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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-09-29 Daily Xml
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RECOVERY AND RETURN TO WORK AWARDS

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (14:56): Can the Minister for Industrial Relations provide any information on what is being done in South Australia to recognise the many injured workers, and their employers, who strive to return to work after workplace accidents?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (14:57): I thank the honourable member for her important question. I was delighted this month to attend the annual Recovery and Return to Work Awards hosted by WorkCover SA. The ceremony provided an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of those who have demonstrated outstanding commitments and excellence in recovery and return to work in this state.

The Recovery and Return to Work Awards have been designed to enable South Australians to recognise excellence in injury management and return-to-work services. it was inspiring to hear the amazing stories that show us what can be achieved with motivation, dedication and determination to succeed.

Take for instance the stories of this year's joint winners, David Goold and Ross Trussell. David is a manufacturing supervisor with Alltech Refrigeration Services. While doing some maintenance on a pallet machine in Queensland for his South Australian-based employer, the power was switched on and David's leg was dragged into the trolley loader, nearly costing him his life. Suffering horrific injuries, he was trapped for two hours before he was found by a co-worker. David has now been back at work for 12 months and is pretty much able to do what he was doing before this horrific accident.

Ross is a boilermaker at Manuele Engineers. He was using a crane to place a 15 metre-long thick beam (weighing 1,300 kilograms) in a safe position when it fell, crushing both his ankles. A well-intentioned rescue saw four of his toes broken also when the beam landed on him again. However, within four months he was back at work on modified duties. Both David and Ross have shown great motivation to overcome their challenges to make sure they recover and return to work. They have overcome great adversity and continued to achieve in their workplace and their community.

However, these awards are not just about the injured worker. There are many people to thank for their recovery: their families, friends, employers, return-to-work coordinators, medical and rehabilitation providers, case managers and their workmates. Their support is crucial in the recovery and return-to-work process, and it is appropriate for us to recognise that. Everyone in the workplace has a vital role to play in improving our return-to-work outcomes. Achieving a successful and sustainable return to work is possible when we all work together.

The significance of recovery and return to work cannot be overstated. As a community, we must ensure that injured workers receive the necessary assistance to recover and return to work as safely and as soon as possible.

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