Case Study
From Pilot to Proof: A Stronger, Healthier Workforce
A 6-month model that reduced injury costs by 94% and reshaped how risk is managed
Site Snapshot:
Food Manufacturing
100+ Workforce
High Manual Work
Shift-Based Operations
Physically Demanding Roles
Transforming workplace health culture.
A mid-sized food manufacturing site transformed its workplace health culture reducing musculoskeletal claims, increasing engagement, and embedding proactive prevention across every shift.
With 111 workers spread across day, afternoon, and night shifts, the site’s diverse team faced the common challenges of a fast-paced, production-heavy environment. Repetitive manual handling, varied physical demands, and high absenteeism were contributing factors to frequent musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries. In December 2024, the site became the pilot location for Employ Health’s Health Hub an integrated, on-site system for early intervention, injury management, and proactive worker wellbeing. The program aimed to reduce claims and costs while building a stronger safety culture and lasting commitment to employee wellness across every shift.
The Challenges
Despite strong safety intentions, injuries were being addressed after escalation — not before. The site didn’t need more policies. It needed embedded early intervention.
Growing Challenges:
High manual handling demands (heavy and very heavy tasks)
Rising musculoskeletal (MSK) claims
Absenteeism impacting operations
Language diversity across the workforce
Reactive injury management processes
Program Pillars:
Injury Management
Structured early intervention and return-to-work pathways that reduce claim escalation and speed recovery.
Injury Prevention
Task risk profiling and proactive assessments, designed to prevent injury before it occurs.
Workplace Interventions
On-site training, leadership support, and operational adjustments that strengthen everyday safety behaviours.
Health & Wellness
Programs that build physical capacity, resilience, and long-term workforce wellbeing.
What was implemented
Since the launch of the Health Hub in December 2024, the site has made measurable progress in embedding early intervention and prevention systems into daily operations.
Injury Management:
#1
Implemented an Early Intervention Process Map, creating a clear workflow for managing new injuries.
#2
Introduced Work Ready Assessments following injury management to support safe return to work.
#3
103 new early intervention consultations completed since program launch.
#4
Average of 3.07 care plans per case before transition to prehab/discharge.
#5
Strong culture of non-work-related reporting (46%), indicating proactive injury disclosure.
Injury Prevention:
#2
Conducted Manual Task Risk Assessments (ManTRAs) for all heavy and very heavy roles.
#3
Each ManTra supported by a business case study, shared with EHS for implementation.
#4
New Starter Induction Program implemented with manual handling and nutrition modules.
#5
Collaboration with HR to integrate PES (Physical Employment Standards) assessments with Employ Health.
Workplace Culture Shift
Through targeted supervisor training, site-wide warm-up programs (all departments), and alignment with the Health & Safety Strategy, the Health Hub program strengthened everyday safety habits and leadership participation across all departments.
Workplace interventions focused on improving manual handling awareness, leadership capability, and proactive engagement with safety. Supervisor refresher training and department-wide warm-up sessions became part of daily operations, supported by Employ Health’s collaboration in shaping the site’s FY26 Health & Safety Strategy.
Planned rollout to reduce manual handling risks and boost workforce resilience.
Safety Risk Awareness Training
Scheduled for all Supervisors and Line Leaders to strengthen hazard awareness and early intervention.
Hazard Risk Mapping
Planned review of risk assessments and procedures to enhance site-wide safety practices.
Reduced risk. Stronger compliance. Greater confidence.
When health and safety are embedded into daily operations, risk is managed earlier, compliance becomes more consistent, and confidence grows across the organisation.
The Results
Six months after the launch of the Health Hub in December 2024, it was already driving meaningful, measurable outcomes.
Highlights:
Significant improvement across all key health and safety metrics
Reduction in both frequency and cost of musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries
Fewer compensation claims and reduced escalation of cases
Faster recovery times and earlier return to full duties
A safer, more confident, and more engaged workforce
Measurable Impact
Quantifiable improvements in injury reduction, cost savings, and workforce engagement highlight the success of the Health Hub pilot. The following are some Key Metrics (December 2024 – May 2025):
Reduction in MSK Sprain/Strain Claims
Reduction in Statutory Claim Costs
Early Intervention Engagements
Job Dictionary Completion (28 Roles)
Health Hub Utilisation for New Employees
Appointment Utilisation Rate
Sessions per Care Plan (3.1 Average)
Communication Cadence Maintained
WorkCover Costs Through August 2025:
Following the implementation of the Health Hub, statutory costs dropped rapidly and stabilised at a consistently low level, demonstrating the impact of early intervention in reducing both claim frequency and severity.
Program Utilisation & On-Site Engagement
After the launch of the program, time allocation reflects a deliberate shift toward proactive work, with the majority of effort focused on consulting and early intervention, rather than reactive injury management.
“Collaborating with Employ Health on a regular basis through services the Health Hub provides such as our manual task risk assessments and manual handling projects has been instrumental in creating a safe work culture and making an impact for reducing injuries amongst our workers.
We have seen our employees utilise the Health Hub for both work related, and personal injuries. Without the intervention of Employ Heath, some of these injuries may have become a Work Cover claim.”
–L.C., HSE Manager
Looking ahead
Building on the momentum of the first phase, the focus now shifts to embedding this model more deeply across the organisation; strengthening early intervention, expanding workforce capacity, and sustaining long-term outcomes.
FY25/26 Priorities & KPIs:
MSK Claims Reduction
Maintain low injury claim volume year over year
Cost Reduction
Sustain reduced claim costs through early intervention
Pre-Employment Screening
Integrate health assessments for all new starters
Capacity Matching
Align worker capability with role demands
Proactive Utilisation
Shift toward majority proactive appointments
Manual Task Risk Reviews
Regular assessment of high-risk tasks
Treatment Efficiency
Maintain low sessions per care plan
Communication & Scheduling
Consistent cadence and high utilisation
Lag Indicators (Outcomes)
Lead Indicators (Drivers)
What’s Next: Predictive Workforce Health
Machine Learning + AI to Anticipate Risk and Inform Safer Decisions
Employ Health is moving into the next evolution of prevention: predictive analytics powered by Machine Learning and AI. This model combines job-specific physical demand profiles, early-intervention patterns, ManTRA data, and on-floor engagement signals to identify emerging risk before injuries occur.
How It Works:
Work Demands & Tasks
Understanding physical requirements and risk patterns
Early Intervention Trends
Identifying patterns in recovery, symptoms, and engagement
Worker Capacity
Aligning roles with readiness and capability
On-the-Ground Insights
Capturing real-time signals from daily operations
From Insight to Action
As this model continues to evolve, the shift is clear: from responding to risk to anticipating it. By combining data, AI, and on-the-ground insight, organisations can take a more proactive, precise approach to workforce health.
What This Looks Like in Practice:
Identify high-risk tasks earlier, before issues surface
Enable smarter, real-time decisions across teams
Deliver more targeted and effective early intervention
Sustain reductions in injuries, costs, and disruption
Build a stronger, more resilient and future-ready workforce
Anticipate risk. Act earlier. Improve outcomes.
With a proactive, data-informed approach, organisations can move beyond reactive health management and build safer, more resilient workforces.
Contact us
This level of impact is possible in your organisation too.
The results shown here are achievable with the right strategy and support; they’re the result of a structured, proactive approach to workforce health. If you’re looking to move beyond reactive strategies and create lasting change, we can help you get there.