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Safety focus reaps rewards in the Redlands

Redland Shire Council has notched up a big success with a project aimed to determine the level of skin cancer among Council employees.

Being in south east Queensland, Redland Shire is in an area with one of the highest incidences of skin cancer in the world. Consequently, the well being of staff who work outdoors is even more important than usual.

The project is a joint operation involving the Health Protection and Human Resources Sections of Council. Some 60 of the most at risk employees were tested over three week periods to determine the extent of the problem - if any.

At this initial test, no one was found to need urgent attention and only a relatively few needed to keep an eye on minor problems. Since then, monitoring and health education programs have continued.

As well as the screening tests, Council also issues all employees who work outside with UV rated long sleeved shirts, hats and sunscreen - so much so that the days of bronzed staffers in boots, stubbies and singlets are well and truly gone. The long sleeved shirts serve another purpose: they are visually safe. Bright orange, they are designed to be seen from a distance in a variety of conditions.

Council Safety Officer Ross Abberfield, said the skin cancer initiative was only one of several projects that has resulted in Redland Shire Council cutting its Workers Compensation costs significantly in recent years.

One of the most successful projects is Council's Workplace Rehabilitation Program which was initiated three years ago. This Program has seen Council's merit bonus rise from 0 to 26 percent in that period, and a dramatic reduction in workdays lost.

In money terms, this has meant Council has saved more than $130,000 in Workers Compensation premiums in three years. Compared with no savings in 1993/94, in 1994/95 Council reduced premiums by $26,000, and even more impressively, in 1995/96 premiums fell a further $115,000.

"The Rehabilitation Program has relied heavily on comprehensive training in manual handling and other training initiatives," Ross Abberfield said. "Council has really put a lot of effort into this area, and the resulting savings show it has been worth it."

For further information contact Ross Abberfield telephone (07) 3286 8686.

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