorities for ret or mortgages; ESB ad A Bord Gáis for eergy ad appliace costs; ad Eircom for telephoe charges. For more iformatio o the Household Budget Service, cotact: A Post Freefoe: How log does paymet of Ivalidity Pesio last? You ca get Ivalidity Pesio as log as you remai icapable of work. Paymet will stop, however, if you get ay other pesio from the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs (except Disablemet Beefit). If you qualify for Ivalidity Pesio ad you remai icapable of work, the paymet cotiues util your 66th birthday. You will the be automatically trasferred to the State (Cotributory) Pesio. Will the claim be reviewed? While gettig Ivalidity Pesio, the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs may review your claim ad call you for a medical assessmet with oe of their Medical Assessors. Ca I work while gettig Ivalidity Pesio? Uder the Rules of Behaviour o Ivalidity Pesio you should ot do ay work while gettig this pesio. 68

69 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work However, you may, with prior writte permissio from the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs, be exempt from this rule to: do a course of traiig which may lead to other employmet; or do work to help your recovery, which will lead you to rejoi the workforce; or start light work or traiig for which you would ot ormally be paid. Whe ad how do I apply? If you are permaetly icapable of work ad you satisfy the medical ad PRSI coditios, you may apply for a Ivalidity Pesio by cotactig: Ivalidity Pesio Claims Sectio Social Welfare Services Office Govermet Buildigs Ballialee Road Logford Telephoe: Logford (043) 40028/45211 ext 48728/49623 Dubli (01) ext 48728/48914 Certificates eeded with your claim Make sure to sed i the followig certificates with your claim: your Birth Certificate; your spouse s or parter s Birth Certificate (if claimig a icrease for them); your Marriage Certificate (oly if claimig a icrease for your spouse); ad your qualified child(re) s Birth Certificates (if claimig a Qualified Child Icrease ad you are ot gettig Child Beefit for them); photocopies of certificates are ot accepted; persoal Public Service Number (PPS No.) (same as RSI or tax umber). You must supply your ow PPS No. ad also the PPS No. of a spouse, parter or childre for whom you are claimig a paymet. 69

70 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Disability Allowace (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Leaflet SW 29) If you do ot qualify for either Ijury Beefit or Illess Beefit, you may qualify for Disability Allowace. Disability Allowace is payable to those who have ot eough social isurace cotributios to quality for Illess Beefit. It is meas tested ad subject to a medical assessmet. The scope of Disability Allowace icludes ayoe with a ijury, which has cotiued or may reasoably be expected to cotiue for at least 1 year. Disability Allowace is a log-term icome support. It applies to ayoe betwee the ages of 16 ad 66 years ad there is o fixed limit o the legth of paymet. Someoe i receipt of Disability Allowace ca carry out rehabilitative work ad ear up to 120 per week without affectig eligibility for the allowace. After a period of 15 moths, a perso ca become eligible for a Back to Work Allowace, which is aimed at recruitmet ad job placemet. Beig eligible for Disability Allowace qualifies recipiets for a rage of secodary beefits similar to Ivalidity Pesio ad should a perso opt to udergo vocatioal traiig, a traiig allowace will be substituted for Disability Allowace ad secodary beefits will be retaied. The curret weekly maximum rate of Disability Allowace is: Persoal Rate Qualified Adult Allowace Icrease for each Child Depedat (full rate) (half rate) You may get a icrease of for each child depedat if you get a icrease for a qualified adult. If you do ot qualify for a icrease for a qualified adult, you may get a half-rate child depedat icrease. You may get a reduced rate icrease if your spouse/parter has earigs or icome of betwee ad 220 gross per week. Apply to: Disability Allowace Sectio Social Welfare Services Office Govermet Buildigs Ballialee Road Logford The Blid Pesio (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 76) The Blid Pesio applies to those who are visually impaired or who have low visio ad who satisfy a meas test. 70

71 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How to qualify To qualify, a perso who is blid or who has low visio must: be aged 18 years or over; live i the State; satisfy a meas test. Whe ad how do I claim Blid Pesio? If you become blid after reachig age 18, you should apply as soo as the coditio arises as paymet ca oly be made from the date the applicatio is received. To claim, cotact: Blid Pesio Sectio Pesio Services Office College Road Sligo Telephoe: LoCall Extesio What evidece of blidess is required? You will be required to udergo a eye test which must be verified by the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. A social Welfare Ispector will call o you ad you will be requested to atted a ophthalmic surgeo for a examiatio. The Meas Test Your weekly rate of paymet depeds o the amout of weekly meas assessed. You may be iterviewed regardig your meas ad supportig documetatio such as bak statemets or accouts may be required. What couts as meas? The mai items that cout as meas iclude: cash icome which you or your spouse/parter may have; the value of savigs, ivestmets, shares, lad etc; ay property you may have; maiteace paid to you if you are deserted/separated. 71

72 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How much ca you get? The allowace is made up of a persoal rate for yourself ad extra amouts for a qualified adult ad child depedats, if ay. Where you have meas assessed agaist you, the weekly rate payable is reduced. Rates of paymet from Jauary 2007: Rates Weekly Rate Qualified Adult Maximum persoal rate uder 66 yrs *Each child depedet See below See below *A icrease of is payable for each child depedet if you are i receipt of a icrease for a qualified adult. If you do ot qualify for a icrease for a qualified adult, half rate child depedat ( 11.00) icreases may be payable. How log does paymet last? Blid Pesio is payable as log as you satisfy the qualifyig coditios. How is paymet made? Blid Pesio may be paid: directly ito your Bak or Buildig Society Accout; or by a book of Payable Orders which ca be cashed weekly at a chose Post Office, if you are uable to collect the allowace yourself, you may omiate aother perso to collect it o your behalf. What other beefits are available? If you are awarded Blid Pesio, a free Travel Pass will be issued automatically. This also etitles your spouse/parter to travel free i your compay. Note: You may qualify for a Free Travel Compaio Pass istead which etitles you to have a compaio aged 16 or over accompay you whe travellig. You may, subject to certai coditios, also qualify for other social welfare beefits/allowaces. (See page 96 for further iformatio). 72

73 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Blid Welfare Allowace This is a meas tested paymet. It may be paid to people gettig Blid Pesio or Disability Allowace. Check with your local Health Service Executive for details. Blid Tax Allowace A extra tax allowace is available to certai people with low visio. Check with your local Tax Office. Disablemet Beefit 80 (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 31) Disablemet Beefit is payable if a perso i isurable employmet sustais a loss of physical or metal faculty as a result of a ijury at work or from cotractig a prescribed occupatioal disease. The applicat does ot have to be ufit for work to be eligible for Disablemet Beefit. Disablemet Beefit may be divided ito a sigle lump sum or a regular pesio depedig o the ijury or effect of the disease. How do I qualify? You may qualify if you: work ad pay PRSI at Class A, B*, D, J or M, ad lose physical or metal abilities because of: a accidet at work; a commuter accidet o a direct route betwee your home ad your workplace; or a prescribed disease cotracted at work. *Uder the Occupatioal Ijuries Scheme, civil servats isured at PRSI Class B caot get Disablemet Beefit for the first 26 weeks after the date of the accidet. They may get half the stadard rate of Disablemet Beefit after this period (the other half is paid by the paret departmet or state orgaisatio ivolved). How much ca I get? Your paymet depeds o the degree of your disablemet, which a doctor assesses. If you have lost less tha oe-fifth of your physical or metal abilities, Disablemet Beefit will ormally be paid by a lump sum. The size of the lump sum will vary accordig to the degree of disablemet ad how log you are expected to be disabled. 80 Comhairle 2005 Etitlemets for People with Disabilities. 73

74 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work You may get Disablemet Pesio if a doctor verifies that you have lost oe fifth or more of your physical or metal ability. If the loss of physical or metal ability falls betwee 10 percet ad 19 percet, you will be give a choice betwee a oce off lump sum ad a small weekly pesio. How is the loss of physical or metal abilities assessed? A medical assessor of the Departmet will take accout of how your curret physical ad metal coditio compares to your pre-accidet state of health ad how you compare with a healthy perso of the same age ad sex. The medical assessor will the rate the loss of faculty, which meas your iability to ejoy a ormal lifestyle because of the loss or partial loss of your ordiary physical or metal abilities because of your work related ijury or disease. Examples of assessmets are as follows: Ijury Loss of faculty Loss of both hads 100 % Loss of oe eye 40 % Loss of thumb 30 % Loss of 2 figers of oe had 20 % Loss of idex figer 14 % Whe ad how do I apply? If you are uable to work after the accidet or disease, apply for Ijury Beefit, which you may get for up to 26 weeks after the accidet or the oset of the disease. (See page 62 for further iformatio). Before your Ijury Beefit paymet fiishes, you should apply for Disablemet Beefit if the accidet or disease, causes you to lose ay physical or metal abilities. If you are able to work after the accidet or disease, apply for Disablemet Beefit as soo as possible ad, at most, withi 3 moths of the date of the accidet or the oset of the disease. You will receive Disablemet Beefit from the fourth day of your loss of ability. Note: You should apply withi 3 moths of the date of your accidet or the oset of the disease. If you do ot apply i time you may lose some beefit. 74

75 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How to apply Cotact Disablemet Beefit Sectio Social Welfare Services Office Govermet Buildigs Ballialee Road Logford Telephoe: Logford (043) Dubli (01) O what grouds ca claims be backdated? If you apply late, the Departmet may cosider backdatig your Disablemet Beefit, but oly if: you received false or misleadig iformatio from the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs; you could ot apply sooer, for example due to a severe ijury; a force majeure occurred (a evet that was so itese that made it impossible for you to apply i time), for example a fire or flood i your home; or you have difficulty payig essetial bills. How do I get my paymet? Disablemet Beefit is paid direct to your bak or buildig society accout What happes if I wat to apply for Disablemet Beefit later? Not all work accidets or occupatioal diseases may result immediately i illess or loss of ability. If you are ot immediately icapacitated but wish to protect your future right to Disablemet Beefit, you should: otify your employer about the accidet or disease; ad apply for a declaratio that your accidet or disease was work- related. This should be doe without delay. 75

76 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Declaratio forms are available from: Ijury Beefit Sectio Social Welfare Services Office Áras Mhic Dhiarmada Store Street Dubli 1 Telephoe: (01) If the disablemet develops at a later stage but was caused by the accidet, a claim must be made withi three moths of becomig aware of it. Curret Rates of Disablemet Beefit Paymets are calculated o the basis of those with less tha 20 percet disability who receive a lump sum paymet ad those with a greater tha 20 percet disability who are paid a weekly or mothly beefit. The lump sum is ot cosidered taxable whereas the weekly paymet is. Over 90 percet Disablemet If the worker has over 90 percet disablemet, the maximum persoal pesio is per week If the worker has betwee percet disablemet, the maximum persoal pesio is as follows: Level of Disablemet Weekly paymet -90 % % % % % % % % Up to 19 percet Disablemet A lump sum may be payable up to a maximum of 15,180. The extet of Disablemet is assessed followig a examiatio by a Medical Assessor who will assess the extet of the worker s loss of faculty as a result of a accidet at work. Loss of faculty meas the worker s iability to ejoy a ormal lifestyle because of the loss or partial 76

77 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work loss of ordiary physical or metal abilities as a result of a ijury at work. I assessig the degree of loss of faculty, accout is take of the worker s curret physical ad metal coditio compared to his/her pre-accidet state of health ad how s/he compares with a healthy perso of the same age ad sex. If a worker is gettig Disablemet Pesio ad is ufit for work, s/he may qualify for Illess Beefit based o social isurace cotributios (PRSI). If the worker does ot qualify for Illess Beefit, there may be a etitlemet to Icapacity Supplemet. Icapacity Supplemet (formerly Uemployability Supplemet) ((Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 31 refers) Icapacity Supplemet applies to people who are permaetly icapable of work, but who are ieligible for Illess Beefit i.e. do ot have sufficiet social isurace paymets. It is a supplemet to icrease Disablemet Beefit i a case where the idividual does ot qualify for aother social welfare paymet. Admiistratio Disablemet Sectio, Social Welfare Services Office, Ballialee Road, Logford deals with claims for Icapacity Supplemet. Qualifyig Coditios Perso must be i receipt of a Disablemet Pesio Perso must be icapable of work for at least 6 moths as a result of a occupatioal accidet or disease. Perso must ot qualify for aother Social Welfare Beefit such as full rate Illess Beefit or Ivalidity pesio. Perso must ot be i receipt of ay other Social Welfare Beefit or Assistace (See below re Overlappig Paymets for exceptios) Perso must ot have earigs i excess of per week. Rates of paymet for Icapacity Supplemet are cotaied i the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 19. Back to Work Allowace Sice Jue 2000, a perso i receipt of Icapacity Supplemet may apply to avail of the Back to Work Allowace which would be paid istead of the Icapacity Supplemet. If, for ay reaso durig the Back to Work period they are uable to cotiue workig their Icapacity Supplemet will be automatically restored. (See page 59 for further iformatio). 77

78 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Prescribed Occupatioal Disease (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 33) What is a Prescribed Occupatioal Disease? A prescribed occupatioal disease is oe of the diseases listed i Appedix D that has developed because of the type of work you do. It also icludes ay coditio resultig from the disease. If you are sufferig from a prescribed occupatioal disease, you may qualify for paymet uder the Occupatioal Ijuries Scheme. What are the mai coditios for beefit? You may qualify for beefit if: you are sufferig from oe of the prescribed diseases; you have bee employed o or after 1 May 1967 i oe of the occupatios liked to that disease, (see Notes below); the disease results from the ature of your employmet. Notes: If you satisfy the first two coditios above, you usually also satisfy the remaiig coditio. If your occupatio is ot liked to a prescribed disease (other tha deafess) but if you ca produce evidece to show that the disease was developed due to your employmet, you may also qualify for beefit. What beefits may I get uder the scheme? Uder the Occupatioal Ijuries Scheme you may get: Ijury Beefit; Disablemet Beefit; or Medical Care Scheme refuds. Ijury Beefit You may get this weekly paymet while you are uable to work as a result of a ijury you received or a disease you cotracted at work. You may oly get this beefit for a maximum of 26 weeks. (See page 62 for further iformatio). 78

79 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Disablemet Beefit You may get this beefit as a weekly or four-weekly pesio (or, i some cases, as a lump sum), if you have suffered a loss of physical or metal faculty because of a accidet at work or a disease cotracted at work. You may ormally get this paymet whe Ijury Beefit is o loger paid. You may get Disablemet Beefit from the start of icapacity for the followig diseases: Byssiosis; Peumocoiosis; Occupatioal Deafess; ad Occupatioal Asthma. Note: See Appedix D for further iformatio o prescribed occupatioal diseases. You should apply for Disablemet Beefit a few weeks before Ijury Beefit is due to fiish. (See page 84 for further iformatio). Medical Care Scheme refuds You may qualify for relief from certai medical expeses resultig from a accidet at work or a disease cotracted at work. (See page 69 for further iformatio). Motorised Trasport Grat This is a meas-tested Health Service Executive (HSE) grat towards the purchase/adaptatio of a car by a perso with a severe disability where the car is essetial to obtai or retai employmet. Who qualifies You must be betwee the ages of 17 ad 66, satisfy a meas test ad you must have a disability such that it impedes you usig public trasport ad you eed to make adaptatios to a motor vehicle i order to drive it. The motor vehicle must be essetial for you i order to make a livig. You must be physically ad metally capable of drivig ad must hold a full drivig licece. I certai circumstaces someoe else may be approved to drive for the perso with the disability where s/he is ot physically or medically capable of drivig. Sometimes the grat may be made to a self-employed perso or to a perso who has ot already take up employmet but would be able to do so if trasport difficulties were overcome. O occasio a grat may be made to someoe livig i a very isolated area eve though they may ot be i employmet. 79

80 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work If you avail of the grat you will ot be eligible for Mobility Allowace for three years from the date of the grat. How to apply Apply to your local Health Office. Adaptatios ad drivig The Irish Wheelchair Associatio ad the Disabled Drivers Associatio of Irelad provide advice o suitable car adaptatios to meet idividual eeds. They ru drivig schools for people with disabilities ad ca provide iformatio ad advice o all aspects of motorig. (Cotact details are displayed i the Useful Cotacts sectio). Disabled drivers ad passegers tax relief This scheme provides a rage of tax relief i coectio with the purchase ad use of specially adapted vehicles by drivers ad passegers with severe disabilities. Who qualifies You must meet the specified medical criteria ad have a Primary Medical Certificate to that effect from the Seior Area Medical Officer i your Local Health Office. Tax relief If you qualify you may claim: exemptio/refud of Vehicle Registratio Tax (VRT) ad Value Added Tax (VAT) o the purchase of a specially adapted car ad of VAT o the cost of adaptatio up to a maximum of 9,525 for a disabled driver ad 15,875 for a disabled passeger. repaymet of excise duty o fuel used e.g. petrol, up to a maximum of 600 gallos per year; exemptio from aual motor tax. If the driver of the car has a disability, the maximum egie size allowed is 2,000cc ad 4,000cc for a passeger with a disability. A car, which qualifies for tax relief, caot be sold for at least two years. Note: People who beefit from the Disabled Drivers ad Passegers Tax Relief are oly eligible for the lower rate of Mobility Allowace. 80

81 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How to apply Applicatio forms available from: Disabled Drivers Sectio Cetral Repaymets Office Office of the Reveue Commissioers Coolshaagh Co. Moagha Tel: (047) or LoCall Disabled Perso s Parkig Card The Disabled Perso s Parkig Card (with the EU logo) is for people with severe disabilities, whether they are drivers or passegers. It costs 25 ad it applies to the perso rather tha to the car. Cardholders ca park i disabled parkig spaces. Who qualifies It is for people, whose disability affects their mobility, icludig people who are registered as blid. How to apply Apply i writig for a applicatio form, statig your disability ad how it affects your mobility, ad eclose a stamped addressed evelope. You have to get the form completed by the Gardaí ad by your doctor, if you do ot have a Primary Medical Certificate. The applicatio form is available from the Irish Wheelchair Associatio ad/or the Disabled Drivers Associatio of Irelad. (Cotact details for both orgaisatios are displayed i the Useful Cotacts sectio). Toll Road Charges Drivers/passegers with a disability who use specially adapted cars are exempt from toll charges o atioal roads throughout Irelad. Toll charges are curretly i operatio o the followig four atioal roads i Irelad: East-Lik Toll Bridge (Dubli); West-Lik Toll Bridge (Dubli); North-Lik M1 Toll (Drogheda By-Pass; M4 Toll (Kiegad-Efield-Kilcock). 81

82 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Rules You will eed to complete a applicatio form for exemptio from toll charges o the East-Lik, West-Lik ad M1 Toll. (If you are a disabled driver drivig a adapted vehicle, you are exempt from tolls o the M4 Toll). Up to ow disabled drivers were allowed to cross the East lik Toll bridge ad the M1 Toll free o display of a Iteratioal Disabled Perso s Parkig Card. However, a special card called a Cocessioary Travel Card must ow be produced whe goig through all tolls. If you do ot have your Cocessioary Travel card with you, you must pay the ormal toll at the barrier. Applyig for a Cocessioary Travel Card To avail of the exemptio from toll fees at the East-Lik, West-Lik ad M1 toll bridges, you should complete a applicatio form. The forms are ot curretly available olie. 81 Where to apply Cotact Natioal Toll Road PLC Cocessioary Travel Sectio East-Lik toll Bridge Ltd. York Road Rigsed Dubli 4 Tel: (01) Fax: (01) [email protected] 81 drivers_i_irelad. 82

