The Dairy Industry is fast-paced and includes many manual handling tasks associated with both production and value adding.

We currently average 2.6 visits to release for workplace injuries, which equates to about $224 per case. Our success rate is 97%, and 99% of staff receiving treatment stay on full duties.

There are several trends that are of note with this group of patients:

• Over 80% were over the age of 35
• 61% of the injuries reported are in the back
• 65% were sprains and strains
• 62% of patients cannot recall the onset of symptoms
• 20% of the injuries were non work related
• The injuries were reported 40% in the dominant side, 33 % in the non-dominant side and 27% had a bilateral presentation
• 30% of the patients had a previous workplace injury history
• 20% of the patients were smokers and 70% drank alcohol
• 61% of the patients had 5 years or more with the same employer