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Early reporting of overuse is absolutely critical if recovery is to be successful. Morę detailed health sun/eiilance information may

tify signs and symptoms ol ovcrusc ilisctrdcrs. Hic Department oflndustrial Relationsin New South Wiilcs, Australia. Iiasdcfiitcd fivegrades ofdiscoinfori that rcflcct lhescverityofovcrusc symptoms and tlić probability of the sufferer ret timing to work (set tobie hebtw).

rcrsonnl factors. Factors sucli as age and sex sccm rclativcly unimponant wlicn com-pared willi ilic ergonomie and adminislralivc factors. TJicsc factors do, noncthclcss. nicrii discussion. Ovcrusc conditions arc inorcprcva-leni among fcmalc proccss workers, particu-larly if they arc migratory and unskillcd. Howcvcr. this is thought to occur largely bc-causc women hołd proportionaicly morc ovcrusc-producing jobs. Of greater imponance is lite slress associated wiih these jobs, and the icndcncy of workers to ignorc early waming signs for fear thal bringing ałlention to symp-toins could lose them their jobs.

There has also bccn somc suggestion that the occunrencc of ovcrusc is greater in rniddle-aged women and in lhose indi viduals with poor nutritional status. bul tlić cvidciK.¹c is liiniicd. Persona! rccrcation or leisure aclivitics rang-ing from raajuet s|»orts to gardening may also aggravatc occupalional ovcrusc conditions if they involvc repctitive inoveinents ihat arc similar to lhose perlbnned on tlić job.

Idenlifying problem (lic first .Step The llrst step towardclimination of ovcrusc in any work place is accuratcly detennining the cxtcnt to wliich ii is presem. This can be achicvcd by discussions with workers, super-visors. health profcssionals. health and safcty comniiltcc membersand pcrsonncl managers. Olher clucs as to the cKtcnt of occupalional ovcrusc in a workplacc can be found on injury claims rccords and in ubscntccisni stalislics.

Oncc ii has bccn dclcmiincd that ovcruse is present, the ncxt step is to identify the types of overuse that are occurring. If a worker is suf-fering from overuse. theseverity of the condi-tion should be noted immediately. using a method such as the grading scalę below.

be obtained from properly trained health professionals who can recognize the different overuse conditions.

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SC

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i injurics or.Uradcs I or z can usually be maintained at work with'appropnate< modification óf.duties. But workplaće assessmentś should.be done.by ari ergonomist and any;i-. rccommendcd modifications to equipnienl or lasks canried out by the worker śhould be implc-' mented promptly.    .    •    • .¹.•

•    Grade 3 seve‘riiy requires absencc from employinent except in most favourab!e circumstances. The length of absence will depend on recovery and the extent of job modification. Usually many wecks away from work are nccessary.

•    Woikers with Grade 4 injurics can scldom return to the job without many months of rccovery.

•    Suffcrcrs of Grade 5 injurics rarcly return to tlić workforce at alt.

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Source: Department of Industrial Relations, New South Walcs. Australia