83 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work As part of your applicatio, you have to provide a passport size photograph of the disabled driver or the disabled passeger ad a copy of two of the followig documets: a exempt motor tax disc; primary medical certificate; proof of refud of VAT/VRT; proof of refud of excise duty o fuel. You will the be issued with a official Cocessioary Travel Card, which lasts for three years from the date it is issued. Each time you pass through the toll plaza, you must show your card to the toll operator ad you will be allowed to pass through for free. Failure to show your card will mea you must pay the appropriate toll. You simply eed to show you are a disabled driver, drivig a adapted vehicle to qualify for free passage through the M4 toll. Costat Attedace Allowace This allowace ca be paid weekly as a icrease to a Disablemet Pesio if you are so seriously disabled as to eed someoe (a relative or some other perso) to help you daily at home to atted to your persoal eeds for a period of at least 6 moths. You must be gettig a Disablemet Pesio of at least 50 percet. How to apply: Cotact Disablemet Beefit Sectio Social Welfare Services Office Ballilee Road Logford Tel: (043) or (01) Beefits-i-Kid Beefits-i-Kid are admiistered by the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs ad cosist of Free Travel ad Free Electricity/Natural Gas Allowace, Free TV Licece ad Free Telephoe Retal Allowace. These beefits, with the exceptio of Free Travel, are icorporated ito the Household Beefits Package. There is also a Fuel Allowace scheme. The rules for gettig these beefits are complex ad will deped o idividual cases. If you thik you may qualify the go ahead ad apply. 83

84 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Free Travel (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 40) The Free Travel Pass is available to people aged 66 ad over ad to certai eligible people uder age 66 ad allows them to travel, free of charge, o public trasport ad o a umber of private bus ad ferry services. Those who qualify iclude: Everyoe aged 66 or over ad permaetly residet i the state; Recipiets of Disability Allowace, Blid Pesio ad Ivalidity Pesio ad/or people who have bee receivig Icapacity Supplemet or Workme s Compesatio with Disablemet Pesio, for at least 12 moths; Those registered as blid or with a severe visual impairmet who satisfy the medical coditios for Blid Pesio; Ayoe who is permaetly residet i Irelad ad has bee receivig a Ivalidity Pesio for at least 12 moths from a EU state or from a coutry that has a bilateral social security agreemet with Irelad; ad People who were receivig Ivalidity Pesio or Disability Allowace ad chaged to Retiremet Pesio at age 65. Note: While everyoe aged 66 or over is eligible, the age qualificatio does ot apply to people with disabilities. Services Free travel is available o road, rail ad DART services operated by Bus Éirea, Dubli Bus, Iarród Éirea, LUAS services, the Ara Islads ferry service ad o certai private services which have opted for the scheme. You ca also use your free travel pass o ay of the 34 schemes uder the Rural Trasport Iitiative. Free travel pass holders ca complete retur trips to Norther Irelad free of charge. If travellig by rail you must complete a travel warrat available from most rail statios or post offices. You should complete this i advace of your jourey ad get the rail ticket at least 15 miutes before departure time. People who are etitled to free travel are also etitled to have their spouse/parter travel free with them or may be etitled to a Compaio Pass. 84

85 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Compaio Pass The Compaio Free Travel Pass allows you to have someoe aged 16 or over accompay you free of charge whe travellig. Those who qualify iclude: Disability Allowace (DA) recipiets (medically certified as ufit to travel aloe); Ivalidity Pesioers (medically certified as ufit to travel aloe); Pesioers ad recipiets of certai qualifyig paymets who are medically certified as permaet wheelchair users; Those registered as blid or with a severe visual impairmet who satisfy the medical coditios for Blid Pesio Recipiets of Blid Pesio, Ivalidity Pesio ad DA who trasfer to the old age pesio at age 66; Recipiets of Uemployability Supplemet for at least 12 moths (medically certified as ufit to travel aloe). How to apply A Free Travel Pass is issued automatically if you are receivig Blid Pesio, Ivalidity Pesio, Disability Allowace or Carer s Allowace ad at age 66 if you are gettig a pesio from the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. Applicatio forms are available from post offices ad from Free Travel Sectio FREEPOST Pesio Services Office College Road Sligo Tel: Lo Call or (071) Household Beefits Package (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 107) There are three allowaces that make up the Household Beefits Package: Allowace 1 Electricity Allowace; or Natural Gas Allowace; or 85

86 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Electricity (Group Accout) Allowace; or Bottled Gas Refill Allowace. Allowace 2 Telephoe Allowace. Allowace 3 Free Televisio Licece. Allowace 1 This allowace is a Electricity or Natural Gas Allowace ad is made up of 4 differet optios. If you have a electricity ad atural gas supply, you must select either the Electricity Allowace or Natural Gas Allowace. The Electricity (Group Accout) Allowace is oly available if you have a electricity slot meter or if the registered cosumer of electricity is a ladlord. The Bottled Gas Refill Allowace is oly available to you if you do t have a electricity or atural gas supply. a. Electricity Allowace The Electricity Allowace covers ormal stadig charges ad up to 2,400 uits of electricity each year. b. Natural Gas Allowace The Natural Gas Allowace is a alterative to the Electricity Allowace if your home is coected to a atural gas supply. It covers ormal stadig or supply charges ad a certai amout of atural gas kilowatt hours each year. The amout varies depedig o the tariff. You may get this allowace if you are a gas card customer. This allowace provides a credit of up to i each two-mothly billig period i witer ad a credit of up to i each two-mothly billig period i summer. c. Electricity (Group Accout) Allowace If you live i self-cotaied accommodatio (a flat or a apartmet) ad you have a electricity slot meter or the registered cosumer of electricity at your address is a ladlord, you may qualify for a Electricity (Group Accout) Allowace. The curret rate is per moth. d. Bottled Gas Refill Allowace If your home is ot coected to a electricity or atural gas supply but you otherwise satisfy the coditios of the scheme, you may get the Bottled Gas Refill Allowace. It is made up of a book of 15 vouchers. You ca exchage each voucher for a cylider of gas at a retail outlet of your choice. 86

87 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Allowace 2 Telephoe Allowace The Telephoe Allowace scheme provides a paymet towards your telephoe bill. The value of the allowace is: plus VAT - if you are billed every two moths; (icludig VAT) - if you are billed every two moths; or plus VAT - if you are billed mothly; (icludig VAT) - if you are billed mothly. Allowace 3 Free Televisio Licece Oce you qualify for the Household Beefits Package you may get a Free Televisio Licece from the ext reewal date of your televisio licece. Oce approved, the licece is reewed automatically. How do I qualify? Those who qualify if they meet certai coditios iclude: Those receivig a Ivalidity Pesio, Disability Allowace or Blid Pesio from the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs; Those receivig Icapacity Supplemet or Workme s Compesatio with Disablemet Pesio (for at least 12 moths). Those receivig a Ivalidity Pesio/Beefit from aother EU state or from a coutry with which Irelad has a bilateral social security agreemet for at least a year. To be eligible, the accout must be i your ame ad you must be livig aloe or oly with: a qualified adult (adult depedat); a ivalid; a perso who could qualify i his/her ow right; a depedat child or childre aged uder 18 or up to age 22 ad i full time educatio; a perso who lives with you i order to provide full time care ad attetio ad you are i eed of costat care. 87

88 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work If there are ay other people livig i your household you may still qualify if they fall ito ay of the categories above. How are the allowaces paid ad what do they cover? Electricity Allowace How it is paid If you are awarded a Electricity Allowace, it will be paid as a credit o your electricity bill. What it covers The Electricity Allowace covers: ormal stadig charges; ad up to 2,400 uits of electricity each year. You may oly get the allowace if the electricity accout is registered i your ame. If your ame is ot o the bill, you should ask your electricity provider to have your ame icluded o the bill. Natural Gas Allowace How it is paid If the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs approve your applicatio for Natural Gas Allowace, the allowace is applied to your atural gas accout from the start of the two mothly billig period that begis after your applicatio is received. The allowace will appear o the secod gas bill you receive after that date, ad will iclude ay arrears due to you. What it covers If you are payig for atural gas o the Stadard Tariff, the allowace covers the supply charge ad up to 3,600 kilowatt hours. If you pay for atural gas o aother tariff, you will get a equivalet allowace. Notes: - The Natural Gas Allowace caot be paid at more tha oe address or at the same time as a Electricity Allowace is i paymet. - Bord Gáis issue bills i arrears. This meas that the ormal Natural Gas Allowace credit that appears o your bill refers to the two moth period before the bills are set out. - The Natural Gas Allowace does ot cover the cost of istallig a atural gas supply to your home. - You may oly get the allowace if the gas accout is i your ame. If your ame is ot o the bill, you should ask your gas provider to iclude your ame o the bill. 88

89 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Bottled Gas Allowace How it is paid If your home is ot coected to a electricity or atural gas supply but you would otherwise satisfy the coditios of the scheme, you may qualify for a Bottled Gas Refill Allowace. If the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs approve your applicatio for the allowace, you will get a book of vouchers. What it covers You ca exchage each voucher for a cylider of gas at a retail outlet of your choice. The allowace does ot cover the cost of buyig or hirig empty cyliders or for the delivery of cyliders of gas. Telephoe Allowace How it is paid If you are awarded a Telephoe Allowace, it is paid as a credit o your telephoe bill. What it covers The Telephoe Allowace is a paymet towards your telephoe bill. The value of the allowace is: plus VAT - if you are billed every two moths; (icludig VAT) - if you are billed every two moths; or plus VAT - if you are billed mothly; (icludig VAT) - if you are billed mothly. The allowace does ot cover the iitial charge for istallig the telephoe. You may oly get the allowace if the telephoe accout is i your ame. If you have a telephoe i your home, but your ame is ot o the telephoe bill, you should ask your telephoe compay to chage the ame o the bill. Free colour televisio licece How do I get a Free Televisio Licece? If you qualify for the Household Beefits Package you will get a Free Televisio Licece from the ext reewal date of your curret televisio licece. This etitlemet will last as log as you cotiue to receive the Household Beefits Package. The Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs will sed you a letter tellig you that you have bee awarded the Electricity or Gas Allowace, Telephoe Allowace ad Free Televisio Licece. 89

90 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How do I apply for the Household Beefits Package? Cotact Free Schemes Sectio Pesio Services Office FREEPOST College Road Sligo LoCall: ext Fuel Scheme The Natioal Fuel Scheme provides a weekly meas tested paymet to help a household, depedat o log-term social welfare or HSE paymet, provide for their heatig eeds. Who qualifies You may qualify if you are depedat o a log-term social welfare or HSE paymet or similar paymet. This icludes people o log-term Jobseeker s Allowace or Icapacity Supplemet. You must satisfy a meas test ad be livig aloe or oly with: a depedat spouse/parter ad/or a depedat child/childre; a perso who is carig for you because you are a ivalid; aother perso or people who meet the coditios for the fuel allowace or a recipiet of Uemploymet Assistace (short-term). Paymet The allowace i 18 per week ad is usually icluded i your ormal weekly paymet. Oly oe fuel allowace is payable to a household. The Fuel Scheme operates for 29 weeks from the first week i October to April. Smokeless fuel If you qualify for the basic fuel allowace you may also get a extra 3.90 a week if you live i a area where there is a ba o smoky coal. The 3.90 may also be payable to those receivig Illess Beefit, Jobseeker s Beefit/Allowace for at least 13 weeks. Those gettig Occupatioal Ijury Beefit for at least 13 weeks also qualify. 90

91 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work How to apply Apply to the sectio i the Departmet that pays your beefit 82. Note: The Departmet states that qualifyig coditios for their schemes chage from time to time ad advises applicats to always check with their local social welfare office to see if qualifyig coditios have chaged or to cotact their Iformatio Services at (01) Livig Aloe Allowace (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 36) The Livig Aloe Allowace is available to certai persos livig aloe. The weekly paymet is 7.70 per week. Persos uder 66, who are grated paymet, are geerally i receipt of disability paymets, i.e. Blid Pesio, Ivalidity ad Illess. 83 Assistace uder the Supplemetary Welfare Allowace Scheme (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 54) There are special provisios for Diet Supplemets, Exceptioal Needs Paymets, Heatig Supplemets, Ret ad Mortgage Supplemets ad Urget Needs Paymets uder the Supplemetary Welfare Allowace Scheme. The amout of ay supplemet will be decided by the Health Service Executive based o your circumstaces. For more iformatio about Supplemetary Welfare Allowace Cotact Supplemetary Welfare Allowace Sectio Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs, Pesio Services Office, College Road, Sligo Telephoe: LoCall (071) Back to School Clothig ad Footwear Allowace (Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Booklet SW 75) The Back to School Clothig ad Footwear Allowace helps towards the cost of uiforms ad footwear for school childre. The Scheme operates from 1st Jue to 30th September each year. The scheme, offers help to school-goig childre for whom a child depedat icrease is payable ad is ru by the local office of the Health Service Executive as part of the Supplemetary Welfare Allowace Scheme. 82 Comhairle (2005) Etitlemets for people with disabilities. 83 McCa. A. (2006) Kow Your Rights A simple guide to social ad civic etitlemets i Irelad. 91

92 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 7 Maagig the Retur to Work of a Ijured Worker Most employers oly thik about how to maage the retur to work of a employee followig absece due to work-related ijury whe it actually happes. Compellig evidece exists to idicate that the employer should be proactive, ot reactive, i their approach to work-related ijuries. They eed to thik through how they would maage the situatio i advace. If a employer has t got a strategy of outliig what to do if someoe is abset with a work-related ijury, the it will be far more difficult to help them effectively to retur to work. Good practice i the area of retur to work icludes three mai types of workplace health activity, as outlied below: Maagig idetified risks, meetig statutory requiremets o occupatioal health ad safety essetially a prevetive strategy with regard to occupatioal illess ad ijury; Udertakig workplace health promotio ot geerally a statutory activity, this is targeted at improvig the health ad well-beig of the employee to create a healthy workig eviromet; Iterveig early whe a employee suffers a ijury; ad implemetig appropriate policies ad procedures. 84 Good practice requires a proactive set of policies that focus ot oly o the activities, which must take place whe a worker becomes ijured, but also o the adoptio of prevetive ad promotio practices i relatio to worker health. Developig policies early is the first step whe takig a proactive approach. It is ot appropriate to itroduce ijury maagemet guidelies ad/or a retur to work policy after the worker has sustaied a work related ijury. Tryig to itroduce a strategy at that time ca appear to victimise the idividual by forcig a retur to work. The existece of supportive ijury maagemet guidelies ad retur to work policy ad procedure should be itroduced to all workers durig their iductio programme so it is clear from their first day of work what will happe if they become ijured at work. 84 Wye R. ad McAaey D. (2004) Employmet ad disability: Back to work strategies. 92

93 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Ijury Maagemet As a result of employee accidet ad/or ijury employers are losig valued staff members. Developig ad implemetig ijury maagemet guidelies ad havig a retur to work programme may prevet this job loss as it develops a early system of itervetio ad support for workers ad helps employers to follow best practice. Ijury maagemet is a term used to describe all the processes ivolved i supportig a worker with a work-related ijury to recover ad retur to work ad refers to the steps a employer ca take to assure that a employee ca recover ad safely retur to their work as early as possible. 85 A importat piece of ijury maagemet is prevetig work-related ijuries by idetifyig ad correctig potetial hazards, from chemicals to poorly desiged workstatios. If a work-related ijury does occur, hadlig the case appropriately ca ecourage a prompt recovery ad save moey. It is the itetio of Sectio 23 of the Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act 2005, that a employer may require a employee to udergo a assessmet by a registered medical practitioer, omiated by the employer, of his or her fitess to perform work activities. Followig a assessmet, if the medical practitioer is of the opiio that the employee is ufit to perform work activities, he or she shall otify the employer of that opiio ad the likelihood of early resumptio of work for rehabilitative purposes. Sectio 23 will also place a ous o a employee who becomes aware that he or she is sufferig from ay disease of physical or metal impairmet, which, may be likely to cause him or her to expose himself or herself or aother perso to dager or risk of dager. Issues for employers iclude: takig steps to prevet ijuries from occurrig at work; assurig that a employee received medical treatmet if a ijury occurs; kowig how the ijured employee is doig ad whether the employer ca help with ay problems or cocers; facilitatig the paymet of beefits ad salary; plaig ahead to allow for a loger-tha expected period of disability; esurig employee udergoes assessmet by a registered medical practitioer of their fitess to perform work activities; providig modified work if available. 85 WorkCover (2001) Guidelies for Ijury Maagemet at the Workplace. 93

94 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Importace of Ijury Maagemet Work Ijuries are i part, radom evets, but they are also, to some extet, uder the cotrol of employer ad worker. Employers ca reduce the umber of workplace ijuries by ivestig i safe techiques, providig workers with Persoal Protective Equipmet (e.g. hard hats ad safety glasses), traiig workers ad their supervisors, etc. Workers ca avoid accidets by followig safe work practices ad by takig greater care i the job. Both parties icur costs whe a accidet occurs. Workers costs iclude potetial loss of icome, medical expeses associated with treatmet ad rehabilitatio as well as itagibles such as pai ad sufferig ad disability that reduce the ability to ejoy leisure activities. Employers costs iclude iterruptios i productio ad damage to capital equipmet ad physical plat. 86 Effective Ijury Maagemet icreases the chaces of retaiig the skills of a experieced worker, may keep dow the costs of claims ad assists employers to meet their legal resposibilities uder the health ad safety legislatio. Employers are legally resposible uder health ad safety legislatio to provide a safe place of work for all employees. The Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act 2005 places primary resposibility for worker safety ad health o employers, because it is they, i effect, who create the workplace. It is a requiremet o every employer to have a writte Safety Statemet, which idetifies the risks ad hazards i the place of work. Small busiesses with three or less employees ca meet the Safety Statemet requiremet by adherig to a special Code of Practice to be developed by the Health ad Safety Authority for a particular idustry or sector. Other resposibilities of employers are to: provide iformatio for workers. This must be preseted i a way that workers ca uderstad, especially if they have difficulty uderstadig or readig Eglish; have policies ad procedures about health ad safety; provide health ad safety traiig for workers; cosult o the idetificatio of risks; cosult with workers about aythig that might affect their health ad safety; cosult with workers i the idetificatio of risks; appoit a competet perso to perform fuctios relatig to the protectio from ad the prevetio of risks to safety, health ad welfare at work Thomaso T. (2003) Ecoomic icetives ad workplace safety. 87 Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act 2005 Part 3 Sectio

