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Kinetik offers a wide variety of occupationally based services to improve employee health, while containing disability costs for small-to-medium businesses and large industries.
In a small business, for example, Kinetik worksite services can suggest reasonably priced workstation modifications to reduce the risk of lower back injuries at a specific workstation. In companies with material handling positions, Kinetik worksite services can help decrease the risk of disability costs associated with placing newly hired employees into jobs that they do not have the capacity to perform safely or repeatedly. Our therapists develop "post-offer screens" to match new employees to the actual work demands of new jobs. Strategic use of these screens is cost-effective because it can reduce time loss due to injury and lower long-term disability claims.
Whatever your business, Kinetik's experienced multidisciplinary team can develop and implement a comprehensive plan to help contain your health costs. Such a plan can support your Occupational Health & Safety personnel and committees in complying with provincial regulations, monitoring injury and health status of employees, and planning effective strategies in areas where increased risks and costs have been identified. For companies with two to 2,000 employees, Kinetik worksite services promote employee health and decrease employer costs.
Physical Demands Analysis (PDA)
Pre-Employment Screening (PES)
Early Intervention
To reduce extended time loss due to injuries, and the resulting costs, Kinetik offers a functionally based Early Intervention Program. The program gets injured employees into appropriate treatment early and progresses treatment towards an early return to the workplace. The focus is on functional restoration and returning employees to their previous level of employment.
Throughout the process, Kinetik maintains regular communication with employers, insurers and medical consultants. Experience has taught us that co-ordination and communication between these players is an integral part of an early and successful return to work.
Our physical therapists have post graduate training in musculoskeletal assessment and treatment; occupational therapists have specific expertise in hand therapy, as well as significant experience in worksite evaluation and ergonomic analysis. (See Worksite Evaluation)
Phases of Early Intervention:
Prompt Assessment and
Treatment
Kinetik provides prompt assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries.
In the initial session, a physical therapist or occupational therapist determines
the nature of the injury, initiates treatment and provides instructions for
home self-management, such as icing and stretching. Early appropriate injury
management optimizes healing and speeds the return to work and life.
Structured Treatment
Program
Based on the nature of the injury, Kinetik designs a structured, time-limited
treatment program. If the injury prevents an immediate return to work, treatment
focuses on returning the individual to full function in a timely and safe manner.
Treatment may include biomechanical treatment, home exercise programs designed
specifically for the individual, global strengthening using Kinetik's extensive
fitness equipment and functional activities (such as lift, push, pull and carry)
in preparation for a return to work. By comparing the physical demands of a
job with the physical abilities of an injured individual, Kinetik is able to
create appropriate work simulation tasks in treatment, develop individualized
return to work plans and, when necessary, make recommendations for modifications
to the worksite.
Ongoing Evaluation
If treatment is not progressing as expected or if symptoms of chronic pain persist,
Kinetik may recommend a team assessment by the consulting physician and/or clinical
psychologist. The purpose of such an assessment is to understand where the client
stands in the rehabilitation process, and to identify possible barriers impeding
progress. The faster we can identify these barriers, the sooner they can be
addressed. This is critical, because statistics show that employees who have
been off work, for any reason, longer than six months have only a 50% chance
of successfully returning to full time employment.
Return-to-Work
Sustained reintegration into the workplace is often the most challenging aspect
of rehabilitation. Kinetik has a record of return to work success, consistently
surpassing WCB standards for return to work rates.
Worksite Evaluation
Evaluating specific worksites can play an important role in helping individuals avoid on-the-job injuries and prevent re-injury. There are two components to Kinetik's Worksite Evaluation: ergonomic analysis and job analysis.
Ergonomic Analysis
Ergonomic analysis determines the physical aspects (such as work-station or
equipment) and intellectual aspects (such as concentration level) of specific
jobs. By modifying the physical demands of a job, ergonomics fits the work to
the employee performing the work. This can decrease the number of cumulative
injuries and improve productivity.
Job Analysis
An occupational therapist from Kinetik tours your worksite to assess overall
work environment, identify different tasks required of specific jobs, and determine
physical demands of each task. This establishes physical and behavioural abilities
needed to perform specific jobs. Results are used as a standard for the job.
By comparing the physical demands of a job with the physical abilities of workers, Kinetik is able to develop injury prevention strategies within the workplace. These can include teaching employees to lift safely and push rather than pull, or providing stretching exercises for work stations that require sustained stressful postures. Kinetik can also suggest modifications to the worksite, to fit the physical demands of work to the physical capacity of employees.
Strategically investing in injury reduction and health promotion for employees can produce cost savings for your company, by decreasing time loss due to injury and long-term disability.
Physical Demands Analysis (PDA)
Physical Demands Analysis
(PDA) quantify the specific demands of each job in your workplace, such as the
amount of sitting, reaching, twisting, bending and lifting. PDAs can be used
in place of the Job Information Worksheet (JIW) and are an asset in:
• orientating new employees
• matching jobs to employees with work restrictions, where there is a duty to accommodate them
• directing rehabilitation programs and developing return to work programs
• developing accurate Pre-Employment Screens.
Our team of physical, occupational and exercise therapists has experience developing PDA's for the demanding mining, manufacturing and service industries.
Pre-Employment Screens (PES)
Pre-Employment Screens have proven to be cost-effective when used to assess potential candidates for material handling or similar positions. A PES can fairly measure the ability of a new employee to meet the physical demands of a specific job. When used strategically, the PES can decrease time loss among new hires in the first two years of employment. Kinetik's team of professionals use a systematic plan in order to develop fair and accurate screens.
Physical Demands Analysis
(PDA)
Reliable Pre-Employment Screens are developed based on the information contained
in a Physical Demands Analysis (PDA). Team members visit your worksite to objectively
measure the physical demands required of each job. For example, rather than
'heavy lifting', a PDA identifies how much, how often, how long and how far
a weight has to be lifted. Objective measurements are provided for things such
as the amount of sitting, reaching, twisting, bending and lifting.
Pre-Employment Screen
(PES)
From the list of tasks detailed in the PDA, Kinetik works cooperatively with
employers and staff to identify the critical demands of a job: those things
an employee must be able to do in order to do the work. A standardized test
is developed to simulate each critical job demand. These tests together form
the PES.
Typically, the PES is given to potential employees, with employment being conditional
on passing. A physical therapist and/or occupational therapist monitors a potential
employee during the screen, assessing both physical capacity and the ability
to perform the work safely. The test can be administered at Kinetik or adapted
for onsite delivery.
Following the assessment, Kinetik prepares a letter of recommendation for the employer or insurer regarding employee suitability for the job. Recommendations may also be given to the employee and the employer/insurer, if appropriate, regarding injury prevention.