Research reveals troubling aspects of opioid prescriptions for injured workers in Australia

Research Reveals Troubling Aspects of Opioid Prescriptions for Injured Workers in Australia

New research led by Monash University has discovered that a significant number of injured employees in Victoria are being given prescriptions for high-risk opioids. Findings show nearly one in five injured Victorian workers are receiving high-risk opioid prescriptions within months of their claim, raising fresh concerns for workplace health and safety practitioners across Australia.

What the Study Found

The research examined opioid prescriptions for employees who sustained injuries and were covered by the Victorian workers' compensation scheme, marking the first attempt to measure the frequency of early high-risk prescribing practices among Australian workers.

Researchers conducted an analysis of data involving 30,590 employees who experienced back and neck injuries from 2010 to 2019, all of whom had to take leave from work and submitted workers' compensation claims. Out of this group, 6,278 individuals, or roughly 20.5 percent, received opioid prescriptions during the first three months following their claims.

High-Risk Prescribing Patterns Among Injured Workers

The study revealed that within the initial three months of being prescribed opioids, approximately two-thirds of workers (67.1 percent) received early high-risk opioid prescriptions, and almost one-quarter (22.8 percent) persisted in their opioid use after one year.

These figures suggest injured workers may face increased duration of time loss and delayed functional recovery when high-risk prescribing patterns go unmonitored. For employers managing return-to-work programs, understanding this data matters for building stronger fitness for work policies and procedures that support recovering staff safely.

Why This Matters for Workplace Health and Compensation Schemes

Opioid prescribing after workplace injury sits at the intersection of clinical care and compensation policy. When high-risk prescribing goes unchecked, employees covered by compensation schemes face greater risk of prolonged dependency, which can complicate their path back to full duties.

Employers, insurers and health professionals all have a role in reviewing prescribing data and ensuring compensation frameworks encourage safer pain management pathways. This research adds weight to ongoing calls for stronger monitoring across Australian workers' compensation systems, building on findings previously highlighted in the Safe Work Australia workers' compensation research report.

Supporting Safer Recovery Outcomes

Businesses in construction, manufacturing and healthcare sectors often see higher rates of back and neck injuries, making awareness of prescribing trends especially relevant. Organisations managing physically demanding roles, including those working on farms across Australia, should factor injury prevention and recovery support into broader safety planning.

Strong OHS management systems combined with clear standard operating procedures for chemical handling and storage and equipment maintenance reduce injury risk at the source, lessening reliance on opioid pain management altogether. Businesses operating across the Tasman can find equivalent guidance through safety documents built for New Zealand businesses.

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