95 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work idetify aythig at work that could harm or ijure workers ad do whatever ecessary to make it safe; provide first aid facilities for workers. This is particularly importat, as immediate first aid ca prevet a ijury from gettig worse ad may eve save a life. Workers also have additioal resposibilities uder the Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act Oe of the thigs workers must do is report to their employers ay hazardous situatios or icidets that they become aware of. (A hazard is aythig that has the potetial to cause ijury or illess.) The employer must the take whatever actio is ecessary to make it safe for workers. Health ad safety legislatio aims to ecourage a resposible attitude o the part of both employers ad employees. Uder the headig of duties of employees, i geeral, employees must: comply with relevat safety ad health laws; ot be uder the ifluece of a itoxicat at the place of work to the extet that the state he or she is i is likely to edager his or her ow safety, health or welfare at work or that of ay other perso; ad i that regard submit to a appropriate test, if reasoably required by their employer; ot egage i improper coduct or behaviour; wear persoal protective clothig where ecessary; co-operate with their employer ad look out for oe aother, ad ot do aythig, which would place themselves or others at risk. 88 Employers wishig to comply with health ad safety legislatio are advised to make employees aware of the safe workig practices of the place of employmet durig the iductio programme. Iductio Programme The purpose of iductio is to itroduce a ew employee to their ew work eviromet ad its importace caot be over-emphasised. It is a legal obligatio o employers to provide formal health ad safety traiig. It has also bee foud that ew arrivals are statistically the most likely to be ijured, ad soo after startig work. 89 Sectios 19, 23 ad 26 of the Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act 2005 are of sigificace at the iductio stage. 88 Health ad Safety Authority. A Short Guide to the Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act Costructio Employers Federatio (.d.) Site Iductio Programme. 95

96 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Iductio should be provided at a rate that allows the worker to take it i ad uderstad it properly. Geeral areas to cover iclude: a copy of ay procedures ad hadbooks; ay uiforms ad stadard equipmet they will use; job descriptio; terms ad coditios of employmet, icludig such details as hours of work icludig breaks, sickess ad holiday procedures, discipliary ad grievace procedures; ad ijury maagemet procedures; health ad safety employers are legally required to provide workers with ay health ad safety iformatio they eed to carry out their job safely. The busiess health ad safety policy ca be outlied i detail at the iductio stage, icludig such details as: - employers ad idividual s resposibilities o health ad safety; - workplace safety rules; - coditios ad substaces affectig health ad safety, for example, if you are uder the ifluece of alcohol ad drugs, you will be set home (duty of care to yourself ad others); - major causes of accidets; - persoal protective equipmet; - accidet reportig ad first aid; - fire ad emergecy procedures; - fire extiguishers. Employers must iform workers preferably o the first day of fire safety procedures ad what to do if the fire alarm souds. If there are particular hazards, e.g. i a factory or o a buildig site, there is a duty of care o employers to esure that ew employees are made aware of them ad what precautios eed to be take. Tour of the buildig A tour of the buildig will familiarise the ew workers with where they will be workig ad the locatio of ay facilities, e.g. catee, toilets, chagig/dryig Rooms, first aid box, ad will provide a opportuity to itroduce them to colleagues such as their lie maager, the safety officer, the desigated first aider, ad trade uio/employee represetatives. 96

97 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work A LESSON FROM CASE LAW The District Court i Galway fied a retailer 600 earlier this year where it had o safety statemet ad had ot idetified the hazards or assessed the risk posed by maual hadlig i the store. The case arose followig a accidet where the shop maager was seriously ijured while movig a large quatity of stock to the storeroom. Items weighig up to 28kgs had to be carried up a 50-foot stairwell. The retailer, part of a multi-atioal chai pleaded guilty to the offeces ad told the court that it had sice retaied the services of a safety cosultat ad ow had a safety statemet which icluded a maual hadlig risk assessmet. Source: ShelfLife Magazie September 2003 Implemetig Ijury Maagemet Successful retur to work depeds o costructive co-operatio betwee everyoe ivolved. A workplace retur to work policy ad pla is a good foudatio for this. I small busiesses, all that may be ecessary is to have a pla i place for ijury absece ad to be aware of the kid of measures that could be made to help the ijured worker retur to work. I larger compaies, a formal retur to work policy, although ot required by law, is a useful way of settig the stage, ad defiig roles ad resposibilities. Startig Poits Promote Health ad Well-beig; Udertake Risk Assessmet; Write ad adopt policies ad procedures; Commuicate the policy ad procedure to all employees; Assig resposibility to idividual workers/supervisors for supportig the programme ad for assistig i the worker s retur to work; Devise ad implemet policies ad procedures to support a ijured worker to retur to work; Cotact the specialists i the field who ca help. (See Useful Cotacts sectio). 97

98 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Ijury Maagemet Guidelies The purpose of ijury maagemet guidelies is so that workplaces have a clear writte statemet of actios ad resposibilities (i other words, who will do what) i the evet of a worker beig ijured at work. It meas the employer ad the workers have thought about ad discussed the best way of hadlig ijury reportig, compesatio, ad rehabilitatio ad have agreed ijury maagemet ad retur to work policies ad procedures. Step 1: Write ad Adopt Policies ad Procedures. Write ad adopt a policy statemet that cofirms commitmet as a employer to a retur to work programme. The policy eed oly be a few lies, oe useful example is the Workplace Safety Code displayed below. DECLARATION This Declaratio is a formal statemet of commitmet to the safe workig ad accidet prevetio Code. A.B.C.Ltd. of New Street Old Tow WORKPLACE SAFETY CODE PREVENTION This Orgaisatio is committed to the prevetio of workplace accidets. It has idetified hazards ad carried out appropriate risk assessmets. With its employees/safety represetatives, it has developed a shared commitmet to workplace health ad safety ad put i place appropriate cotrols to maage the risks. INTERVENTION I the ufortuate evet of a accidet, it will operate the Workplace Safety Code ad deal with the outcome of the accidet promptly ad with cosideratio. Where possible ad appropriate, it will resolve ay issues relatig to medical ad other related matters as they arise. RETENTION Facilitate retur to work, as soo as possible. If a agreed fiacial settlemet arises, if possible it will be resolved with the employee 90. (Siged)... Date... Write procedures that explai step by step what will happe from the time of ijury util after the ijured worker returs to work. Iclude clear detailed istructios that idetify who does what ad whe they do it Workplace Safety Code Brochure IBEC/ICTU (2005) Workway Disability ad Employmet Guidelies. 98

99 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Iclude iformatio such as: Which workers have First Aid certificatio? Who a ijured worker should otify i the evet of a ijury? Who else should be otified? What are the procedures for the ijured worker to follow? Who is resposible for keepig i cotact with the ijured worker should s/he be out from work as a result of the ijury? What support a ijured worker ca expect from you ad others? Cotact ad commuicatio with the treatig doctor Who decides what work duties are appropriate o the worker s retur to work, ad how? Who ca be cotacted for advice ad support? Step 2: Commuicate the policy ad procedures to all employees. This should first be commuicated to workers at iductio stage. Step 3: Assig resposibility to idividual workers/supervisors for supportig the programme, for traiig i First Aid ad for assistig i the worker s retur to work. Importace of Employee Ivolvemet Everyoe eeds to uderstad that the retur of a ijured worker might require what might be perceived as special treatmet. Uderstadig the programme will provide reassurace that everyoe as appropriate will receive similar cosideratio ad treatmet. Ivolvig employees i the developmet ad implemetatio of the retur to work programme ecourages a feelig of owership of the programme ad maximises the opportuities for success. Employees who are ivolved are more likely to ecourage ad accept retur to work efforts o their ow behalf ad o behalf of their co-workers. Employees, supervisors, ad maagers who help with traiig ad re-traiig efforts, developig job descriptios, recommedig modificatios to jobs, ad idetifyig meaigful alterate assigmets develop a sese of owership ad resposibility for the success of the programme. 92 The success of a ijury maagemet retur to work programme higes o good commuicatio betwee all parties, icludig the treatig doctor. 92 IBEC/ICTU (2005) Workway Disability ad Employmet Guidelies. 99

100 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Physical Ijury Prevetio Check List Trai employees regularly o the health ad safety aspects of their jobs; Require ad eforce the use of persoal protective equipmet ad clothig required where eeded; Make sure work sites are clea ad orderly, walkig surfaces properly repaired, stairways fixed with guardrails, ad aisles ad exits free of obstructios; Clear up floor spillages quickly; Esure stairs are well lit; Coduct regular ispectios of your workplace. Look for poorly desiged workstatios, electrical cords that someoe could trip over, overloaded electrical outlets, top-heavy bookcases etc.; Esure employees who lift heavy loads receive maual hadlig traiig; Post emergecy telephoe umbers where they ca be easily located; Have a accessible first aid kit. Make sure it cotais the items eeded for the type of ijuries likely to happe i your workplace; Esure there is a traied First-Aider o the work roster at all times; Have regularly maitaied fire extiguishers readily available. (Note: While the above check list is ot exhaustive, it highlights issues for cosideratio.) Assessmet of Ijured Worker The employer ca arrage for a assessmet of a ijured worker s capability of participatig i a retur to work programme at ay time. The reasos for iitiatig a assessmet will vary depedig o the idividual case, however the triggers for such a assessmet could iclude: ay absece from work idicatig a severe ijury, especially a expected absece from work for 21 days or more; the ature or circumstace of the ijury beig such that it alerts to a potetially complex case, such as a soft tissue ijury or occupatioal overuse; the medical evidece or progosis suggests that there is a possibility of re-ijury at work; the employee has had a previous ijury; the work eviromet, icludig relatioships with supervisors ad co-workers, has cotributed to the ijury; the employee has made a request for a assessmet (i writig). 100

101 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Should the medical assessmet ad cosultatio with the treatig doctor idicate that the worker will eed support ad itervetio to eable a safe retur to work, the ext step is to prepare a retur to work pla. A importat step i preparig the pla is cosultatio with the worker cocered, ad to get the agreemet of ay work colleagues affected by the pla. The Safety Represetative has the right to be cosulted o aythig i the pla, which could impact o the health ad safety of other workers. If after a ijured worker has bee evaluated, it is decided that s/he caot make a full ad immediate retur to work, the work tasks ad workig hours ca be adapted with regard to what the worker ca maage. This might lead to the idividual workig alogside colleagues but with restrictios as to resposibilities, activities etc. If these cause the idividual problems, workig hours might also be adapted to 25 percet, 50 percet, 75 percet of ordiary hours. Workig hours ca be icreased gradually to fid a level of work with which the idividual ca cope. Job traiig ca also be udertake outside the idividual s ordiary field of work with a view to fidig tasks that the idividual ca maage. The objective of job traiig is to assess the idividual s workig ability ad the field of work with which s/he ca cope. 93 A retur to work pla is developed ad delivered cosistet with medical advice ad where ecessary the use of a rehabilitatio expert. The rehabilitatio is focused o the idividual s role i the workplace, ad aimed at maitaiig the ijured worker withi the workplace or returig them to appropriate employmet i a timely, safe ad cost efficiet maer. Close commuicatio ad co-operatio betwee the employer, the ijured employee, the supervisor, the treatig doctor ad the rehabilitatio expert eables the developmet of a coordiated retur to work pla. The medical practitioer issues the Medical Certificate, which states whe the worker is able to retur to work ad what tasks they are able to do. I order to make a iformed decisio ad develop a retur to work pla, the doctor will eed to be furished with specific iformatio such as, descriptio of the worker s regular job, icludig job task aalysis ad iformatio about available alterate assigmets. The doctor will tha compare this iformatio to the fuctioal capacity evaluatio of the ijured worker to esure that the worker is capable of udertakig the tasks assiged to him/her o retur to work. Job Task Aalysis Job Aalysis is a process to idetify ad determie i detail the particular job duties ad requiremets ad the relative importace of these duties for a give job. A job task aalysis breaks dow each job ito separate physical tasks ad describes details required to do the work, such as edurace required, postures, work eviromet, equipmet used, ad weights of objects to be used. The aalysis details the core ad peripheral fuctios of the job, 93 Ahlgre et al (2005) Disability pesio despite vocatioal rehabilitatio? A study from six social isurace offices of a couty. 101

102 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work how it is orgaised, ad its settig/locatio. The job aalysis details the metal ad physical requiremets of the job tasks as well as the workig coditios, particular risks or iheret stresses i the work. Havig this iformatio to had will speed up the determiatio of appropriate assigmets ad facilitate a successful retur to work. Udertakig a job task aalysis will provide the basic framework withi which appropriate assigmets ca be determied. Employees who perform the work are most familiar with how the work is doe, ad are a valuable resource i completig the task aalysis. What Aspects of a Job are Aalysed? Duties ad Tasks The basic uit of a job is the performace of specific tasks ad duties. Iformatio to be collected about these items may iclude: frequecy, duratio, effort, skill, complexity, equipmet, stadards, etc.; Eviromet This may have a sigificat impact o the physical requiremets to be able to perform a job. Does the work ivolve the hadlig of chemicals or workig i extreme temperatures? Tools ad Equipmet Some duties ad tasks are performed usig specific equipmet ad tools. Equipmet may iclude protective clothig. These items eed to be specified i a job aalysis; Relatioships Supervisio give ad received ad relatioships with iteral or exteral people; Requiremets The kowledge, skills, ad abilities required to perform the job. 94 Udertakig a Job Aalysis A job aalysis is the process of breakig dow a job ito its compoet parts. First, make a list of tasks ecessary to perform the job. Next, ask yourself the followig questios about each task: 1. How ofte does the task take place? 2. How is the task performed? What methods, techiques, or tools are used? 3. How much time does the task take? Does it cosistetly take this much time? 4. Why is the task performed? 5. Where is the task performed? 6. How do we measure whether the task was accomplished or ot? 7. What happes if the task is doe icorrectly? 94 IBEC/ICTU Workway (2005) Disability ad Employmet Guidelies. 102

103 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 8. What aptitudes (potetial to lear ad accomplish a skill) are ecessary? 9. What geeral kowledge is ecessary? 10. What skills are ecessary? 11. How much physical exertio is eeded (liftig, stadig, sittig, etc.)? Work Eviromet Where are the essetial fuctios of the job carried out? How is the work orgaised for maximum safety ad efficiecy? What are the physical coditios of the job settig (idoors, outdoors, udergroud, air- coditioed, dirty, greasy, oisy, sudde temperature chages etc)? What are the social coditios of the job (works aloe, works aroud others, works with the public, works uder close supervisio, works uder miimal supervisio, works to deadlies)? Skills/Qualificatios/Experiece What are the geeral skills eeded for the job? What specific traiig is ecessary? Ca it be obtaied o the job? What previous experiece, if ay, ca be substituted for the specific traiig requiremets? 95 Note: See Appedix D for a sample job aalysis form. The fial outcome of a job aalysis should be a comprehesive list of the tasks required for a specific job. A complete uderstadig of these tasks will guide the efforts to retur the worker to the workplace. 96 Fuctioal Capacity Evaluatio A fuctioal capacity evaluatio (FCE) is used to clarify the worker s ability to safely perform work tasks. 97 It is usually carried out by a physiotherapist or occupatioal therapist who has had traiig i this area ad it measures a worker s capacity to perform specific work activities or tasks. It compares the work performace capacity of the idividual worker with the physical demads of a job or series of job tasks. 95 IBEC/ICTU Workway (2005) Disability ad Employmet Guidelies. 96 Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (2004) Challeges i Disability Maagemet A Resource Maual for Retur to Work Practitioers. 97 Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (2003) The role of assessmets. 103

104 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work A fuctioal capacity evaluatio is based o objective physical performace measures, rather tha o the worker s subjective report of fuctioal ability ad pai. It ivolves a rage of measures take i order to determie whether the capacity of the idividual matches the requiremets of a variety of job tasks that might be udertake o retur to work. Why Carry out a Fuctioal Capacity Evaluatio? A fuctioal capacity evaluatio is useful i determiig workers progress i fuctioal ability ad capability of performig part of his or her job. It also ca determie whether ad whe the worker is ready to safely retur to work ad carry out all the physical demads of a kow job. 98 The fuctioal capacity valuatio (FCE) is a importat factor i the safe ad successful retur to work process. The FCE report is the critical piece of iformatio eeded to determie the specific fuctioal abilities ad/or limitatio of the returig worker. This specific iformatio is extremely importat. It provides the treatig doctor with measurable iformatio regardig the ijured worker s fuctioal ability for example: specific work postures that the worker is able or uable to assume; safe workloads ad ability to tolerate repetitios; specific job modificatios to allow for a safe retur to work. The treatig doctor ca pair this iformatio describig the worker s fuctioal coditio with the worker s medical coditio ad with the job aalysis supplied by the workplace ad thus make iformed recommedatios for a safe retur to work. 99 The fuctioal capacity evaluatio will help to establish what specific job modificatios (if ay) eed to be made by the employer before the worker ca safely retur to work ad what specific movemets/positios cause a icrease i symptoms ad may eed to be modified by positio chages. The FCE allows for the safe retur of a worker to a job that clearly meets the worker s abilities ad the worker will have a clear uderstadig of what motios or postures aggravate or icrease his or her symptoms. I may istaces the worker will be able to udertake all the tasks assiged to their positio, but ot for a full work day. I these cases, a graduated retur to work may be called for. This etails brigig workers back to their ow job for a limited umber of hours per day or week. As their physical abilities improve, there ca be a correspodig icrease i the umber of hours at the worksite. 98 Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (2003) The role of assessmets. 99 Walker, A.M. (1995). Fuctioal Capacity Evaluatios. I S.J. Iserhage (Ed.), A comprehesive guide to work ijury maagemet. 104

105 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work I other istaces, workers medical restrictios may preclude them from performig part of the job. I these cases workers may be assiged oly those tasks withi their restrictios ad receive assistace fro those areas of the job they caot perform. Cautio should be take to esure that co-workers are ot beig assiged all of the heavy tasks with the ijured worker performig the lighter tasks. I some cases, the worker caot do ay part of their job ad requires temporary alterative work. For example, if the worker s ow job is etirely i the heavy rage of physical activity but they are restricted to oly light work, alterative work must be located. It is very importat that alterative work is productive ad meaigful. The key is to match the worker s accommodated or modified work with their curret medical limitatios. As the medical limitatios chage, the type ad duratio of work eeds to chage. 100 Stakeholders There are various stakeholders ivolved i facilitatig the safe retur to work of a ijured worker ad all have a importat role. Role of the Employer Esure employee receives medical treatmet; Stay i touch with the abset worker so that s/he kows that they are valued members of staff, assure that their salary ad beefits are beig correctly hadled, ad stay up to date o recovery ad expected retur-to-work date.; Help the employee to make a successful retur to work through accommodatio as eeded ad re-orietatio ito the workplace; Review the employee s job descriptio ad commissio a detailed descriptio of the physical ad metal demads of the job; Refer the employee to the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs (or isurace compay if relevat) to apply for icome support paymets if the employee s absece is exteded beyod the agreed sick ad holiday leave. Role of the Ijured Worker Oe of the most importat idividuals ivolved i the retur to work process is the employee who is recoverig from a ijury or a illess. The resposibilities of the employee are to: 100 Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (2004) Challeges i Disability Maagemet A Resource Maual for Retur to Work Practitioers. 105

