New campaign to target musculoskeletal injuries

Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips has launched a new year-long WorkCover campaign targeting musculoskeletal injuries. “Musculoskeletal injuries are the most common workplace injury, costing nearly $1 billion a year in medical costs, wages and other expenses,” Rich-Phillips said.

“They affect the body’s muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves, are easily prevented, often difficult to treat and can be long-lasting and a source of great pain. Every day 43 Victorians are seriously hurt with these injuries, with an average workers’ compensation claim costing $55,000 in medical costs, wages and other expenses.”

Rich-Phillips said Victoria had the lowest workplace injury insurance premiums in Australia.

The Victorian Coalition government has slashed WorkCover premiums by 3% to 1.298% in this year’s Budget saving employers $57 million a year, Rich-Phillips said.

“Dangerous manual handling, particularly lifting, lowering and moving things account for about 68% of all Victorian workers’ compensation claims, while about 20% are the result of slips, trips and falls. These injuries are largely hidden because they do not make the nightly news, but the impact on workers, their families and their employer’s business can be enormous and long lasting.

“Ensuring people are properly trained and supervised, use the right equipment and clean up spills to prevent falls are no-cost or low-cost measures that will reduce workplace accidents,” Rich-Phillips said.