Workplace injuries are at least a

50 Billion dollar

problem in Australia.

Work Safe Australia

near near ZEROZERO - - Master DocumentationMaster Documentation

The unique and patented near ZERO - Injury Prevention and

Injury Management System lowers the risk of injury in a work

place, and the subsequent costs of any rehabilitation.

Hence the overall costs to the Employer (and Insurer) are

tightly managed and contained.

The main aim of near ZERO is simply to enable workers to be

able to sustain their employment tasks.

If an injury does occur, then a system is already in place to

manage that situation.

It is a system that is refined to:It is a system that is refined to:

Incorporate existing Health and Safety Programs.

Focus directly on the individual worker.

Look at ability against the inherent requirements of jobs.

Roles to be playedRoles to be played

In a successfully working near ZERO system, the

three key roles are well defined:

The near Zero Workplace Co-ordinator (internal)

The near Zero Project Consultant (external)

The near Zero Technical Advisor (human movement expertise)

In a In a nearnear ZERO ZERO System System all Jobsall Jobs::

Have been assessed for risks to a worker’s body.

A functional (screening) test for every job has been designed.

Every worker’s body is assessed against their job’s demands.

Each worker for their job will have:Each worker for their job will have:

A unique Risk Profile describing their physical capacity.

Risk Points assigned for areas of concern based on their screening

test.

The opportunity to lower their Total Risk Points by improving

their physical profile.

Using the unique Using the unique nearnear ZERO points system ZERO points system all workers are assigned an overall category of risk:all workers are assigned an overall category of risk:

Lower risk of injury

Medium risk of injury

Higher risk of injury

Remediation required

Conditional ( new applicants )

For Effective Management:For Effective Management:

The near ZERO Management Database stores the results.

The Risk Rating is communicated to workers.

Workers are given assistance to improve their rating.

Targeted InterventionsTargeted Interventions  Three types of risk lowering interventions are delivered:

Global, identified needs for a whole group of workers.

Sub Groups, of workers with common needs.

Individual, their needs are specifically known.

Injury Management:Injury Management:

 Minor injury can quite often be dealt with effectively by the

near ZERO Technical advisor.

Major injury may be the time when external Case Management

or other services are required.

External Rehabilitation:External Rehabilitation:

The near Zero Project Consultant has access to an Expert

Rehabilitation Panel drawn from number of disciplines and able

to work nationally.

The Project Consultant may assist the near Zero Workplace Co-

ordinator, to ensure consistency in all rehabilitation delivery.

Maintaining the SystemMaintaining the System 

Once the system is in place (Installation Phase), the system’s

integrity must be maintained (Maintenance Phase).

The Audit and Training Processes are by this time

automatically in place.

A final but most important question -A final but most important question -

Who are the winners in this process?Who are the winners in this process?

The Employer Saves: The Employer Saves:

“Down time” - lowered by not having to change work tasks

Retraining time - reduced by not losing good workers

Recruitment time - lessened by not having to replace workers

Management time - lower injury rate requires less

management

Productivity - increases due to less labour changes

Premiums - reduced by quantifying and lowering risk

The worker - Their livelihoods are more protected as they

know their body’s strengths and limitations, and how to

safely perform their specific work tasks.

Any union - The duty of care of their members increases.

Any Insurer - has very accurate information, including the

unique near ZERO risk points system, giving more control on

all costs.

Any Medical Provider has their job made easier as they can be

given access to worker’s Risk Profiles and workplace Task

Descriptions.

In Summary: In Summary:

The Employer has the most cost effective way of

deploying the best workers for specific tasks.

Bottom Line: Profitability ImprovedBottom Line: Profitability Improved

Cost BenefitCost Benefit

typically 6 to 10 times outlay

*Dependent on level of internal expertise – near ZERO builds on existing internal capacity

$ = Australian Dollars$ = Australian Dollars