106 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work report the iitial ijury or illess as soo as possible; follow the advice of the treatig doctor; collaborate o the developmet of the retur-to-work pla; beig ope to chages i work duties that may be required i order to accommodate ay limitatios; apply safe work practices; keep the supervisor iformed of ay cocers ad/or chage i circumstaces durig the implemetatio of the retur-to-work pla. 101 Role of the Supervisor The supervisor s resposibility is to: promote a safe work eviromet; esure that the proper procedure is followed whe employees are ijured; provide support to the ijured worker; commuicate a positive message of cocer ad support; cosult with the employer ad co-workers to determie what reasoable accommodatios ca be made to facilitate the worker s retur to work; commuicate with other staff so that they are aware of how they may be affected by the returig worker s job accommodatios ad why it is importat that they help ad co-operate; 102 moitor the employee s progress i the retur-to-work pla. Role of the Treatig Doctor The doctor will: treat the employee s medical coditio; assess fuctioal capacity of the employee to idetify what s/he ca do ad caot do; review the job descriptio ad job tasks to determie employee s capacity to do the work; suggest ways i which job tasks could be modified to place less strai o existig ijuries; 101 Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (2005) Itroductio to Retur to Work Co-ordiatio. 102 Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (2005) Itroductio to Retur to Work Co-ordiatio. 106

107 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work provide referrals to other treatmet providers such as physiotherapists ad occupatioal therapists; 103 collaborate o the developmet of the retur to work pla; moitor medical coditio o employee s retur to work. Role of the Co-workers Co-workers should support the returig worker by: co-operatig with the retur to work pla; suggestig potetial accommodatios; treatig the returig worker as a valued part of their team. There are also various other people who may have a role i ijury maagemet ad developig/ implemetig retur to work plas. These iclude: other medical experts, for example, a occupatioal health specialist, a physiotherapist or occupatioal therapist; (cotact details i Useful Cotacts sectio) rehabilitatio specialist; (defiitio i glossary) a advocate for the ijured worker, for example a family member, fried, fellow worker or trade uio represetative. Role of the Rehabilitatio Specialist The rehabilitatio process ivolves a combiatio of: a phased retur to work; modified duties; ad regular reviews ivolvig the employee, their lie maager, persoel (i larger orgaisatios), ad occupatioal health/rehabilitatio specialist (usually exterally provided). The term rehabilitatio idicates restoratio to a previous ability status. It is a multi-discipliary medical, psychological, social ad occupatioal activity. 104 The official aim of vocatioal rehabilitatio is the cliets retur to work. 103 Ibid. 104 Höok O. (ed.) (2001) Rehabilitatio Medicie. 107

108 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The rehabilitatio specialist will wat to fid out which aspects of the job are provig problematic ad why - for example, equipmet, eviromet, workig hours, travel to work, cotact with colleagues ad supervisor. Where a difficulty is idetified, it should the become the focus of detailed aalysis, so that it is clear what all of the compoets or stages of the problem are. S/he ca the advise the employer of ay adaptatios that could eable the worker to cotiue with the same job. If this does ot seem possible, the specialist will eed to carry out a further aalysis of what the worker ca cotiue to do ad ay ew skills that could be developed. Puttig this together with a aalysis of the tasks carried out withi the orgaisatio as a whole, it will the be possible to idetify ways of modifyig the job, or a possible ew job i the same workplace. If this does ot preset a way forward, the specialist ca also work with the employee to agree a course of actio s/he could take to secure employmet elsewhere, or fially, review the optio of early retiremet o medical grouds. 105 The rehabilitatio specialist facilitates commuicatio betwee all of the stakeholders. I a systematic review of the scietific literature o modified work from 1975 to 1997 Krauss ad colleagues idetified 13 high-quality studies, which idicated that ijured employees who are offered modified work are twice as likely to retur to work tha those who are offered o such arragemet. 106 Research also idicates that, modified work reduces by half the umber of lost days. Satisfactory work accommodatios have bee show to sigificatly reduce ijured employee s axiety about returig to work. 107 Assessig Need for Rehabilitatio Sustaiig a ijury may affect the way i which a employee works ad his performace o the job. Adjustmets may be required to the workplace ad also perhaps to the duties of the job. If the ijury has o impact o the worker s ability to do the job or to move freely i the workplace, o rehabilitative actio eeds to be take. Should the ijury have impact o the worker s ability to do the job or to access the work eviromet, there are three optios, which ca be used separately or i combiatio: Chage the work eviromet, e.g. chages to the work statio, to equipmet or i employmet coditios; Chage the job, e.g. modify duties of preset job, move worker to alterative positio i the busiess, or to a ew employer; Assist the worker to chage, through rehabilitatio ad traiig. 105 Paaschkes-Bell G, Da Cuha S, ad Hurry J. (1996) Adaptig to chage whe a employee becomes disabled. 106 Krauss et al (1998a) Modified work ad Retur to Work, a review of the literature. 107 Prasky et al (2000) Outcomes i work-related upper extremity ad low back ijuries Results of a retrospective study. 108

109 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work All of these optios ca be cosidered whe implemetig a retur to work pla for the ijured worker. Severace optios should ot be cosidered, util all of the above optios have bee explored. The chart overleaf summarises the basic optios. RETENTION 108 EMPLOYER ENSURE WORKER RECEIVES MEDICAL TREATMENT Expected absece 21 days or more as a result of ijury at work EARLY INTERVENTION Active retur-to-work process Keep i regular, supportive cotact with the ijured worker/family Assist employee i gettig relevat occupatioal ijury beefits Stay up-to-date o recovery ad expected retur-to-work date ASSESS NEED FOR REHABILITATION COMMUNICATE WITH TREATING DOCTOR Cosult With ijured worker, doctor, isurer, supervisor, co-workers Explore/Access FÁS Grat Supports Traiig: New skills for curret job/retrai for job chage Cosider work eviromet Worker returs to work Ijury has o impact o the worker s ability to do the job, or to move freely about the workplace. No rehabilitative actio eeded Worker returs to work whe deemed fit to do so by treatig doctor Ijury has impact o worker s ability to do the job, or to access the work eviromet Cosult retur-to-work specialist to work through optios with employer, ijured worker ad treatig doctor ad implemet a retur-to-work pla 108 Workplace Safety Code Brochure

110 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Examples of Adjustmets to the Job A retur to work pla should cosider a rage of optios (e.g. adapted work, adapted workplace, part-time work, redeploymet, retraiig) for the ijured worker. The followig examples are of adjustmets that employers could itroduce temporarily while the worker regais stregth, mobility or capacity to work, or more permaetly as reasoable adjustmets to allow workers who have a disability as a result of work ijury to cotiue workig. Adjustmets to Workig Arragemets Phased retur to work to build up stregth, for example buildig up from part-time to full-time hours over a agreed ad appropriate period of time; Chages to idividuals workig hours to allow travel at quieter times, or flexible workig to ease work/life balace; Help with trasport to ad from work, for example orgaisig lifts to work; Home workig (providig a safe workig eviromet ca be maitaied); Time off durig workig hours for rehabilitatio assessmet or treatmet. Adjustmets to Premises Movig tasks to more accessible areas ad closer to washig ad toilet facilities; Adaptig premises, for example providig a ramp for people who fid steps difficult, improvig lightig where sight-impaired people work, providig clear visual sigs ad alerts for deaf workers. Adjustmets to the Job New or modified equipmet ad tools, icludig I.T., modified keyboards etc.; Modified workstatios, furiture ad movemet patters; Additioal traiig for workers to do their job, for example refresher courses; Modified istructios or referece mauals; Alterig the worker s workig hours; Telephoe cofereces to reduce travel; Buddies, metors or supervisio for workers while they regai cofidece back at work; Re-allocatio of work withi the perso s team; Trasferrig the ijured worker to a existig vacacy. 110

111 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work It is importat that the worker uderstads the effect that adjustmets i the form of reduced hours or alterative work could have o their pay before decisios are made. 109 The Retur to Work pla should set out: the goal of the pla, (for example retur to a modified job or buildig up to full-time workig over a period of time); ay adjustmets to workig arragemets; roles ad resposibilities; ay impact o the worker s terms ad coditios; the arragemets for checkig how the pla is workig. Employers must also cosider that if the worker has acquired a disability as a result of the work ijury that they are boud by the employmet equality legislatio. If there is a isurace claim ivolved, the isurer should be kept iformed. Costs of Providig Adjustmets/Reasoable Accommodatios There is fiacial support available from FÁS to private sector (excludes public bodies) employers to offset those costs that may be icurred i retaiig the ijured worker. The mai costs are likely to be: Cost of assessmet of worker s capabilities o the job met by FÁS if they are approached, otherwise by the employer. Cost of adaptatios met i part through the Workplace Equipmet Adaptatio Grat fuded by FÁS. Cost of vocatioal rehabilitatio ad re-traiig met by FÁS if recommeded by them. Cost of temporary staff if the employee eeds a break from work after ijury met by the employer (if ot covered by isurace). 109 Health ad Safety Executive UK (2005) Workig Together to prevet sickess absece becomig job loss. Practical advice for safety ad other trade uio represetatives. 111

112 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Cost of salary durig a break from work met by the employer (or isurer), or the employee may draw social welfare beefits). It should be oted that implemetig a policy supportig ijured workers retur to work also saves o the cost of recruitmet ad traiig ew staff. Checklist o Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Esure employee receives medical treatmet; Facilitate the paymet of beefits ad salary; Keep i touch. Whe the employee is off work, keep i regular cotact. This will let him/her kow that they are a valued member of staff, ad will help you to stay up to date with their recovery ad expected retur-to-work date; Give the treatig doctor the employee s job descriptio ad a breakdow of the physical ad metal demads of the job so that s/he uderstads the employee s regular job. You ca also provide iformatio about alterate work assigmets; Idetify advice ad supports available; Meet with the ijured worker to discuss accommodatio optios ad ideas; Seek expert advice ad support re possible accommodatios/adaptatios that may be eeded; Facilitate reasoable accommodatios i cosultatio with supervisor, safety represetative, ad trade uio/employee represetative; Cosider re-deploymet if the employee is uable to perform his/her previous job duties, but could carry out other work withi the orgaisatio. Re-traiig is a optio here ad further iformatio ad support for employers ad employees is available from FÁS; Liaise with medical ad vocatioal rehabilitatio experts; Provide appropriate awareess traiig for co-workers; Moitor progress followig the ijured worker s retur; Record actios take. 112

113 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 8 Legislatio Employmet Equality Legislatio There is o law, which guaratees job security for a ijured worker. However, the employmet equality legislatio will be of relevace if as a result of a work related ijury, the worker ow has a disability which meets the defiitio of disability as laid out i the Employmet Equality Acts 1998 & The legislatio prohibits uequal treatmet i recruitmet, promotio ad retetio 110 ad the employer has a resposibility to provide appropriate measures to eable employees with disabilities to perform their duties competetly. 111 Studies have also show that retaiig people who have become disabled, may be more cost effective tha recruitig ad traiig a ew employee to the positio. 112 Example As a result of a head ijury, a telephoe sales cosultat had difficulties i hearig. Soud absorbig partitios were istalled to reduce oise ad distractios at her workstatio ad her telephoe rig toe was reprogrammed so that she could hear whe her phoe was rigig. She was also supplied with a vibratig pager, which ca be activated to alert her i the evet of a emergecy. Source: Balacig Disability Rights ad Health ad Safety Requiremets A Guide for Employers The employmet equality legislatio covers ie grouds of ulawful discrimiatio: oe of which is disability. Defiitio of Disability The Employmet Equality Acts 1998 & 2004 defie disability as: a) the total or partial absece of a perso s bodily or metal fuctios, icludig the absece of a part of a perso s body, 110 Wye & McAaey (2004) Employmet ad Disability: Back to Work Strategies. 111 McCa Fitzgerald (2006) Employig People with Disabilities Legal Issues. 112 Disability Actio (2004) Balacig Disability Rights ad Health ad Safety Requiremets A Guide For Employers. 113

114 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work b) the presece i the body of orgaisms causig, or likely to cause, chroic disease or illess; c) the malfuctio, malformatio or disfiguremet of a part of a perso s body; d) a coditio or malfuctio which results i a perso learig differetly from a perso without the coditio or malfuctio; or e) a coditio, illess or disease which affects a perso s thought processes, perceptio of reality, emotios or judgemet, or which results i disturbed behaviour, ad shall be take to iclude a disability which exists at preset, or which previously existed but o loger exists, or which may exist i the future or which is imputed to a perso. Uder these Acts, it is ulawful for a employer to discrimiate agaist a employee who has a disability or a prospective employee who has a disability i relatio to such measures as: recruitmet to employmet; coditios of employmet (other tha remueratio or pesio beefits); traiig or work experiece; promotio; ay beefits (other tha pesio rights) that are provided for members. Savigs ad Exclusios (Exemptios) The Act provides that it is ot ulawful for a employer to refuse to employ, retai or promote, a perso who is uwillig to carry out or accept the coditios uder which the duties attached to a post are to be performed or is ot fully capable of carryig out all the duties cocered; People with disabilities would be cosidered fully competet ad capable to udertake ay duties if they could do the work with the aid of special services or facilities (referred to as appropriate measures) uless the measures would impose a disproportioate burde o the employer. Special Measures The Act allows for special measures for persos with a disability to facilitate their itegratio ito employmet, by reducig or elimiatig the effects of discrimiatio. The Act allows for the provisio of special rates of remueratio, treatmet or facilities for persos with a disability, if by reaso of that disability the employee is restricted i his/her capacity to do the same amout of work (or to work the same hours) as a perso who is employed to do the work. 114

115 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The Act also provides that a employer is ot obliged to provide special treatmet or facilities if more tha a disproportioate burde is likely to be icurred. 113 I determiig whether the measures would impose a disproportioate burde, accout is take of: a) the fiacial ad other costs etailed; b) the scale ad fiacial resources of the employer s busiess; ad c) the possibility of obtaiig public fudig or other assistace. 114 The Act allows the employer to provide special treatmet/facilities to eable the perso with the disability to udertake vocatioal traiig, or to have a workig eviromet suited to the disability. A idividual who feels they have bee discrimiated agaist may take a case to the Equality Tribual or the Labour Relatios Commissio, as appropriate. The Equality Tribual is a idepedet quasi-judicial body that hears ad decides complaits of ulawful discrimiatio uder both the Employmet Equality ad Equal Status acts. Equality officers issue decisios that may be appealed. A mediatio service is also available. The Labour Relatios Commissio provides a rage of idustrial relatios advisory ad mediatio services to meet the particular demads of employers, employees ad their represetatives. The pricipal services are: the Cociliatio Service; the Advisory Service Divisio; the Rights Commissioer Service; the Workplace Mediatio Service. The Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act 2005 While the Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act 2005 has bee passed i the Oireachtas, some of its provisios will be eacted by Statutory Istrumet or Regulatio. The primary focus of the 2005 Act is o the prevetio of workplace accidets, illesses ad dagerous occurreces ad oe of its aims is to ecourage a resposible attitude o the part of both employers ad employees. 113 IBEC/ICTU (2005) Workway Disability ad Employmet Guidelies. 114 http;// 115

116 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Uder the headig of duties of employees, i geeral employees must, comply with relevat safety ad health laws; ot egage i improper coduct or behaviour; wear persoal protective clothig where ecessary; cooperate with their employer ad look out for oe aother; ad ot do aythig which would place themselves or others at risk. O the matter of Safety Statemets, it is already a requiremet o employers uder the 1989 Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act to have a writte Safety Statemet, which idetifies the risks ad hazards i the place of work. Uder Sectio 20 (8) of the Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act 2005, for employers with fewer tha 3 employees, a Code of Practice is a possible alterative to a Safety Statemet. This provisio has ot as of yet come ito force. Safety Statemets will be iformed by risk assessmets which will be based o idetificatio ad assessmet of all hazards i a workplace. Both risk assessmets ad Safety Statemets will have to be kept up to date. Sectio 80 of the 2005 Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act makes explicit the resposibilities of directors ad maagers. Primary resposibility for worker safety ad health falls o employers, because it is they, i effect, who create the risks. Compay directors ad maagers therefore carry a sigificat social resposibility to protect safety ad health. Geeral Duties of Employees I geeral employees must comply with relevat safety ad health laws, ot be uder the ifluece of a itoxicat at the place of work; ad i that regard submit to a appropriate test, if reasoably required by their employer, ot egage i improper coduct or behaviour, wear persoal protective clothig where ecessary, co-operate with their employer ad look out for oe aother, ad ot do aythig which would place themselves or others at risk. Testig for itoxicats will be regulated by the Miister ad must be carried out by a registered medical practitioer. There are two situatios i which testig will apply uder the Act Firstly, if a employee appears to be uder the ifluece of a itoxicat ad i such a state as to edager his/her ow safety or the safety of others, (this particular provisio is oe of the may which will be subject to regulatios before it comes ito operatio) Secodly, where a employee is workig i a safety critical situatio, he or she may be required to udergo a periodic medical assessmet of fitess to work. 116

117 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work It will cotiue to be the duty of every employer to do everythig he or she ca, as far as reasoably practicable, to esure the safety, health ad welfare of his or her employees. The list of specific duties ad resposibilities o employers will iclude resposibility for esurig adequate istructio ad traiig, without loss of earigs to employees. Employers must also esure, as far as reasoably practicable, that others at the place of work, ot beig employees, are ot exposed to risks to their safety, health or welfare. 115 Safety Represetatives Sectio 25 of the 2005 Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work act states that employees may, from time to time, select ad appoit from amogst their umber at their place of work a represetative (i this Act referred to as a safety represetative ) or, by agreemet with their employer, more tha oe safety represetative, to represet them at the place of work i cosultatio with their employer o matters related to safety, health ad welfare at work. 116 Safety represetatives will have wide powers to, ispect; ivestigate accidets or dagerous occurreces; accompay a HSA ispector o a ispectio; make oral ad writte submissios, etc. A employer must cosider represetatios from a safety represetative. Applyig the Law Employers have a duty uder the employmet equality legislatio to make reasoable accommodatio to allow a employee with a ijury/disability retur to work. This meas that as a employer reasoable efforts must be made to assist the worker to retur to work ad perform the essetial fuctios of the job. This duty applies to the physical features of a employer s premises, the way the work is orgaised ad carried out, the workig coditios ad work eviromet. Employers will have discrimiated if they fail to provide reasoable accommodatios ad caot justify that failure. The legislatio places a duty o employers to make such accommodatios wheever it is reasoable to do so Health ad Safety Authority. (2006) Mai Provisios of the Safety Health ad Welfare at Work Act Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act IBEC/ICTU (2005) Workway Disability ad Employmet Guidelies. 117

