Second workers' compensation claims: who is at risk? Analysis of WorkSafe Victoria, Australia compensation claims.

OBJECTIVE To determine the risk factors associated with early repeat workers' compensation claims in Victoria, Australia and to compare our findings with those of a study on the Alberta's Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) in Canada. METHODS We reviewed and described 178,630 claims from 1996-2009. Both persons with single and persons with multiple claims were included. Survival analysis was used to determine the impact of socio-demographic factors on the time between claims. RESULTS A total of 37% of persons with an initial claim lodged a second claim. A reduced time to a second claim was observed in younger males in the manufacturing industry. Earlier second claims were more common in workers exposed to mental stress, sound and pressure, or chemical and other substances. These findings are similar to those of WCB Alberta. CONCLUSION There is a potential to reduce the socio-economic burden of workplace injury in both jurisdictions by enacting prevention programs targeted at workers with an increased risk of repeat claims.