Grocery store worker - dairy section

Grocery store dairy section work involves stock handling in a cool room and merchandising of dairy products in the fridge/freezer section of the store.

Tasks and tools used

flat top trolley
safety step
pallet jack.

Personal protective equipment

steel cap boots (if required).

Critical physical job demands and other task requirements

Critical job demand descriptor	% of time the task is performed	Task
Constant	>66%	Reaching in front of the body to handle stock, usually 45-90° flexion Handling various shaped items with book and power grip.
Frequent	34%–66%	Static standing Walking Stooping and bending to handle stock and fill shelves Lifting stock from 1-19kgs to various levels including overhead Backward bending to reach higher shelves.
Occasional	5%–33%	Occasional carrying between 1 and 19kg short distances (eg pallet to shelf) Pushing and pulling pallet jack or flat top trolley Looking overhead for higher shelf vision Climbing with a safety step or stepladder to reach higher shelves.
Rare	<5%	Kneeling to stock lower shelves.

Suitable duties

goals must be clear, realistic and achievable
must have 'buy-in' from the worker
worker helps to set the goals, and must be answerable if goals are not met (this allows barriers to return to work to be identified at an early stage and obstacles overcome)
workers need to understand they have an obligation to participate in rehabilitation and return to work as per Section 232 of the Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 (the Act).

Return to work suggestions

Worker can begin with light duties and include more tasks as their capacity for work changes. We'll work with all parties, including the treating medical provider, employer and worker to ensure everyone is aware of where the worker is with their rehabilitation and stay at, or return to work.

Note: some tasks are dependent on worker's injury and capacity, and some tasks may require the assistance of a co-worker.

Offsite

Return to work can begin at home for those having difficulty with transport, medication or the injury prevents them from returning to work.

If the worker needs to take a break from work, their rehabilitation can still begin at home. Tasks can include:

video on safety issues can be viewed (lying in bed if injury type requires)
computer-based programs, CDs or DVD on work related subjects
phone-based work
emails
training
other worksite inductions
checking or auditing paperwork, e.g. helping the WHSO audit lost time injuries (LTI's) for a six month period.

Host employment

In the event an employer is unable to provide suitable duties, a host placement may be required. If this is the case, the worker may be placed at a different employer in a graduated return to work plan until they're able to 'upgrade' back to his/her pre-injury role with their pre-injury employer.

WorkCover's Recover at work program places injured workers in short term host employment with employers who have an established track record of successful return to work outcomes with their own workers.

More return to work resources

Download the return to work checklist (PDF, 0.04 MB) for Grocery retail worker
View physical demands photos for Grocery store worker – dairy section