118 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work It is importat to ote that this does ot guaratee a worker a ope cheque book. Uder the Acts, a employer does ot have to provide ay special assistace if this meas that to do so would be too large a burde the disproportioate burde provisio. Ufair Dismissals Legislatio Ufair dismissals legislatio accepts iability of a worker to do a job as a result of illess as legitimate grouds for dismissal. A employer would be expected to ivestigate if there is support that could be give to the worker i order for him to remai at work, e.g. by redeployig him/her to aother job. A employer will eed to cosider makig reasoable accommodatio, whe a employee develops a ijury of some kid, ad whe/if the effects of the ijury chage or icrease. The priciple applied i decidig whether or ot a accommodatio/adjustmet is reasoable is establishig that it is possible, effective ad affordable. Fiacial help with the costs of accommodatios may be available through FÁS. I a Europea study coducted o retur to work practices i 18 coutries 118, the accommodatios most ofte give are: - chage i tasks ad work cotet (70 percet); chage i duratio ad distributio of workig hours (48 percet); reducig tempo/speed of work (10 percet); purchase of special or ew devices (10 percet); traiig (7 percet); adaptig tools, equipmet, workplace (4 percet); other types (14 percet). Decidig whether or ot a reasoable accommodatio eeds to be made to allow a worker perform the essetial parts of the job is a straightforward process. 1. Aalyse the job (as outlied earlier); 2. Check if the doctor has outlied ay job-related restrictios due to the worker s medical coditio; 3. Develop possible accommodatios i discussio with the worker, ad others; 4. Determie the reasoableess of the accommodatios; 118 Thorto, P. ad Lut, N. (1997) Employmet policies for disabled people i 18 coutries: A review. 118

119 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 5. Choose the best accommodatio this does t have to be the most expesive it is the oe that works best for the employer ad the worker; 6. Apply for FÁS grat if adaptive equipmet is required; 7. Follow-up a few weeks after the accommodatio has bee give to see if it is workig; 8. Record details of the accommodatio provided. 119

120 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 9 Recommedatios The purpose of this sectio is to idetify the critical issues that eed to be addressed, i order to esure opportuities for ijured workers to remai employed. Issues that are evidet from this report are: 9.1 Iformatio Provisio 9.2 Early Itervetio Measures 9.3 Review of State Suite of Supports 9.4 Data Collectio 9.5 Esurig a More Effective Beefits System 9.6 Advice Lie 9.7 Developig Core Traiig Modules 9.1 Iformatio Provisio Ijured workers ad employers face difficulties i accessig iformatio o the most appropriate service to meet their eeds i supportig the worker to retur to work. Though there is a rage of services available, obtaiig iformatio o these services is problematic as there is little co-ordiatio of services which makes it more difficult for idividuals to assess their optios ad to explore their potetial to retur to work with support. Clearer, more cocise iformatio should be made available to both employers ad workers regardig idividual s etitlemets to beefits whe off work due to work related ijury or illess, the process of accessig these beefits, ad the impact this has o icome. Employers ad workers also appear to lack awareess of the supports ad icetives available to assist i a worker s successful ad safe retur to work. Resposibility for processig iformatio o all of the supports available could be shared both at a atioal ad a local level by FÁS through its Services to Busiess ad Employmet Services Offices, the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs through its Job Facilitators ad by the Citizes Iformatio Board through its etwork of Citize Iformatio Cetres. Iformatio Providers eed to be cogisat of the fact that people with a acquired disability eedig to access services are ot familiar with support structures or termiology ad are udergoig a major life-chage. They may be makig adjustmets i all areas of their life ad rely o service providers to make it relatively easy for them to cope ad to avigate their way successfully through the system. 120

121 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 9.2 Early Itervetio Measures Early itervetio cosists of measures which are aimed at re-itegratig people who sustai serious illesses, ijuries ad disabilities back ito the workforce before they become log-term depedat o social welfare paymets. Early itervetio is cosistetly cited i the research as beig a key factor i the successful rehabilitatio of a ijured/disabled worker, the OECD assertig that the loger a disabled perso stays out of work, the lower the chaces of reitegratio will be. ad citig early itervetio as beig the most effective measure agaist log-term beefit depedece. The possible beefits of early itervetio measures for recipiets of Illess Beefit should be explored through the establishmet of a pilot project which would assess the potetial of such measures i terms of re-itegratio back ito the workforce. Parameters for this pilot, timeframe of itervetios ad the profile of potetial participats should be iformed by the fidigs of the UK Job Retetio ad Rehabilitatio Pilot. 9.3 Data Collectio There is a eed for improved ogoig data collectio ad aalysis procedures i order to track those who are curretly leavig employmet due to work related ijury ad eterig ecoomic iactivity. The issue of how may people exit from the Irish workplace permaetly as a result of occupatioal ijury or illess is largely hidde ad it is ot kow how may ed up permaetly o a disability paymet or registerig as employed. There seems to have bee little attempt to aalyse the employmet potetial ad career iterests of these idividuals i order to idetify the types of support eeded to assist those who wish to retur to employmet. Research is required to trace chages i worker s icome ad employmet status over the period stretchig from before the oset of a disability to some time after oset. Such iformatio would be ivaluable i iformig policy makers of what actio to take to support successful ad safe retur to work of ijured/ill workers. The results of the first Natioal Disability Survey carried out i the autum of 2006 by the Cetral Statistics Office may provide some of the baselie data required, whe published. 9.4 Review of State Suite of Supports It is recommeded that the Departmet of Eterprise, Trade ad Employmet udertake a i-depth research study i collaboratio with orgaisatios such as FÁS, the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs, the Departmet of Health ad Childre, Eterprise Irelad, the IDA, the Citizes Iformatio Board ad the Health ad Safety Authority. Cosultatio would also take place with trade uios ad employer represetatives. A workig party could be established to steer the research, which would critically aalyse the acceptability ad effectiveess of the curret suite of State supports, from the perspective of both those who supply the supports ad those who make subsequet use of them. It would idetify what itervetios are eeded ad aalyse the timig ad effectiveess of such itervetios. The research would iclude a SWOT aalysis with the objective of makig these supports more user-friedly ad attractive to employers ad workers. 121

122 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 9.5 Esurig a More Effective Beefits System A effective beefits system is eeded to esure that all people o beefit are ecouraged to stay focused o their expectatios ad supported back to work where that is possible. There is much aecdotal evidece, for example, of the existece of a potetial «beefits trap» It may be that the ijured worker may have a greater reliace o medical itervetio ad/or prescriptio medicies tha other workers. I the evet that the isurace /compesatio do ot adequately or fully cover such costs, it is coceivable therefore that some situatios may arise where the risk of losig secodary beefits such as the medical card o retur to employmet might well impact more severely o the ijured worker. The risk of losig the medical card o retur to employmet could act as a disicetive ad i tur could act as a major barrier to employmet uptake. Oe possible solutio might be to itroduce a ehaced icome disregard for those i receipt of a disability paymet. A disability icome disregard could be itroduced that would icrease the icome limit used whe assessig whether a perso is eligible for a Medical card. This would improve the icetive for some people to retur to work. 9.6 Advice Lie Explore the feasibility of establishig a service similar to Workplace Health Coect a pilot programme i Eglad ad Wales for small ad medium size eterprises offerig free ad impartial advice o workplace health, safety ad retur to work issues. The service cosists of a advice lie ad supportig website givig tailored practical advice to callers both maagers ad workers. The service aims to trasfer kowledge ad skills to maagers ad workers, eablig them to tackle ad solve ay future workplace health issues themselves. This service is beig delivered i partership with the Health ad Safety Executive ad i coordiatio with NHS Plus, a etwork of occupatioal health services based i Natioal Health Service hospitals across Eglad. The etwork provides a occupatioal health service to NHS Staff, ad also sells services to the private sector. The proposed research review of the State suite of support services could idetify which State Agecy i Irelad is best placed to establish ad oversee such a service. 9.7 Develop Core Traiig Modules The statistics idicate that the majority of the populatio i Irelad with a disability have a acquired disability as opposed to havig bee bor with a disability. Irelad has a ageig workforce, although less so tha may other coutries, ad the prevalece of disability icreases with age. It ca therefore be assumed that a certai umber of people presetly workig will acquire a disability whilst i work. I order to circumvet difficulties arisig i the future ad to esure that workers ad employers receive timely ad adequate support whe strivig to esure a worker s retur to work after illess/ijury, Huma Resources professioals, 122

123 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Health ad Safety persoel, medical professioals ad uio represetatives should be ecouraged to become familiar with areas of employmet practice with which they may ot be familiar from their ow traiig. Traiig modules could be made available o such topics as job aalyses, job rehabilitatio ad retur to work. These traiig modules could comprise part of a idividual s cotiuous professioal developmet. 9.8 Establish a Workig Group As this report has demostrated that job rehabilitatio ad job retetio is a cross-cuttig issue, with umerous stakeholders, ay actios take to address the issue eeds cross-departmetal ad multi-orgaisatioal ivolvemet. It would be beeficial to establish a Workig Group/ Advisory Committee comprised, for example, of seior represetatives of the Departmets of Social ad Family Affairs, Health ad Childre, Eterprise, Trade ad Employmet, rehabilitatio agecies, employer orgaisatios, trade uio orgaisatios, isurace compaies, the Health ad Safety Authority ad the Persoal Ijuries Assessmet Board to cosider these recommedatios ad ay other issues which may arise. The Workig Group could address the issue of barriers to the retur to the work of ijured workers ad idetify solutios to these barriers. It would be imperative that people with acquired disabilities are represeted o the group. All of these represetatives have a importat role to play i supportig ijured workers retur to work, wherever possible. A possible source of fudig for the Workig Group s activities would be the Multi-Aual Ivestmet Programme as metioed i Sectio 33 of Towards 2016, the Te Year Framework Social Partership Agreemet. I the framework agreemet, the social parters have give a commitmet to develop a strategically itegrated approach to rehabilitatio services withi the cotext of the Multi-Aual Ivestmet Programme with a view to supportig people back ito employmet, as appropriate, through early itervetio ad ehaced service provisio ad promotig employmet retetio Departmet of the Taoiseach (2006) Toward 2016 Te-Year Framework Social Partership Agreemet

124 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Glossary Alterative duties : a differet rage of duties, which may be temporary i ature ad takes ito accout physical costraits. Appropriate duties : Duties that take ito accout a employee s skills, experiece, physical costraits, ability to adapt, pre-ijury positio ad job availability, usually established through a process of cosultatio. Appropriate measures : Effective ad practical measures to adapt the employer s place of busiess icludig the adaptatio of premises ad equipmet, patters of workig time, distributio of tasks or the provisio of traiig or itegratio resources. The employer is ot obliged to provide ay treatmet, facility or thig that the perso might reasoably provide for himself or herself. Citizes Iformatio Board (formerly kow as Comhairle ): is the atioal support agecy resposible for supportig the provisio of iformatio, advice ad advocacy to the public o the broad rage of social ad civil services. The Board is the support agecy for the Citizes Iformatio Service (CIS) ad provides the Citizes Iformatio website. It supports people i accessig their rights to social services icludig services targeted at people with disabilities. Fuctioal Capacity : Ability to perform specific activities for work or other activities of daily livig. It is ot how well a worker is doig medically but what the worker is actually able to do e.g. Recoverig back ijury how much ca the worker lift. Gaiful employmet : Paid, meaigful, productive work. Ijury Maagemet process : A process implemeted i the workplace to assist ijured worker s retur to work safely ad efficietly. Ijury Maagemet procedure : A comprehesive work based system to maage workrelated ijuries ad assist ijured workers retur to gaiful employmet. Job Adaptatio : The adaptatio or redesig of tools, machies, workstatios ad the work eviromet to the idividual s eeds. It may also iclude adjustmets i work orgaisatio, work schedules, sequeces of work ad i breakig dow work tasks to their basic elemets. Job Facilitators : The role of the job facilitator is primarily to iform ad ecourage people i receipt of a social welfare paymet of the wide rage of icetives ad optios available from the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs. This icludes promotig the Back to Work Allowace Scheme i their local area. 124

125 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Job Aalysis : Details the physical ad metal requiremets of the job tasks as well as the workig coditios, (e.g. how much bedig, stadig, liftig, cocetratig, aalysig the job requires). Makig a detailed list of the duties that a particular job ivolves. Job retetio : Remaiig with the same employer, with the same or differet duties or coditios of employmet, icludig retur after a period of paid or upaid absece due to ijury/illess. Modified Duties : A worker s usual duties modified to elimiate those tasks, which may aggravate the ijury. Occupatioal Ijuries Beefit Scheme : A scheme of beefits operated by the Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs for people ijured or icapacitated by a accidet at work or while travellig directly to or from work. The scheme also covers those who have cotracted a disease as a result of the type of work they do. Physical Costraits : a descriptio of those tasks a employee ca do, as outlied by a medical practitioer. Quarterly Natioal Household Survey : The Quarterly Natioal Household Survey (QNHS) is a large-scale, atiowide survey of households i Irelad. It coducted a disability module i 2002 which was repeated i limited form i Rehabilitatio : Ay method by which people with a coditio resultig from sickess or ijury which iterferes with their ability to work ca be retured to work. Rehabilitatio Specialist : A perso who has gaied a qualificatio i rehabilitatio or a related field ad ca demostrate appropriate backgroud experiece to provide ad/or coordiate vocatioal rehabilitatio services. The RETURN project : The RETURN project took place i six coutries Irelad, Filad, Italy, Austria, Germay ad the Netherlads ad was led by a team from Irelad. The project team coducted a review of policy ad practice relatig to retur to work strategies for people who have become log-term abset (LTA) from work for health reasos. They carried out a thorough mappig of the existig systemic structures resposible for retur to work i the six coutries ad a aalysis of the workplace based policies ad practices affectig the re-itegratio process usig compay based case studies i each jurisdictio. Retur to work : the process by which a worker is supported i resumig work after a absece due to ijury or illess. 125

126 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Retur to Work programme : a documeted programme developed i cosultatio with the ijured worker, which outlies hours, ad duties ad work modificatios to support a retur to work. Must be approved by the treatig medical practitioer. Vocatioal Rehabilitatio : a plaed series of activities with the goal of gettig a idividual back to work. Workig coditios : The factors, determiig the circumstaces i which the worker works. These iclude hours of work, work orgaisatio, job cotet, welfare services ad the measures take to protect the occupatioal health ad safety of the worker. Workig eviromet : The facilities ad circumstaces i which work takes place ad the evirometal factors which may affect workers health. 126

127 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Refereces Aaras A. & Or O. (1997) Workload whe usig a mouse as a iput device. Iteratioal Joural of Huma-Computer Iteractio, 9 pp Quoted i Buckle P. ad Devereux J. (1999) Work-related Neck ad Upper Limb Musculoskeletal Disorders. [Iteret]. Luxembourg, Office for Official Publicatios of the Europea Commuities. Available from: [Accessed 8 March 2006]. Ahlgre, Bergoth & Ekhol (2004) Work resumptio or ot after rehabilitatio? A descriptive study from six social isurace offices (i the same couty i Swede). Iteratioal Joural of Rehabilitatio Research, Vol. 27. September. Ahlgre, Broma, Begroth ad Ekhol (2005) Disability pesio despite vocatioal rehabilitatio? A study from six social isurace offices of a couty. Iteratioal Joural of Rehabilitatio Research, Vol. 28, No. 1, March. Arada et al (2005) Developmetal Coceptualisatio of Retur to Work. Joural of Occupatioal Medicie, Volume 15, No 4, December. Associatio of British Isurers (2005) Care ad Compesatio. Lodo, ABI. Bares H., Thorto P. ad Mayard Campbell S. (1998) Disabled people ad employmet: ew issues for research ad practice. [Iteret]. Policy Press. Available from: org.uk/kowledge/fidigs/socialcare/scr758.asp [Accessed 6 Jue 2006]. Better Regulatio Task Force. (2004) Better Routes to Redress. Lodo, Cabiet Office Publicatios. British Society of Rehabilitatio Medicie. (2000) Vocatioal rehabilitatio the way forward. Report of a workig party. Lodo: BSRM. Buchardt T. (2003) Beig ad becomig: Social exclusio ad the oset of disability. [Iteret]. Report prepared for the Joseph Rowtree Foudatio CASEreport 21. Lodo, Lodo School of Ecoomics. Available from: CASEreport.pdf [Accessed 6 Jue 2006]. Buckle P. ad Devereux J. (1999) Work-related Neck ad Upper Limb Musculoskeletal Disorders. [Iteret]. Luxembourg, Office for Official Publicatios of the Europea Commuities. Available from: < [Accessed 8 March 2006]. Cetral Statistics Office. Cesus Dubli. 127

128 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Cetral Statistics Office. Quarterly Natioal Household Survey Disability Module Dubli. Cetral Statistics Office. Quarterly Natioal Household Survey Disability Module Dubli Clark J., Cole D. ad Ferer S. (2000) Retur to work after a soft tissue ijury: A qualitative exploratio. Workig Paper # 127 Toroto, Istitute for Work ad Health. Colledge A & Johso H. (2000) SPICE A Model for Reducig the Icidece ad Costs of Occupatioally Etitled Claims. Occupatioal Medicie: State of the Art Reviews. Vol. 15, No. 4, October December. Comhairle (2005) Etitlemets for people with disabilities. Comhairle, Dubli. Costructio Employers Federatio (.d.) Site Iductio Programme. [Iteret]. Available from: [Accessed 21 May 2006] Côte P. et al (2000) A report o chiropractors ad retur to work, the experiece of 3 Caadia focus groups. Toroto, Istitute for Work ad Health. Dash, P. (2005) Future Chages i Diagostics, Treatmet ad the NHS: Challeges for the Health Isurace Market Place. A report to the ABI. Associatio of British Isurers Dech S., Meager N. ad Morris S. (1996) The Recruitmet ad Retetio of People with Disabilities Report 301. Brighto, The Istitute for Employmet Studies. Departmet of the Taoiseach (2006) Toward 2016 Te-Year Framework Social Partership Agreemet Dubli, Statioery Office. Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs (2003) Report of the Workig Group o the Review of Illess ad Disability Paymets. Dubli, Statioery Office. Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs (2004) Statistical Iformatio o Social Welfare Services. Dubli, Statioery Office. Departmet of Work ad Pesios (2004) Buildig a capacity for work. A UK Framework for Vocatioal Rehabilitatio. Leeds, Corporate Documet Services. Departmet of Work ad Pesios (2006) Experieces ad Impacts of the Job Retetio ad Rehabilitatio Pilot Research Summary. Leeds, Corporate Documet Services. Disability Actio, (2004) Balacig Disability Rights ad Health ad Safety Requiremets A Guide For Employers. Belfast, Eaga E & Mitchell K (2002) Workforce Magazie. [Iteret] Available from: < [Accessed 5 March 2006]. EEF/IRS (2004) Maagig log-term sickess absece ad rehabilitatio. [Iteret]. 128

