Rehabilitation in the New Zealand logging industry

Work within the New Zealand logging industry is recognised as being dangerous and physically demanding, with relatively high accident and injury frequency rates. As a consequence, the financial cost of accidents to the New Zealand Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Corporation (ACC), and ultimately the logging industry, is extremely high. One method of reducing this cost is to achieve an early return to work through the use of rehabilitation techniques. Some rehabilitation techniques are already being used by logging and transportation contractors; these could be increased and diversified with help from the ACC (the New Zealand injury insurance scheme) which currently offers a variety of rehabilitation options. This report presents a number of contractor and worker initiated rehabilitation case studies, as well as two examples of how the ACC can provide financial assistance to achieve an early return to work.