Worksafe WA

After getting back from Broome, I immediately started my Self Directed Placement. The school provided us with a list of potential projects for us to choose from or we could look for our own projects. I really wanted to do an Ergonomic placement so I organized with Worksafe WA to do a placement. I was told that no one has ever done a placement at Worksafe WA, or even an Ergonomic placement. There's so little of us who possess the passion in Ergonomics and yet there are so many opportunities.

I love where I'm working right now because it's so different from what I am use to and this is what I would have done if I didn't decide to do Physiotherapy. The place has a definite relaxed and fun atmosphere. There are no set hours and people are always joking around. It feels like I'm actually in the work force because I'm working in the City business district and amongst business people. I get all dressed up everyday for work. It's a nice change from from dressing like a school slob or wearing the same Physio student uniform. It's amazing how much more confident you feel when you're dressed in nice attire.

At Worksafe WA, I'm creating a database of standarised Ergonomic tools. Surprisingly they don't use many Ergonomic tools when they go out to the a work assessment. I, personally, believe that it should be done so that everything is standarised and objective. It's different, I suppose, when the assessments are not so much for legal purposes.

My supervisor somewhat shares my beliefs and hence is trying to push for more objective measures. That's probably why they like me there and have even unofficially stated that there is a position available for me when I graduate, if I want. It feels good to have people recruit you before graduation. It provides quite a bit of security, not that I really need it with Physiotherapy. It would have been nice if this occurred a few years ago when I was still in Kinesiology but I wasn't sure what I wanted at the time and this opportunity would never arise in Canada.

I went out and did a few workplace injury assessments today with one of the inspectors. That's was pretty interesting and a completely different view from Physiotherapy. We went to a hospital where I did a Physio prac during the summer and people treat you so differently in this job. People are somewhat intimidated by our position. It's very different from Physio. It's very interesting to hear how the hospital safey coordinator explain the health institute in laymans terms. Most inspectors are not physios so they don't have any clue about the health institute.