129 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Employers Egieerig Federatio UK Available from: [Accessed 4 Jauary 2006]. Emery, L. (2002) Rehabilitatio ad Retetio What works is what matters. Summary report of a Labour Research Departmet research project. Lodo, Trades Uio Cogress. Employmet Equality Act (1998) Irelad Equality Act (2004) Irelad Eurostat (2004) Work ad health i the EU. A statistical portrait, Data Luxembourg ISBN Eurostat (2004) Statistical Aalysis of Socio-ecoomic Costs of Accidets at Work i the Europea Uio. Fial Report. Luxembourg. Farrell, C. et al (2006) Experieces of the Job Retetio ad Rehabilitatio Pilot. Departmet for Works ad Pesios Research Report. Leeds, Corporate Documet Services. Frak J et al. (1998) Prevetig disability from work-related low back pai: ew evidece gives ew hope if we ca just get all the players o side. Caadia Medical Associatio Joural [Iteret]. Volume 158, Issue 12, pp Available from: < [Accessed 5 April 2006]. Grammeos, S., (2003) Illess, disability ad social iclusio. Europea Foudatio for the Improvemet of Livig ad Workig Coditios. Luxembourg, Office for Official Publicatios of the Europea Commuities. Health ad Safety Authority. (2005) A Short Guide to the Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act [Iteret]. Available from: [Accessed 4 April 2006] Health ad Safety Authority. Mai Provisios of the Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act [Iteret]. Available from: < [Accessed 4 April 2006]. Health Ad Safety Authority (2006) Summary of Fatality, Ijury ad Illess Statistics Dubli Health ad Safety Executive UK (2005) Workig Together to prevet sickess absece becomig job loss. Practical advice for safety ad other trade uio represetatives. [Iteret]. Available from: < [Accessed 8 May 2006]. Health & Safety Review Statistical Supplemet

130 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Health Policy Uit (2000) The Australasia Faculty of Occupatioal Medicie. Compesable Ijuries ad Health Outcomes. Sydey, The Royal Australasia College of Physicias. Höok O. (ed.) (2001) Rehabilitatio Medicie. Stockholm Hussai Y. (2003) Trasitios ito Adulthood: disability, ethicity ad geder amog British South Asias. Disability Studies Quarterly Volume 23, No 3 pages Society for Disability Studies IBEC/ICTU Workway (2005) Disability ad Employmet Guidelies ILO (2002) ILO Code of Practice Maagig Disability i the Workplace. Geeva, Iteratioal Labour Office. Iteratioal Uderwritig Associatio. (2003) Third UK Bodily Ijury Awards Study. Lodo. Krauss, N. et al (2001) Psychosocial job factors ad retur to work after low back ijury. America Joural of Idustrial Medicie. 40, pp Krauss N, Dasiger L.K., ad Neuhauser F. (1998) Modified work ad Retur to Work, a review of the literature. Joural of Occupatioal Rehabilitatio. pp Labour Research Departmet (2002) Rehabilitatio ad retetio: the workplace view A Trades Uio Cogress report. Lodo, TUC. Labour Research Departmet. (2002) Rehabilitatio ad Retetio: Case studies. A report for the Trades Uio Cogress. Lodo, TUC. McCa A. (2006) Kow Your Rights A simple guide to social ad civic etitlemets i Irelad. Blackhall Publishig. McCa Fitzgerald (2006) Employig People with Disabilities Legal Issues. (Briefig). Dubli, McCa Fitzgerald. Mari et al., (eds.) (2004) Trasformig Welfare Policies: Towards Work ad Equal Opportuities. Ashgate Publishig. Mez, F. E., & Thomas, D. F. (Eds.). (2003). Bridgig gaps: Refiig the disability research ageda for rehabilitatio ad the social scieces Coferece proceedigs. [Iteret[. Meomoie: Uiversity of Wiscosi-Stout, Stout Vocatioal Rehabilitatio Istitute, Research ad Traiig Ceters. Available from:< Gaps%20Chapter%204.pdf [Accessed 21 May 2006]. Mossik J. ad de Greef M. (2002) Itervetios i the Workplace. [Iteret]. Europea Agecy for Safety ad Health at Work. Luxembourg. Available from: < [Accessed 7 April 2006]. 130

131 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Mot D. (2004) Disability Employmet Policy. Social Protectio Discussio Paper Series Washigto DC: Social Protectio Uit, The World Bak. Mowlam, A. ad J. Lewis (2005) Explorig How Geeral Practitioers Work with Patiets o Sick Leave Research Report No 257. Departmet for Work ad Pesios. Leeds, Corporate Documet Services Natioal Disability Authority (2005) Disability ad work. The picture we lear from official statistics. Dubli, NDA. Natioal Disability Authority (2005) How far towards equality? Measurig how equally people with disabilities are icluded i Irish society. Dubli, NDA. Natioal Disability Authority (2006) The demographics of disability i Irelad. Dubli, NDA. Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (1995) Disability Maagemet i the Workplace: A Guide to Establishig a Joit Workplace Program. Port Alberi, BC. NIDMAR. Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (1999) Buildig the foudatio for the ew milleium. Aual report Port Alberi, BC. NIDMAR. Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (2003) The role of assessmets. Port Alberi, BC. NIDMAR. Natioal Istitute of Disability Maagemet ad Research (2005) Itroductio to Retur to Work Co-ordiatio. Port Alberi, BC. NIDMAR. Orgaisatio for Ecoomic Co-operatio ad Developmet (2003) Trasformig Disability ito Ability; Policies to Promote Work ad Icome Security for Disabled People. Paris, OECD. Paaschkes-Bell G, Da Cuha S, ad Hurry J. (1996) Adaptig to chage whe a employee becomes disabled. Lodo, Royal Natioal Istitute for the Blid. Paaschkes-Bell G. ed (1999) The Get Back! Pack. (Series of 10 publicatios). Lodo, Royal Natioal Istitute for the Blid. Prasky G. et al (2000) Outcomes i work-related upper extremity ad low back ijuries Results of a retrospective study. America Joural of Idustrial Medicie. Volume 3, pp Priz, Christopher (2005) Breakig The Barrier OECD Thematic Review o Reformig Disability Policies to Improve Work Icetives. Framework Paper. Directorate for Employmet, Labour ad Social Affairs. Paris, OECD. 131

132 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Purdo S. et al (2006) Impact of the Job Retetio ad Rehabilitatio Pilot. Departmet for Works ad Pesios Research Report. Leeds, Corporate Documet Services. RETURN (2001) Betwee Work ad Welfare: Improvig Retur to Work Strategies for Log Term Abset Employees Brussels: EU Roulstoe A. et al (2003) Thrivig ad survivig at work: Disabled people s employmet strategies. Bristol, Policy Press. Safety, Health ad Welfare at Work Act (2005) Irelad Smith J.M. et al (ed.) (1998) ECC Progosis Modellig Group, Progosis of musculoskeletal disorders, effects of legitimacy ad job vulerability. IWH Workig Paper #67. Toroto, Istitute for Work ad Health. Sulliva, T. ad Frak J. (ed). (2003) Prevetig ad Maagig Disablig Ijury at Work. ISBN: , CRC Press. Tarasuk V. ad Eaki J. (1995) The problem of legitimacy i the experiece of work-related back ijury. Qualitative Health Research. [Iteret]. Volume 592): Available from: < [Accessed 15 May 2006]. The Associatio of British Isurers (2003) Rehabilitatio the Way Forward. Lodo, ABI. The Australasia Faculty of Occupatioal Medicie (2001) Compesable ijuries ad health outcomes. [Iteret]. Sydey, Royal Australasia College of Physicias, Health Policy Uit. Available from: < [Accessed 21 May 2006]. The IUA/ABI Rehabilitatio Workig Party. (2004) Psychology, Persoal Ijury ad Rehabilitatio. Lodo, The Iteratioal Uderwritig Associatio of Lodo Thomaso T. (2003) Ecoomic icetives ad workplace safety. Quoted i: Sulliva T, Frak JW (eds). Prevetig ad Maagig Disablig Ijury at Work. Caadia Medical Associatio Joural [Iteret]. Volume 158, Issue 12, pp Available from: < [Accessed 5 April 2006]. Thorto, P. ad Lut, N. (1997) Employmet policies for disabled people i 18 coutries: A review. Geeva, ILO. Waddell G., Aylward M. ad Sawey P. (2002) Back pai, Icapacity for Work ad Social Security Beefits A Iteratioal Literature Review ad Aalysis. Lodo, Royal Society of Medicie Press Ltd. Walker, A.M. (1995). Fuctioal Capacity Evaluatios. I S.J. Iserhage (Ed.), A comprehesive guide to work ijury maagemet. Gaithersburg, MA: Aspe. 132

133 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work WorkCover (1997) Ijury Maagemet Iitiatives, Workers Compesatio that Works! New South Wales, WorkCover WorkCover (2001) Guidelies for Ijury Maagemet at the Workplace WA, WorkCover World Health Orgaisatio (2000) The World Health Report 2000 health systems: Improvig performace. Geeva, WHO. Wright M. et al (2004) Cost & beefits of retur to work ad vocatioal rehabilitatio i the UK. Summary report for the Associatio of British Isurers: Evidece from Overseas & UK Case Studies. Lodo, ABI. Wye R. ad McAaey D. (2004) Employmet ad disability: Back to work strategies. Luxembourg, Europea Foudatio for the Improvemet of Livig ad Workig Coditios. Wye R. ad McAaey D. (2005) Employmet Retetio, Early Itervetio, Social Iclusio ad Emergig Disabilities. Dubli, Paper preseted at Natioal Disability Authority Coferece 133

134 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Appedices 134

135 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Appedix A Case Studies Case Study 1 K, a factory operative, had fractured his leg ad ijured his kee i a accidet at work. Although he had retured to work oe year after the accidet he was referred to the occupatioal therapist three years later. K was experiecig pai ad had difficulty stadig all day at work. The occupatioal therapist liaised with the employer who did ot wat to become ivolved, fearig that it might affect K s claim. She also made cotact with K s solicitor who also did ot wat her to itervee as the compesatio claim was o-goig ad the case was proceedig to trial. After further liaiso with the employer, the OT idetified that K could maage to do his job if he could use a perchig stool. The perchig stool was purchased, but the could ot be used o the grouds of health ad safety o the shop floor. The employer the agreed to support ad fud K s retraiig to do aother job i the firm. 120 Case Study 2 O, a Care Assistat sustaied a ijury to her kee ad was told at A&E that she had tor a tedo. Followig surgery, O was able to retur to work some three moths after the ijury. Four moths later, while performig her duties, she sustaied a soft tissue ijury to her right thigh muscle. Although O retured to work, this ijury was exacerbated by a further accidet a few weeks later. After this icidet, O met with her maager ad it was agreed that she would remai off work util her ijuries were resolved. O has sice udergoe further surgery ad more surgery is curretly beig cosidered. O has bee advised by her Cosultat Orthopaedic Surgeo to avoid work as a care assistat. The case was referred for rehabilitatio maagemet. Followig a iitial rehabilitatio assessmet, the case maager established that O s employers were willig to retrai O ito a clerical positio. O was referred to a vocatioal cosultat to cofirm she had the aptitude to perform clerical work withi the same orgaisatio. It was agreed with O s employers that basic computer traiig was required ad a traiig programme was sourced. A graduated retur to work programme was also developed to itroduce O to her ew positio. O has cotiued o the retur to work programme ad is cotiuig o the computer course. She has retured to her pre-accidet workig hours Departmet of Work ad Pesios (2004) Buildig a capacity for work. A UK Framework for Vocatioal Rehabilitatio. 121 Departmet of Work ad Pesios. (2004) Buildig a capacity for work. A UK Framework for Vocatioal Rehabilitatio. 135

136 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Case Study 3 Backgroud O December 14, 2004 a employee of a package tak compay was struck i the back by a metal gas tak. A referral to a eurologist cofirmed disk heriatio i his lower back, combied with sciatic irritatio. He was ot cosidered a immediate surgical cadidate, or did he wat surgery, so he was referred to a physicia for pai maagemet. After receivig modality type therapy ad two epidural steroid ijectios without results, a occupatioal health specialist was called i to provide medical case maagemet. Solutio Because it was difficult to distiguish the root cause of his pai, the case maager ad treatig doctor agreed that icreased therapy progressig to work hardeig would be appropriate. Problems cotiued however, ad he was referred to a eurosurgeo. The eurosurgeo oted that the pai described was ot cogruet with heriatio type symptoms. A boe sca ruled out the possibility of a fracture, leavig the eurosurgeo to believe he suffered a soft tissue ijury. With this iformatio, the case maager recommeded a work hardeig program that icluded o-site itervetio. O May 1, the case maager performed a o-site aalysis i order to educate the treatig medical provider regardig the required physical demads of the job. The case maager also coordiated with the employer to provide specific work materials for the therapist to use i the work hardeig program. The patiet bega the programme o May 9, ad by Jue 5 was back to full duty just three ad a half moths after IMO took o the case. 122 Case Study 4 Fallig from a height Steve, a 35-year-old mail courier, sustaied a job-related, low back ijury ad had bee out of work for te moths. He was i costat pai that kept him from sleepig. Steve was out of shape, depressed, ad overweight due to beig uable to exercise. I that time, he had sigificat medical attetio ad multiple tests, ad a brief course of physical therapy that icluded hot packs ad therapeutic massage ad over-the-couter pai medicatio. Despite this, Steve s coditio showed little improvemet, ad he was referred oto a occupatioal health specialist. 122 IMO Ijury Maagemet Orgaisatio, Ic [Iteret] Available from: com/t_case.html. [Accessed 21 February 2006]. 136

137 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The Occupatioal Health Specialist coducted a comprehesive cliical exam ad complete medical history. The examiatio icluded a assessmet of Steve s lifestyle ad occupatioal risks, as well as a evaluatio of the potetial for him to have future complicatios from his curret coditio. The specialist discussed the fidigs of the exam i detail with Steve, explaiig the musculoskeletal ature of his pai ad describig correct low back dyamics. They the set a goal of restorig pai-free fuctio to the level performed prior to his ijury, so Steve could retur to work as a mail carrier. Treatmet Pla for Steve Pai ad sleep medicatio; Physical therapy programme; Patiet cousellig ad educatio; Measure progress. The specialist prescribed a medicatio to improve Steve s sleepig ad to help decrease his pai. The treatmet pla also icluded a physical therapy programme emphasizig flexibility, stregtheig his truk muscles, ad icreasig his edurace. Throughout his treatmet course, Steve saw the Occupatioal Health Specialist regularly so she could measure his progress, adjust medicatio doses, ad provide emotioal ad psychological support to keep him motivated. Results Pai relief; Retured to work i thirty-three days; Patiet practicig self-maagemet, prevetio techiques. The sleep ad pai medicatio eabled Steve to follow through with his physical therapy programme, ad he progressed to a geeral coditioig program with emphasis o proper liftig ad carryig, a frequet activity i his work eviromet. Thirty-three days later he was able to retur to work o light duty while cotiuig a exercise ad coditioig program with physical therapy. I aother thirty days, he was able to stop physical therapy ad retur to regular work duties. I additio, the specialist taught Steve how to care for his back, which eabled him to actively participate i the ogoig maagemet of his coditio ad to prevet future work ijuries. He cotiues a daily home exercise programme ad is more fit tha before he was ijured. 137

138 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Case Study 5 Mary already had arthritis i oe kee. Walkig from the workplace car park towards the mai etrace, she tripped over ueve groud. The fall caused ijury to her pelvis, rupturig ligamets i the akle of the same leg as the arthritic kee. It was clear she could t retur to the same job, it was ow beyod her physical capabilities. Optios She eeded a job with more sedetary duties ad a adapted chair. She had o I.T. skills. Her employer paid for her re-traiig to do clerical work ad re-deployed her to a admiistrative positio i the busiess. 123 Case Study 6 Joh, a forklift driver, had a work accidet that resulted i the amputatio of his toes o oe foot. Joh experieced pai, had problems, stadig ad walkig ad was depressed. He was referred for treatmet to a Occupatioal Health Specialist, who orgaised physiotherapy ad pai maagemet sessios. The specialist liaised with Joh s GP ad employer ad did a workplace assessmet. I cosultatio with Joh, the treatig doctor ad the employer a co-ordiated retur to work pla was agreed. Joh retured to work fiftee moths after the work accidet, iitially workig four hours a day ad gradually retured to work full-time. The specialist also orgaised that he joi Weightwatchers ad purchased orthopaedic shoes. 124 Case Study 7 (Promotig a healthy workig eviromet) A field study coducted i 1997 compared the muscular load required to operate a traditioal computer mouse with a ewly developed desig. 125 A reductio i the muscular load was observed i the forearms ad also i the eck. Aarås et al. (1999) the itroduced the ew mouse desig to a group of office workers. The subjects were radomly assiged to a cotrol group. Six moths after the itervetio a sigificat reductio i the itesity ad frequecy of wrist/had, forearm, shoulder ad eck pai was observed i the group with the ew desig compared to the cotrol group that used a traditioal mouse desig. 126 The odds of a work related musculoskeletal disorder resultig i lost time without a ergoomics itervetio was three times greater tha with a itervetio (Scheider, 1998). This study also foud that the retur o ivestmet i.e. the beefit/cost of itervetio i a office eviromet was 17.8 ($1693/$95). 123 Health ad Safety Executive UK. (2005) Workig Together to prevet sickess absece becomig job loss Practical advice for safety ad other trade uio represetatives. 124 Health ad Safety Executive UK. (2005) Workig Together to prevet sickess absece becomig job loss Practical advice for safety ad other trade uio represetatives. 125 Aaras A, Or O (1997) Workload whe usig a mouse as a iput device. 126 Buckle P. ad Devereux J. (1999) Work-related Neck ad Upper Limb Musculoskeletal Disorders. 138

139 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Ergoomics itervetio to redesig a assembly lie process was show to reduce workers compesatio costs for work-related musculoskeletal disorders from $94000 to $12000 i a telecommuicatios orgaisatio (Hedrick, 1996). Betwee 1990 ad 1994, ergoomics itervetio saved $1.48 millio i worker compesatio costs for the same orgaizatio Buckle P. ad Devereux J. (1999) Work-related Neck ad Upper Limb Musculoskeletal Disorders. 139

140 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Appedix B Useful cotacts FÁS Employmet Services Dubli regio Baldoyle Baldoyle Idustrial Estate, Baldoyle, Dubli 13 Tel: Fax: Ballyfermot Ballyfermot Hill, Dubli 10 Tel: Fax: Balbrigga Licomm House, Stephestow Idustrial Estate, Balbrigga, Co. Dubli Tel: Fax: Bladchardstow West Ed House, Sugboro Rd. Extesio, West Ed Retail Park, Blachardstow, Dubli 15 Tel: Fax: Clodalki Mai Street, Clodalki, Dubli 22 Tel: / Fax: Coolock Northside Civic Cetre, Buratty Road, Coolock, Dubli 17 Tel: Fax: Crumli 235 Crumli Road, Crumli, Dubli 12 Tel: Fax: D Olier House D Olier House, D Olier Street, Dubli 2 Tel: Fax: Dubli 4 27/33 Upper Baggot Street, Dubli 4 Tel: Fax: Du Laoghaire Cumberlad Street, Du Laoghaire, Co. Dubli Tel: Fax: Figlas Uit 14C, Figlas Shoppig Cetre, Mai Street, Figlas village, Dubli 11 Tel: Fax: Poppitree Idustrial Estate, Jamestow Road, Figlas, Dubli 11 Tel: Fax: Loughlistow Wyattville Road, Loughlistow, Du Laoghaire, Co, Dubli Tel: Fax:

