Last year (2023), Launch Technologies Co., Ltd.’s Pingtung plant experienced a significant industrial accident. Among those affected was an employee known as "Xiao Chen", who survived the fire. Through a comprehensive support initiative led by the Ministry of Labor, Xiao Chen received medical rehabilitation, social rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, and occupational reconstruction services. After an eight-month recovery period, he successfully re-entered the workforce, gradually resuming his professional duties through a structured return to work (RTW) approach. On the 23rd of this month, the Center for Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation (COAPRE) hosted a case study seminar at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Kaohsiung. The seminar underscored the effectiveness of an integrated resource network in delivering personalized services to workers suffering from occupational injuries. By addressing key risk factors and enhancing workplace conditions, the program aims to facilitate a safe and sustained return to work for injured employees.

To effectively support the integration, promotion, and guidance of regional resources for the rehabilitation of workers affected by occupational accidents, the Ministry of Labor directed the COAPRE to host a case study seminar. During the event, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital shared the encouraging news of the successful RTW of an injured worker from Launch Technologies Co., Ltd. The worker, referred to as "Xiao Chen", was injured during an explosion at the factory in September of last year. He suffered multiple injuries, including inhalation burns, lumbar fractures, a right knee laceration, a left ankle sprain, a liver contusion, blunt head trauma, and a scalp laceration. Pingtung County Government’s occupational accident service specialists promptly provided support, offering assistance to Xiao Chen’s family, securing wage compensation, and ensuring that occupational accident benefits were promptly processed. Their immediate care provided both emotional and practical support during this challenging period.

After five months of medical treatment, Xiao Chen’s condition gradually stabilized; however, he continued to experience difficulties with lower limb balance, the inability to maintain a squatting position for extended periods, and decreased physical and cardiopulmonary endurance. Following an assessment, the specialized occupational injury and disease treatment and diagnosis and occupational rehabilitation team at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, established by the Ministry of Labor, took over his care. Experts held consultations to evaluate Xiao Chen’s work capabilities and coordinated with his employer to implement a gradual return to work plan. Xiao Chen began by working half-days in a modified role focused on computer-based tasks, while dedicating the remaining time to targeted strength and conditioning training to enhance his physical capabilities.

A comprehensive rehabilitation program designed by the occupational therapist for Xiao Chen included a combination of endurance training and progressive weight-bearing exercises. This personalized plan also featured various dynamic activities, such as carrying a 2-kilogram tool while patrolling to simulate his regular work routine, carrying heavy objects up and down stairs, climbing A-frame ladders, assembling and disassembling screws, and lifting golf baskets to a designated height. These exercises not only focused on enhancing physical fitness but also effectively replicated Xiao Chen’s typical work environment, incorporating job accommodation to support his smooth reintegration into his original unit.

During the seminar, the occupational therapist from Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital emphasized that following an occupational accident, workers often experience varying degrees of physical and psychological challenges. A multi-faceted holistic approach, including medical rehabilitation, social rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, and occupational reconstruction, is essential to address the issues workers face during the RTW process. Whether an injured worker intends to resume their original job role or requires a change in position or career, the rehabilitation services can facilitate their successful reintegration into the workplace. The gradual RTW strategy allows workers to re-enter the workforce without waiting for full physical recovery, reducing uncertainties for both the employee and employer regarding the recovery timeline, while also enhancing the effectiveness of strengthening work capabilities according to the intensity of the return-to-work process.

Currently, the regulations offer a range of rehabilitation services for workers affected by occupational injuries. These services include medical treatment and return-to-work recommendations, psychological counseling and social adaptation, work ability assessments and enhancement, job accommodation, vocational guidance and evaluation, vocational training, employment services, follow-up support, and re-employment counseling. During the RTW process, employers have a crucial responsibility to make reasonable adjustments, ensuring that occupational accident workers are assigned tasks that best match their current capabilities. Employers may also apply for assistive devices or machinery to facilitate a safe and secure transition back into the workforce.

The Ministry of Labor has established 17 occupational injury and disease diagnosis and treatment institutions and 36 accredited vocational rehabilitation centers across the country, providing comprehensive medical and rehabilitation services. Occupational accident workers requiring assistance in returning to work can access a wide range of integrated services through this network of resources, designed to meet their specific needs before re-entering the workplace. Both injured workers and their employers are encouraged to make full use of these available resources. For further inquiries, please contact the Center for Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation (COAPRE) at (02) 8522-9366.