Developing an effective injury prevention and management plan is crucial for any business, particularly those within the manufacturing, trades and agriculture sectors where rates of workplace injury and fatality are the highest in the country. 

In 2019, there were over 114,000 serious worker’s compensation claims made in Australia, with the average claim costing an employer $5,800. Furthermore, once a worker has taken three months off work due to injury, the likelihood of their return to that workplace reduces to just 50 percent. 

By creating foundations for a safer workplace, employers can reduce the financial burden of workplace safety claims, reduce staff absenteeism and the need to re-hire and improve workforce morale and performance. Job dictionaries are an important part of creating better safety outcomes for a business and its employees, however can often be overlooked. 

Here, we discuss the purpose of job dictionaries and how employers can develop them, so you can cross your t’s and dot your i's in relation to building strong foundations of workplace safety. 

What is a job dictionary? 

According to Physiotherapist and Director of Physioactive David Giles, a job dictionary analyses each job role with the aim of detailing the specific physical, behavioural and cognitive demands of that role. By profiling the specific tasks required by a role, it becomes easier to identify the potential safety risks and hazards, allowing employers to implement preventative measures that reduce the likelihood of incidents occurring. 

“The most important function of a job dictionary is the breakdown of the task which identifies the physical demands, potential injury risk and how each task can be performed safely,” he told Acclaimed Workforce. “This can help with injury prevention, making it safer to work within your environment.” 

In addition, it also details environmental factors that may impact upon that particular role, such as inhalable dust and noise levels. 

Allyce Walding, Coordinator of OHS & Injury Management at Acclaimed Workforce, says she discusses job dictionaries with all of Acclaimed’s clients and, even if there are already job dictionaries in place, she encourages employers to revisit them.

“Job dictionaries should be revisited and updated every time the role or task changes,” she says. “Even if it’s only a small change, it’s important that the documents remain relevant and specific so they can accurately identify suitable duties for employees who may be returning to work, and for safety measures that need to be implemented for those tasks more generally.” 

What is involved in the creation of an effective job dictionary? 

Due to the medical nature of this document, it is generally recommended to work with a trained Occupational Therapist (OT) or Physiotherapist to produce your job dictionaries. David says this ensures all elements of human function required by the role are captured. 

“Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists are experts when it comes to assessing work environments,” he says. “Combined with their knowledge on anatomy, physiology and the normal body mechanics, physio's and OT's can provide optimum assessment and feedback when it comes to providing an effective Job dictionary.” 

A certified OT can work collaboratively alongside employers to ensure that job dictionaries are developed in line with your business’s specific needs. They will identify what operational tasks are undertaken frequently, infrequently, or seasonally and typically visit the site to observe workers performing each identified operation task. Depending on the workplace, this observation could involve: 

• Conversations with workers to understand specifics of their role. 
• Reviewing any documentation associated with the task. 
• Taking measurements of weight lifted along with pushing and pulling forces to determine physical load on the body. 
• Estimating time in selected postures and positions. 
• Taking videos or photos to assess possible environmental impacts. 

From this assessment, an OT will then complete a job dictionary that will provide an overview of the key metrics associated with each operational task, including its overall physical and functional demands, including postural tolerances, weighted tolerances and the environment. A clinician will then typically analyse any equipment, tools, personal protective equipment and uniforms used, as well as shift patterns and scheduled breaks to ensure they allow for sufficient physical rest. 

Why workplaces should have job dictionaries 

Working alongside a professional will give employers the best chance of creating robust and effective tools across both the hiring and workforce management lifecycle. An effective job dictionary: 

• Can be used as a pre-employment tool that assists employers and hiring managers in determining whether prospective workers can safely perform the job that is to be assigned to them. 
• Allows workplaces to identify suitable return-to-work duties for injured employees based on their capacity as it correlates to the defined physical demands of the job. This can fast-track the return-to-work process and aid in building sustainable return-to-work plans. 
• Can assist with the creation of tailored injury prevention programs to ensure injury risks are minimised. For example, regular heavy overhead lifting may lead to the creation of a customised shoulder strengthening program or a tailored stretching program to assist with recovery. 
• Provide information employers need to create tailored induction and training for new employees that provides the safest possible working environment in the worker’s first few months – a time when injury rates are at their highest. 
• Be used to assess jobs and their associated tasks as they evolve due to the introduction of new machinery or processes. This provides a starting point from which new training and safety management plans can be created. 

If you’re looking for a professional injury management plan to keep your workforce and business safe, contact Acclaimed Workforce today to find out more about our comprehensive safety services.