141 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Rathfarham Nutgrove Eterprise Cetre, Eterprise Pk., Nutgrove Way, Rathfarham, Dubli 14 Tel: Fax: Swords 34 Mai Street, Swords, Co Dubli Tel: Fax: Tallaght Social Services Cetre, Square Complex, Tallaght, Dubli 24 Tel: Fax: Midlads regio Athloe Uit 8, Irish Carraig Busiess Cetre, Golde Islad, Athloe, Co. Westmeath Tel: Fax: Logford 7 Market Square, Logford, Tel: Fax: Mulligar Church Aveue, Mulligar, Co. Westmeath Tel: Fax: Newbridge Mai Street, Newbridge, Co. Kildare Tel: Fax: Portlaoise Uit 4, Meeha House, James Fita Lawlor Aveue, Portlaoise, Co. Laois Tel: Fax: Tullamore Grad Caal House, Columcille Street, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Tel: Fax: Mid- West regio Eis 42 Parell Street, Eis, Co Clare Tel: , Fax: Limerick 18 Davis Street, Limerick, Co. Limerick Tel: , Fax: Perry Court, Upper Mallow Street, Limerick Tel: Fax: Neagh 79 Coolly Street, Neagh, Co. Tipperary Tel: , Fax: Newcastlewest Govermet Buildigs, Gortboy, Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick Tel: , Fax: Shao Shao Idustrial Estate, Shao, Co. Clare Tel: Fax: Thurles Friar Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary Tel: , Fax:

142 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work North-East regio Cava 49 Church Street, Cava, Co. Cava Tel: Fax: Drogheda 14 North Quay, Drogheda, Co. Louth Tel: , Fax: Dudalk Adephi Court, Log Walk, Dudalk, Co. Louth Tel: Fax: Moagha Market Street, Moagha, Co. Moagha Tel: Fax: Nava Tara Mall, Trimgate Street, Nava, Co. Meath Tel: Fax: North-West regio Ballybofey Dufril House, Chestut Road, Ballybofey, Co. Doegal Tel: Fax: Carrick-o-Shao Govermet Buildigs, Shao Lodge, Carrick-o-Shao, Co. Leitrim Tel: Fax: Na Doire Beaga/Gweedore Na Doire Beaga, Leitirceaai, Co. Dhu a Gall, Tel: Fax: Sligo Govermet Buildigs, Cramore, Sligo Tel: Fax: Letterkey Ballyraie Idustrial Estate, Ramelto Rd., Letterkey, Co. Doegal Tel: , Fax: South- East regio Arklow Govermet Buildigs, Castlepark, Arklow, Co Wicklow Tel: Fax: Bray The Boulevarde, Quisborough Road, Bray, Co Wicklow Tel: Fax: Carlow Carlow Shoppig Cetre, Keedy Aveue, Carlow Tel: Fax: Clomel 2/3 Emmet Street, Clomel, Co. Tipperary Tel: Fax: Eiscorthy Bridgepoit, Eiscorthy, Co. Wexford Tel: Fax:

143 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Kilkey Irishtow, Kilkey Tel: Fax: Waterford 56 Parell Street, Waterford Tel: Fax: Wexford Crescet Mall, Herietta Street, Wexford Tel: Fax: South West regio Cork Govermet Buildigs, Sulliva s Quay, Cork Tel: , Fax: Rossa Aveue, Bishopstow, Cork Tel: Fax: /31 Shado Street, Cork Tel: Fax: Batry Warer Cetre, Barrack Street, Batry, Co. Cork Tel: Fax: Killarey Uit 1, Kemare Place, Killarey, Co. Kerry Tel: Fax: Mallow 103/104 Mai Street, Mallow, Co. Cork Tel: / Fax: Tralee 17 Lower Castle Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry Tel: Fax: Moavalley Idustrial Estate, Tralee, Co. Kerry Tel: Fax: Wester regio Ballia Riverside, Church Road, Ballia, Co. Mayo Tel: / Fax: Castlebar Uit 7 & 8, Humbert Mall, Mai St., Castlebar, Co. Mayo Tel: Fax: Galway Islad House, Cathedral Square, Galway Tel: , Fax: Idustrial Estate, Mervue, Galway Tel: / Fax: Roscommo Laesboro Street, Roscommo Tel: / Fax:

144 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Tuam High Street, Tuam, Co. Galway Tel: / Fax: Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs - Jobs Facilitators Easter regio - Dubli North Mellows Rd, Figlas, Dubli 11 Tel: / Greedale Cetre, Kilbarrack, Dubli 13 Tel: North Cumberlad St., Dubli 1 Tel: Jobs Facilitator, Social Welfare Office, Ballymu Shoppig Cetre, Ballymu, Dubli 9 Tel: / Social Welfare Offices, Mellowes Rd., Figlas, Dubli 11 Tel: / Easter regio - Dubli South Cumberlad St, Du Laoghaire Tel: ext 7797 Werburgh St., Dubli 8 Tel: / ext 5900 Nutgrove Shoppig Cetre, Dubli 14 Tel: ext 6629 Easter regio - Dubli West Thomas Street, Dubli 8 Tel: Rossmore Aveue, Ballyfermot, Dubli 10 Tel: The Square, Tallaght, Dubli 24 Tel: Eyre Street, Newbridge, Co. Kildare Tel: Midlads regio Clomich Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Tel: / Govermet Buildigs, Pearse St, Athloe Tel: Mid-West regio Govermet Buildigs, Cabra Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary Tel: Social Welfare Local Office, Domiick Street, Limerick Tel: ext 8230 / Social Welfare Local Office, Kilrush Road, Eis, Co. Clare Tel: North-East regio Wilto House, Stapleto Place, Dudalk, Co. Louth Tel:

145 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Customs House Quay, Drogheda, Co. Louth Tel: Dubli Road, Cava Tel: North-West regio Govermet Buildigs, Cramore Road, Sligo Tel: / ext 6279 Irwi Buildigs, Milltow, Doegal Tel: ext7531 High Road, Letterkey, Co. Doegal Tel: Souther regio Social Welfare Services Office, Haover Street, Cork Tel: Godfrey Place, Tralee, Co Kerry Tel: Beech Road, Killarey, Co. Kerry Tel: South- East regio Govermet Buildigs, Cork Road, Waterford Tel: / / / Govermet Buildigs, Hebro Road, Kilkey Tel: A Street, Wexford Tel: ext 5852 Wester regio Hyes Buildigs, Augustie Street, Galway Tel: Govermet Buildigs, Ballia, Co. Mayo Tel: ext 7668 Departmet of Social & Family Affairs Iformatio Sectio Iformatio Services Floor 1 Social Welfare Services Office Departmet of Social & Family Affairs College Road Sligo LoCall iformatio leaflet request lie at (24 hours a day, 7 days a wwk) Iformatio Services phoe lie at LoCall From 9.30am pm Moday to Friday FÁS/Eterprise Irelad Approved Traiers i Disability Awareess Disability Cosultacy Services 42 Fielbrook, Dubli Road, Portlaoise Tel: Executive Coachig, Temple House, 16 Newtowsmith, Sadycove Tel: Fax:

146 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Fraces Fiucae Butler Robi Crest, 3 Ballishee Bridge, Skehard Road, Blackrock, Cork Tel: Galro Mill House, 4 Killashee St, Logford Tel: Fax: Gado Eterprises, Access Ability Gado Villa, Beech Road, Sadymout, Dubli 4 Tel: , Fax: Iclusio Traiig ad Cosultacy, 5, Lower O Coell St., Dubli 1 Tel: Irish Wheelchair Associatio Blackheath Drive, Clotarf Tel: Fax: Natioal Coucil for the Blid of Irelad, 45 Whitworth Road, Drumcodra, Dubli 9 Tel: Fax: Orbis Huma Resources Developmet LTD, 14 Highfield Road, Rathgar, Dubli 6 Tel: Fax: Quality Systems Traiig 98 Broadford Hill, Balliteer, Dubli 16 Tel: Fax: Geeral Cotacts AIG Medical & Rehabilitatio, AIG House, Merrio Road, Dubli 4, Irelad Tel: / [email protected] Assist Irelad, A comprehesive database o assistive techology, which has a specific sectio o assistive techology for the workplace. Associatio of Occupatioal Therapists of Irelad 29 Gardier Place, Dubli, Irelad Tel/Fax: [email protected] Cetral Remedial Cliic Vero Aveue, Clotarf, Dubli 3 Tel: [email protected] Citize Iformatio Cetres Cofidetial Free Iformatio Service, Check Golde Pages or Call Comhairle at: Tel: iformatio@ comhairle.ie Natioal Citizes Iformatio Call Cetre LoCall: iformatio@ comhairle.ie Citizes Iformatio Board, 7th Floor, Hume House, Ballsbridge, Dubli 4 Tel: comhairle@ comhairle.ie www. citizesiformatioboard.ie Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs 146

147 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Disabled Drivers Associatio of Irelad Balladie, Co. Mayo Tel: / [email protected] Disabled Drivers Scheme Cetral Repaymets Office, Freepost, Coolshaagh, Co. Moagha Tel: LoCall: Disability Federatio of Irelad 2, Sadyford Office Park, Blackthor Aveue, Dubli 18 Tel: [email protected] EAPA Irish Chapter EAPA is the professioal body for Employee Assistace Practitioers ad Providers of Employee Assistace Programmes (EAPs). EAPA Irelad PO Box 9269 Dubli 2 Irelad Tel: [email protected] Eable Irelad (Educatio Therapy, Employmet ad Support Services for people with physical disability ad their families) 32F Rosemout Park Drive, Rosemout Busiess Park, Ballycooli Road, Dubli 11 Tel: Fax: [email protected] Equality Authority, Clomel Street, Dubli 2 Tel: Freephoe: [email protected] Equality Tribual Gado Eterprises Access Ability, Gado Villa, Beech Road, Sadymout, Dubli 4 Tel: Fax: [email protected] Health ad Safety Authority, 10 Hoga Place, Dubli 2 Tel: Fax: [email protected] Health Services Executive Local Health Offices The Local Health Office is the etry poit to commuity health ad persoal social services. HSE Dubli North East Local Health Offices North West Dubli Local Health Office, Rathdow Road, Dubli 7 Tel: North Cetral Dubli Local Health Office, 193 Richmod Road, Dubli 3 Tel: North Dubli Local Health Office, Cromcastle Road, Coolock, Dubli 5 Tel: Cava: Commuity Care Offices, Lisdara, Cava Tel: Moagha: Commuity Care Offices, Rooskey, Moagha Tel:

148 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Louth: Commuity Care Offices, Dubli Road, Dudalk Tel: Meath: Commuity Care Offices, Co. Cliic, Nava Tel: Dubli Mid Leister Local Health Offices Du Laoghaire Local Health Office, Tivoli Road, Du Laoghaire, Co. Dubli Tel: Dubli South East Local Health Office, Vergemout Hall, Closkeagh, Dubli 6 Tel: Dubli South City Local Health Office, Caregie Cetre, Lord Edward Street, Dubli 2 Tel: Dubli South West Local Health Office, Old Couty Road, Crumli, Dubli 12 Tel: Dubli West Local Health Office, Cherry Orchard Hospital, Ballyfermot, Dubli 10 Tel: Kildare/West Wicklow Local Health Office, Poplar House, Poplar Square, Naas, Co. Kildare Tel: Wicklow Local Health Office, Gleside Road, Co. Wicklow Tel: Laois/Offaly Local Health Office, Laois: Health Cetre, Dubli Road, Portlaoise, Tel: Offaly: Health Cetre, Arde Road, Tullamore Tel: Logford/Westmeath Local Health Office, Logford: Health Cetre, Dubli Road, Logford Tel: Westmeath: Health Cetre, Logford Road, Mulligar Tel: West Local Health Offices Doegal Local Health Office, Ballybofey, Co. Doegal Tel: Sligo/Leitrim/West Cava Local Health Office Commuity Services, Markievicz House, Sligo Tel: Roscommo Local Health Office, Commuity Services, Roscommo, Co. Roscommo Tel: Mayo Local Health Office, Couty Cliic, Castlebar, Co. Mayo Tel: Galway Local Health Offices, Commuity Services, 25 Newcastle Road, Galway Tel:

149 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Clare Local Health Office, 16 Carmody Street Busiess Park, Eis, Co. Clare Tel: North Tipperary/East Limerick Local Health Office, Hollad Road, Plassey, Limerick Tel: Limerick Local Health Office, Catherie Street, Limerick Tel: South Local Health Offices South Lee Local Health Office, Abbeycourt House, George s Quay, Cork Tel: North Lee Local Health Office, Abbeycourt House, George s Quay, Cork Tel: West Cork Local Health Office, Coolagarrae, Skibberee, Co. Cork Tel: North Cork Local Health Office, Gouldshill House, Mallow, Co. Cork Tel: Carlow/Kilkey Local Health Office Carlow Commuity Care, Athy Road, Carlow Tel: Kilkey Commuity Care Headquarters, James s Gree, Kilkey Tel: South Tipperary Local Health Office, Wester Road, Clomel, Co. Tipperary Tel: Waterford Local Health Office, Cork Road, Waterford Tel: Wexford Local Health Office, Groga s Road, Wexford Tel: Kerry Local Health Office, Dey Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry Tel: Iclusio Traiig ad Cosultacy, 5, Lower O Coell St., Dubli 1 Tel: Irish Isurace Federatio Isurace House 39 Molesworth Street Dubli 2 Tel: Fax: [email protected] Irish Associatio of Rehabilitatio Professioals (IARP) IARP, 77 Broomhill Rd, Tallaght, Dubli 12 Tel: Irish Associatio of Speech ad Laguage Therapists IASLT 29 Gardier Place Dubli 1 Tel/Fax: [email protected] 149

150 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Irish Busiess ad Employers Cofederatio (IBEC), Cofederatio House, Lower Baggot Street, Dubli 2 Tel: Irish Cogress of Trade Uios (ICTU), Parell Square, Dubli 1 Tel: Irish Deaf Society 30 Blessigto Street, Dubli 7 Tel: [email protected] Irish Medical Directory The Irish Medical Directory is a most comprehesive guide to Health Care ad the Medical Professio i Irelad Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists Royal College of Surgeos St. Stephe s Gree, Dubli 2, Irelad Tel: Fax: [email protected] Irish Wheelchair Associatio (IWA) Áras Chúchulai Blackheath Drive Clotarf Dubli 3 Tel: Fax: [email protected] Labour Relatios Commissio Tom Johso House Haddigto Road Dubli 4 Tel: (01) Lo call: (outside 01 area) Fax: (01) Cociliatio Services: [email protected] Advisory Services: [email protected] Rights Commissioers: [email protected] Workplace Mediatio Service: [email protected] Natioal Associatio for Deaf People Head Office: 35 North Frederick Street, Dubli 1 Tel: [email protected] Natioal Coucil for the Blid of Irelad (NCBI) Whitworth Road Drumcodra Dubli 9 Tel: LoCall: [email protected] Natioal Disability Authority, 24/25 Clyde Road, Ballsbridge, Dubli 4 Tel: Natioal Irish Safety Orgaisatio (NISO), A11 Calmout Park, Calmout Aveue, Ballymout, Dubli 12 Tel: Fax: [email protected] Natioal Mobility Cetre Joh Sulliva Resource Cetre, Balliagappa Road, Clae, Co. Kildare Tel: Pear Kadola (Occupatioal Psychologists) 18/19 Harcourt Street, Dubli 2 Tel: Fax:

151 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work People with Disabilities Irelad (PwDI) Richmod Square, Morig Star Aveue, Dubli 7 Tel: Fax: [email protected] Persoal Ijuries Assessmet Board (PIAB) P.O. Box 8 Cloakilty Co. Cork LoCall: [email protected] Rehab Commuicatios Departmet, Rehab Group, Beach Road, Sadymout, Dubli 4. Tel: Fax: [email protected] Social Welfare LoCall Numbers Iformatio Services: Leaflet ad Claim Form Request Lie (24 hours, 7 days a week) LoCall Tax Queries For Dubli: For Clare, Cork, Kerry, ad Limerick: For Carlow, Kildare, Kilkey, Laois, Meath, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford ad Wicklow: For all other areas: The author does ot approve, edorse or accept resposibility for the use of ay services offered by the listed service providers. The guide is iteded for iformatio oly. 151

152 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Appedix C Job Aalysis Form Compay Positio Salary Ref 1. Job Descriptio (Attach additioal sheets) 2. Physical Requiremets Weight/Reach % of Time Adaptatios Remarks Carryig.... Cleaig.... Climbig.... Collatig.... Dialig.... Drivig.... Filig.... Hearig.... Holdig.... Idexig.... Isertig.... Liftig.... Maitaiig.... Opeig.... Pullig.... Pushig.... Removig.... Schedulig.... Sittig.... Sortig.... Speakig.... Stampig.... Stadig.... Staplig.... Threadig.... Turig Pages.... Typig.... Ufoldig.... Ulockig.... Usig Keyword.... Walkig.... Weighig.... Writig Cogitive Requiremets Level/Type Recommedatios 152

153 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Educatio... Math... Problem Solv g... Readig... Reasoig... Traiig Site Evaluatio Dimesios Adaptatios Job Site Desk.. Door.. Door Mechaism.. Elevators.. Etrace.. File Cabiets.. Floor Coverig.. Obstacles.. Steps.. Threshold.. Bathroom Door.. Grab Bars.. Sik.. Toilet.. Cafeteria Accessibility.. Parkig.. 5. Commets: Operatio of Equipmet Job Aalyst date Source: Job Developmet Bak ad Ehaced Productivity for Severely Disabled Persos, K. Mallik ad S. Yuspeh, 1979, G. Washigto Uiversity Rehabilitatio Research ad Traiig Ceter, Washigto, D.C., Grat #G , NIDRR, Departmet of Educatio. 153

154 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Appedix D List of Prescribed Occupatioal Diseases A. Coditios due to physical agets Coditios 1. (a) Bursitis or subcutaeous cellulitis arisig at or about the elbow or the kee due to severe or prologed exteral frictio or pressure at or about the elbow or the kee respectively (Beat elbow or Beat kee) 1. (b) Subcutaeous cellulitis of the had (Beat had) Occupatio Type Maual labour causig severe or prologed exteral frictio or pressure at or about the elbow or the kee respectively. Maual labour causig severe or prologed frictio or pressure o the had. 2. Byssiosis Work i ay room where ay process up to ad icludig the weavig process is performed i a factory i which the spiig or maipulatio of raw or waste cotto or flax or the weavig of cotto or flax takes place 3. Carcioma of the asal cavity or associated air siuses (asal carcioma) 4. Cramp of the had or forearm due to repetitive movemets 5. Disease or ijury caused by electromagetic or ioisig radiatios Attedace for work: (a) i or about a buildig where woode goods are maufactured or repaired, or (b) i a buildig used for maufacturig footwear or compoets of footwear made wholly or partly of leather or fibre board (c) at a place used wholly or maily for repairig footwear made wholly or partly of leather or fibre board Work ivolvig prologed periods of hadwritig, typig or other repetitive movemets of the figers, had or arm Work ivolvig exposure to electro-magetic or ioisig radiatios Work ivolvig subjectio to compressed or rarefied air or other respirable gases or gaseous mixtures 7. Peumocoiosis See below. 8. Heat Cataract Work ivolvig frequet or prologed exposure to rays from molte or redhot material 9. Mier s ystagmus Work i or about a mie. 154

