Injured worker Nick Johansen has been named a finalist in the 2024 WorkSafe Awards in the Worker Return to Work Excellence category.
Nick was injured when a fish scaling machine weighing over 100kg fell on him causing serious injury to his leg and a crushed ankle which required surgery. He had pins inserted into his ankle, and a rod and four pins into his leg, requiring a lengthy hospital stay.
Nick’s rehabilitation process took 10 months as he worked hard to build up his leg strength again. Nick was highly committed to his recovery and was back at work in three months doing reduced hours.
Pictured: Nick had a strong determination to recover.
“I was very focused on the physical recovery but it’s a mental thing too,” Nick said. “I tried to stay positive. I did mindful colouring-in books, did a lot of reading and listening to music to take my mind off things. I would wake at 2am in morning, with the sensation of my leg being crushed.”
Nick was supported by his EML Mobile Case Manager Klarynda Churchill and Case Manager Luke Henderson, who were surprised by how quickly he recovered and returned to work.
“Nick always was in incredibly high spirits, never missing an opportunity for a joke or a laugh,” says Luke. “His proactive approach to his treatment and return to work shows who he is as a person.”
“It was good to work with the team again and to be part of getting a job done,” said Nick. “I lost the sense of value of doing work, so it was good to get back, and to get the family income back to normal.”
“KJ (Klarynda) and Luke showed me so much empathy and understanding and that helped my recovery and return to work go smoothly. They told me to take my time, and that I was doing really well – that sort of encouragement was fantastic. I texted KJ a photo of my first day back at work!”
Pictured: Nick’s first day back at work.
When asked what advice he’d give to someone else recovering from a serious injury Nick said: “Keep up with the physio and be honest about the pain you’re experiencing and what you can do and can’t do. Let your workplace know this too, don’t just tough it out. You need to be honest about your recovery with yourself and the physio – don’t try to impress people and you need to listen to their advice.”
The winners of the 2024 WorkSafe Awards will be announced at a special celebration event in February 2025.