HEALTH CENTRE FOR INDUSTRY

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28435, 15 November 1957, Page 16

HEALTH CENTRE FOR INDUSTRY

The Workers’ Compensation Board has recommended to the Health Department that the present Industrial Health Centre at Woolston be re-sited in its own building.

The centre at Woolston had continued to give excellent service but it was considered that it should be situated in its own building, says the annual report of the board. The centre was housed rent free in the premises of a rubber company, but ad been "somewhat built round and is not now so easily accessible.’

The board had carried out a comprehensive survey of the work of the Penrose and other centres previously established by the Health Department and had investigated possible sites for additional centres, says the report. These investigations had demonstrated quite clearly that valuable work was being done by the centres.

"Many look on these centres as merely giving a first-class casualty service, but that is only part of their work,” says the report.

“Every worker attending the centre after an accident is informally questioned about the cause of his accident, and the need for eye protection, safety boots and safe clothing is tactfully emphasised at a time when the worker is most receptive. “This advice is followed up where desirable by the nurse on one of her routine factory visits and where necessary the co-opcra-tion of the foreman or works manager is sought.

“Through their treatment work in the centre, the nurses become known to many workers in the area. A feeling of confidence is built up in the district and not infrequently workers seek the advice of nurses on a wide variety of matters.

“On the clinical side of the centre’s work there is a considerable saving in man-hours through the prompt treatment given and its availability for speedy redressings,” the report says. "Many workers ate thus enabled to continue production when otherwise they would have been off work.”