155 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 10. Diffuse mesothelioma (primary eoplasm of the mesothelium of the pleura or of the pericardium or of the peritoeum) 11. Substatial sesorieural hearig loss amoutig to at least 50 decibels i each ear, beig due i the case of at least oe ear to occupatioal oise, ad beig the average of pure toe losses measured by audiometry over the 1, 2 ad 3 kilohertz frequecies (occupatioal deafess) Coditios for Occupatioal Deafess You must have bee employed i a prescribed occupatio for at least 10 years. If you have left that employmet, you must claim withi 5 years of leavig Work that ivolves: (a) workig or hadlig asbestos or ay admixture of asbestos, or (b) maufacturig or repairig asbestos textiles or other articles cotaiig or composed of asbestos, or (c) cleaig of ay machiery or plat used i ay of the above operatios ad of ay chambers, fixtures or appliaces for the collectio of asbestos dust, or (d) substatial exposure to the dust arisig from ay of the above operatios Work that ivolves: (a) usig or workig wholly or maily right beside the viciity of peumatic percussive tools or high-speed gridig tools, i the cleaig, dressig or fiishig of cast metal or of igots, billets or blooms, or (b) usig or workig wholly or maily right beside peumatic percussive tools o metal i the shipbuildig or ship repairig idustries, or (c) usig or workig right beside peumatic percussive tools o metal or for drillig or of highspeed gridig tools o metal icludig the sharpeig of such tools o metal, for at least a average of oe hour per workig day, or (d) workig wholly or maily right beside drop-forgig plat (icludig plat for drop-stampig or drop-hammerig) or forgig press plat egaged i the shapig of metal, or (e) workig wholly or maily i rooms or sheds where there are machies egaged i weavig ma-made or atural (icludig mieral) fibres or i bulkig up fibres i textile maufacturig, or (f) usig or workig wholly or maily right beside machies egaged i cuttig, shapig or cleaig metal ails, or (g) usig or workig wholly or maily right beside plasma spray gus egaged i the depositio of metal, or (h) usig or workig wholly or maily right beside ay of the followig machies egaged i workig wood or material composed partly of wood, that is multi-cutter mouldig machies, plaig machies, automatic or semi-automatic lathes, multiple cross-cut machies, automatic shapig machies, double-ed teoig machies, vertical spidle mouldig machies (icludig highspeed routig machies), edge badig machies, bad-sawig machies with a blade width of ot less tha 75 millimetres ad circular sawig machies i the operatio of which the blade is moved towards the material beig cut, or (i) usig chai saws i forestry, or (j) workig wholly or maily settig, tuig or testig of aircraft egies or right beside such work 155

156 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 12. Traumatic iflammatio of the tedos of the had or forearm or of the associated tedo sheaths 13. Vibratio-iduced white figer (that is, traumatic vasospasm of at least two distal phalages of three or more digits of oe had - occurrig without seasoal itermissio) Maual labour, or frequet or repeated movemets of the had or wrist. Work that ivolves: (a) usig chai saws i forestry work, or (b) usig percussive-gridig or other rotary tools, or (c) usig poudig machies, or (d) holdig materials beig worked o by percussive tools 14. Ular Nerve Neuritis Work ivolvig prologed exteral pressure at or about the elbow 15. Carpal tuel sydrome (a) Work ivolvig usig had-held power tools, but excludig those which are solely powered by had, whose iteral parts vibrate so as to trasmit that vibratio to the had, or (b) repetitive ad forceful work causig abormal pressure o the wrist over a prologed period 16. Lateral epicodylitis Work ivolvig over a prologed period, repeated ad forceful rotatioal movemets of the forearm with had exteded B. Coditios due to biological agets Coditios Occupatio Type 1. Akylostomiasis Work i or about a mie. 2. Athrax Work ivolvig cotact with aimals ifected with athrax or with such aimal products or residues or hadlig (icludig loadig or uloadig or trasport) of merchadise cotamiated by such aimals, products or residues 3. Gladers Work ivolvig cotact with equie aimals or their carcasses. 4. Ifectio by Leptospira (a) Work i places that are or are liable to be ifested by rats or field mice, voles or other small mammals, or 5. Ifectio by orgaisms of the geus Brucella 6. Ifectio by Streptococcus suis (b) Work at dog keels or the care or hadlig of dogs, or (c) Work ivolvig cotact with bovie aimals or their meat products or pigs or their meat products Work ivolvig cotact with: (a) aimals ifected by brucella or their carcasses or parts thereof or their utreated products, or (b) laboratory specimes or vaccies of, or cotaiig brucella. Work ivolvig cotact with pigs ifected by streptococcus suis or with the carcasses, products or residues of pigs so ifected 156

157 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 7. Extrisic allergic alveolitis (icludig farmer s lug) Work that ivolves exposure to moulds or fugal spores or heterologous proteis due to employmet i: (a) agriculture or horticulture, forestry, cultivatio of edible fugi or maltworkig, or (b) loadig or uloadig or hadlig i storage mouldy vegetable matter or edible fugi, or (c) carig for or hadlig birds, or (d) hadlig bagasse 8. Tuberculosis Work ivolvig close ad frequet cotact with a source of tuberculosis ifectio 9. Viral hepatitis Work that ivolves cotact with: (a) huma blood or huma blood products, or (b) a source of viral hepatitis 10. No-edemic ifectious Work ivolvig cotact with a source of ay such disease or parasitic diseases which are ot edemic i the State. For example, malaria, leprosy, yellowfever, leishmaiasis, toxaplasmosis would be icluded i the category. C. Coditios due to chemical agets Coditios 1. (a) Agiosarcoma of the liver (b) Osteolysis of the termial phalages of the figers (c ) No-cirrhotic portal fibrosis 2. (a) Carcioma of the mucous membrae of the ose or associated air siuses (b) Primary carcioma of a brochus or of a lug 3. Dystrophy of the corea, (icludig ulceratio of the coreal surface) of the eye Occupatio Type (a) Work i or about machiery or apparatus used for the polymerizatio of viyl chloride moomer, a process that for the purposes of this provisio, comprises all operatios up to ad icludig the dryig of the slurry produced by the polymerizatio ad the packagig of the dried product, or (b) Work i a buildig or structure i which ay part of that process takes place. Work i a factory where ickel is produced by decompositio of a gaseous ickel compoud that ecessitates workig i or about a buildig or buildigs where that process or ay other idustrial process coected or icidetal to it takes place. Work that ivolves (a) usig or hadlig or exposure to arseic or tar, pitch, bitume, mieral oil (icludig paraffi) or soot, or ay compoud, product or residue of ay of these substaces except quioe or hydroquioe, or (b) exposure to quioe or hydroquioe durig their maufacture 157

158 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 4. (a) Localised ew growth of the ski, papillomatous or keratotic Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to, arseic, tar, pitch, bitume, mieral oil (icludig paraffi), soot or ay compoud, product or residue of ay of these substaces, except quioe or hydroquioe (b) Squamous-celled carcioma of the ski 5. Occupatioal vitiligo Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to, paratertiary-butylpheol or para-tertiary-butylcatechol or paraamylpheol, hydroquioe or the moobezyl or moobutyl ether of hydroquioe 6. Primary eoplasm (icludig papilloma, carcioma-i-situ ad ivasive carcioma) of the epithelial liig of the uriary tract (real, pelvis, ureter, bladder ad urethra) 7. Poisoig by acrylamide moomer 8. Poisoig by arseic or a compoud of arseic 9. Poisoig by bezee or a homologue of bezee 10. Poisoig by beryllium or a compoud of beryllium 11. Poisoig by cadmium or its toxic compouds 12. Poisoig by carbo bisulphide (a) Work i a buildig i which ay of the followig substaces is produced for commercial purposes: (i) alpha-aphthylamie or beta- aphthylamie or methylee-bis-orthochloroailie (ii) dipheyl substituted by at least oe itro or primary amio group or by at least oe itro ad primary amio group (icludig bezidie) (iii) ay of the substaces metioed i sub-paragraph (ii) above if further rig substituted by halogeo, methyl or methoxy groups, but ot by other groups (iv) the salts of ay of the substaces metioed i subparagraphs i, ii, iii above (v) auramie or mageta, or (b) the use or hadlig or ay of the substaces metioed i sub-paragraph (a) i to iv, or work i a process i which ay such substace is used or hadled or liberated, or (c) maitaiig or cleaig ay plat or machiery used i ay such process as metioed i sub-paragraph b), or cleaig clothig used i ay buildig as metioed i sub-paragraph a) if such clothig is cleaed withi the works of which the buildig forms a part or i a laudry maitaied ad used solely i coectio with such works Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to, acrylamide moomer Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes, dust or vapour of, arseic or a compoud of arseic or a substace cotaiig arseic. Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes of, or vapour cotaiig, bezee or ay of its homologues Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes, dust or vapour of, beryllium or a compoud of beryllium or a substace cotaiig beryllium Work that ivolves exposure to the dust or fumes of cadmium or its toxic compouds Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes or vapour of, carbo bisulphide or a compoud of carbo bisulphide or a substace cotaiig carbo bisulphide 158

159 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 13. Poisoig by chloriated aphthale 14. Poisoig by chrome or its toxic compouds 15. Poisoig by diethylee dioxide (dioxa) 16. Poisoig by diitropheol or a homologue of diitropheol, or by substituted diitropheols or by the salts of such substaces. 17. Poisoig by Goioma kamassi (Africa boxwood) 18. Poisoig by lead or a compoud of lead. 19. Poisoig by magaese or a compoud of magaese 20. Poisoig by mercury or a compoud of mercury 21. Poisoig by ickel carboyl 22. Poisoig by itro- or amio- or chloroderivatives of bezee or of a homologue of bezee or poisoig by itrochlorbezee 23. Poisoig by oxides of itroge 24. Poisoig by phosphorus or a iorgaic compoud of phosphorus or poisoig due to the aticholiesterase or pseudo aticholiesterase actio of orgaic phosphorus compouds 25. Poisoig by the toxic haloge derivatives of hydrocarbos of the aliphatic series. 26. Poisoig by fluorie or its toxic compouds 27. Poisoig by alcohols, glycols or ketoes Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes of, or dust or vapour cotaiig chloriated aphthalee Work that ivolves exposure to the risk of poisoig by chrome or its toxic compouds Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes of, or vapour cotaiig, diethylee dioxide (dioxa) Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes of, or vapour cotaiig, diitropheol or a homologue or substituted diitropheols or the salts of such substaces Work that ivolves maipulatio of goioma kamassi, or ay process i or icidetal to maufacturig articles from it Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes, dust or vapour of, lead or a compoud of lead or a substace cotaiig lead Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes, dust or vapour of, magaese or a compoud of magaese or a substace cotaiig magaese Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes, dust or vapour of, mercury or a compoud of mercury or a substace cotaiig mercury Work that ivolves exposure to ickel carboyl gas Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes of, or vapour cotaiig, a itro- or amio- or chloro-derivative of bezee or of a homologue of bezee or itrochlorbezee Work that ivolves exposure to oxides of itroge Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes, dust or vapour of, phosphorus or a compoud of phosphorus or a substace cotaiig phosphorus Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes of, or vapour cotaiig, toxic haloge derivatives of hydrocarbos of the aliphatic series Work that ivolves exposure to fluorie or its toxic compouds Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes or vapour of alcohols, glycols or ketoes used as solvets or dilutats 159

160 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work 28. Poisoig by carbo momoxide, hydroge cyaide or its toxic derivatives or hydroge sulphide. 29. Poisoig by itroglycerie or itroglycol. Work ivolvig exposure to the fumes or vapour of carbo mooxide, hydroge cyaide or its toxic derivaties or hydroge sulphide Work that ivolves usig or hadlig or exposure to the fumes, dust or vapour of, itroglycerie or itroglycol or a substace cotaiig itroglycerie or itroglycol 30. Latex allergy: Work ivolvig exposure to latex i respect of work i huma healthcare D. Miscellaeous coditios Coditios 1. Asthma which is due to exposure to ay of the followig agets: (a) aimals or isects used for the purposes of research or educatio or i laboratories (b) dusts due to sowig or cultivatig, harvestig, dryig, hadlig, millig, trasportig or storig barley, oats, rye, wheat, or maize, or hadlig, millig, trasportig or storig meal or flour made from them (c) fumes or dusts arisig from maufacturig or trasportig or usig hardeig agets (icludig epoxy resi curig agets) based o phthalic ahydride or tetrachlorophthalic ahydride, trimellitic ahydride or triethylee-tetramie (d) fumes arisig from the use of resi as a solderig flux (e) isocyaates (f) platium salts (g proteolytic ezymes (h) red cedar wood dust Occupatio Type Work that ivolves exposure to ay of the agets set out across 160

161 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work (i) glutaraldehyde (j) latex i respect of work i huma healthcare (occupatioal asthma) Coditio for occupatioal asthma If you have left a prescribed occupatio you must claim beefit withi 10 years of leavig. 2. Iflammatio or ulceratio of the mucous membrae of the upper respiratory passages or mouth produced by dust or liquid or vapour 3. No-ifective dermatitis of exteral origi (icludig chrome ulceratio of the ski but excludig dermatitis due to ioisig particles or electromagetic radiatios other tha radiat heat) Work ivolvig exposure to dust or liquid or vapour Work ivolvig exposure to dust or liquid or vapour or ay other exteral aget capable of irritatig the ski (icludig frictio or heat, but excludig ioisig particles or electro-magetic radiatios other tha radiat heat) 161

162 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Type of employmet for which Peumocoiosis (A.7) is prescribed Employmet i ay occupatio: 1. (a) ivolvig miig, quarryig or workig of silica rock or the workig of dried quartzose sad or ay dry deposit or dry residue of silica or ay dry admixture cotaiig such materials (icludig ay occupatio i which ay of the above operatios takes place icidetally to the miig or quarryig of other mierals or to the maufacture of articles cotaiig crushed or groud silica rock) (b) ivolvig hadlig of ay of the materials specified i the above sub-paragraph i or icidetal to ay of the operatios metioed i it, or substatial exposure to the dust arisig from such operatios 2. ivolvig breakig, crushig or gridig of flit or the workig or hadlig of broke, crushed, or groud flit or materials cotaiig such flit, or substatial exposure to the dust arisig from ay such operatios 3. ivolvig sad blastig by meas of compressed air with the use of quartzose sad or crushed silica rock or flit, or substatial exposure to the dust arisig from such sad blastig 4. ivolvig work i a foudry or the performace of, or substatial exposure to the dust arisig from, ay of the followig operatios: (a) the freeig of steel castigs from adheret siliceous substace (b) the freeig of metal castigs from adheret siliceous substace: by blastig with a abrasive propelled by compressed air, by steam or by a wheel, or usig power-drive tools 5. i or icidetal to the maufacture of chia or eartheware (icludig saitary eartheware, electrical eartheware ad eartheware tiles), ad ay occupatio ivolvig substatial exposure to the dust arisig from it 6. ivolvig the gridig of mieral graphite or substatial exposure to the dust arisig from such gridig. 7. ivolvig the dressig of graite or ay igeous rock by masos, or the crushig of such materials, or substatial exposure to the dust arisig from such operatios. 8. ivolvig use, or preparatio for use, of a gridstoe, or substatial exposure to the dust arisig therefrom. 9. (a) ivolvig the workig or hadlig of asbestos or ay admixture of asbestos (b) ivolvig maufacture or repair of asbestos textiles or other articles cotaiig or composed of asbestos (c) ivolvig cleaig of ay machiery or plat used i ay of the above operatios ad of ay chambers, fixtures ad appliaces for collectig asbestos dust (d) ivolvig substatial exposure to the dust arisig from ay of the above operatios. 10. (a) ivolvig work udergroud i ay mie i which oe of the objects of the miig operatios is the gettig of ay mieral (b) ivolvig workig or hadlig above groud at ay coal or ti mie of ay mierals extracted from the mie, or ay operatio icidetal to it (c) ivolvig trimmig of coal i ay ship, barge or lighter, or i ay dock or harbour or at ay wharf or quay (d) ivolvig sawig, splittig or dressig of slate, or ay operatio icidetal to it 11. i or icidetal to the maufacture of carbo electrodes by a idustrial udertakig for use i the electrolytic extractio of alumiium from alumiium oxide, ad ay occupatio ivolvig substatial exposure to the dust arisig from it 12. ivolvig boiler scalig or substatial exposure to the dust arisig from it Employmet to which presumptio of occupatioal origi of disease does ot apply 1. Employmet i ay occupatio ivolvig exposure to mieral dust. 162

163 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Appedix E Departmet of Social ad Family Affairs Iformatio Leaflets Back to School Clothig ad Footwear Allowace SW 75 Back to Work Allowace SW 93 Blid Pesio SW 76 Carer s Allowace SW 41 Carer s Beefit SW 49 Directory of Services for the Ill ad Icapacitated SW 110 Disability Allowace SW 29 Disablemet Beefit SW 31 Employers PRSI Exemptio Scheme SW 73 Free Travel SW 40 Household Beefits Package SW 107 Illess Beefit SW 119 Ijury Beefit SW 30 Ivalidity Pesio SW 44 Livig Aloe Allowace SW 36 Medical Care SW 34 Natioal Fuel Scheme SW 17 Occupatioal Ijury/Illess Beefit Late Claims Possible Further Paymets SW 101 Prescribed Occupatioal Diseases uder the Occupatioal Ijuries Scheme SW 33 Smokeless Fuel Allowace SW 17a Supplemetary Welfare Allowace icludig Ret/Mortgage & Other Supplemets SW 54 Treatmet Beefit SW

164 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The Workplace Safety Iitiative is a iitiative to promote health ad safety at work. Workplace Safety Iitiative members Irish Busiess ad Employers Cofederatio (IBEC), Costructio Idustry Federatio (C.I.F.), Irish Cogress of Trade Uios (ICTU) ad the Irish Isurace Federatio (IIF). The Workplace Safety Iitiative is supported by the Departmet of Eterprise, Trade ad Employmet (DETE), FÁS. Health & Safety Authority (H.S.A.) ad the Persoal Ijuries Assessmet Board (P.I.A.B.). 164

165 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work Disclaimer: While every care was take with the preparatio of this report o liability is accepted for error or omissio. This report is a geeral guide oly to ijury ad retur to work issues. 165

166 Supportig a Ijured Worker Retur to Work The Workplace Safety Iitiative The Workplace Safety Iitiative was set up with these aims: Prevetio: Every effort is made to avoid occupatioal ijuries. Itervetio: Where, despite efforts o all sides to avoid them, a accidet does occur, it is dealt with i the best way possible. Retetio: The ijured employee is give every assistace to retur to work as soo as possible. The members are: Irish Busiess ad Employers Cofederatio (IBEC), Costructio Idustry Federatio (C.I.F.), Irish Cogress of Trade Uios (ICTU) ad the Irish Isurace Federatio (IIF). The Workplace Safety Iitiative is supported by the Departmet of Eterprise, Trade ad Employmet (DETE), FÁS, Health & Safety Authority (H.S.A.) ad the Persoal Ijuries Assessmet Board (P.I.A.B.). Workplace Safety Iitiative c/o 84/86 Lower Baggot St., Dubli 2. Tel Fax [email protected] HEALTH AND SAFETY AUTHORITY 166