Results From The Trenches

To insure the best outcomes from Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE), make sure to inform the evaluator as to the intent of the FCE: Return to work, vocational placement, disability rating or determining legitimacy of claim.

For optimal outcomes, injury prevention programs should be coordinated with accident investigation and reporting programs.

Knowledge is power to make the best decisions to control work-related injury costs - know how much you pay for therapy, physician visits, time loss, lost production of workers and management.

Elements to include when determining occupational injury costs include: Workers' Compensation cost, lost worker productivity, lost manager productivity, medical costs, administrative costs, incident investigation, overtime, replacement labor and case management.

Experience has shown that at least 85% of recovery from work-related injuries is due to improvements in work methods. This explains why recovery is often delayed with conventional therapy or interventions using only equipment-based modifications. It also explains why prevention programs based only on education are often ineffective.

While procuring ergonomic equipment may be a useful solution for managing injuries and/or symptoms, in many cases simple and inexpensive alternative solutions offer the best results. One such method is to examine HOW the work is being performed.