Upcoming occupational health courses

How do these courses help physiotherapists move into occupational health roles? 

These courses are designed to provide a clear, structured pathway for physiotherapists looking to expand their practice into occupational health physiotherapy (OHP). 

‘Occupational Health Physiotherapy Level 1’ gives participants a comprehensive foundation across the seven core modules of OHP practice: legislation, risk management, systems of work, leadership and safety culture, communication, ergonomics and injury management. 

It’s the road map into OHP, equipping participants with the foundational knowledge and practical skills to provide this service within the context of work, worker and the workplace. 

From there, ‘Office ergonomics’ and ‘Pre-employment assessment’ offer participants introductory, hands-on exposure to two common OHP service areas. 

‘Office ergonomics’ provides a foundational entry point into office workstation assessments – giving participants a safe space to practise assessments, discuss evidence and recommendations and develop their report writing. 

‘Pre-employment assessment’ builds in-depth, marketable skills in a high-demand service area where employers and insurers are actively seeking physiotherapists who can deliver competently and professionally. 

Together, these courses move practitioners from curious to ready 

What opportunities do participants have to apply their learning in real-world scenarios during the courses? 

In the Level 1 course, participants work through task risk assessments, good work design scenarios, office equipment evaluation and application exercises. 

Additionally, physiotherapists will engage in video analysis, group discussion and practical sessions that simulate the kind of work they’ll encounter in the field – from assessing a warehouse task to managing a complex return-to-work scenario with multiple stakeholders and barriers. 

The ‘Office ergonomics’ course is split evenly between discussion and practical work. Participants prepare for and conduct office workstation assessments in the session itself, building foundational confidence in this service area. 

In ‘Pre-employment assessment’, participants design and conduct a full pre-employment assessment during the course, applying legislative requirements and stakeholder considerations in a supported learning environment. 

It’s hands-on at every stage, from scoping the assessment brief to writing the report. 

How do the courses prepare physiotherapists to navigate the legal, ethical and professional obligations specific to occupational health practice? 

OHP sits at the intersection of work health and safety, workplace law and business. 

The professional obligations are quite different from those in a clinical setting. 

The Level 1 course dedicates an entire module to legislation – covering work health and safety legislation, codes of practice, standards and other guidance material relevant to OHP. 

Participants learn to describe the aims, functions and application of these frameworks and how to apply them in practice. 

‘Pre-employment assessment’ goes into the legal and ethical dimensions specific to that service. 

It covers legislative requirements in detail, with dedicated discussion on the moral and ethical challenges practitioners face, including balancing employer requirements with worker rights, managing conflicts of interest and navigating anti-discrimination obligations while delivering a service or objective. 

These are real dilemmas that OHP practitioners encounter. Across all three courses, the emphasis is on professional behaviour, inclusivity and the communication skills required to engage ethically with all stakeholders, including workers, employers, insurers and funders, and the broader healthcare team. 

What tangible outcomes can a physiotherapist expect in their day-to-day practice after completing one or more of these courses?

After completing the Level 1 course, a physiotherapist can conduct workplace risk assessments, contribute to injury prevention strategies, facilitate safe and sustainable return to work using evidence-based frameworks and engage with stakeholders (eg, employers, safety and HR teams and insurers) using the language they expect. 

These skills are immediately applicable across private practice, corporate and rehabilitation settings. 

‘Office ergonomics’ provides a foundational introduction to delivering office workstation assessments, from preparation through to a professional report. 

It’s a practical starting point for physiotherapists before developing their skills further through workplace experience and mentoring. 

After ‘Pre-employment assessment’, participants can design and deliver assessments that meet employer and legislative requirements and produce reports to the expected standard in that space. 

This is a service area with consistent demand across industries like logistics, mining, construction and healthcare. 

The common thread is moving from generalist clinical skills to OHP delivery. 

Completing these courses also builds towards a future titling submission through the APA’s evidence portfolio pathway. 

How do the courses develop physiotherapists’ ability to produce clear, professional reports and documentation that meet the standards expected in occupational health settings? 

Report writing is an essential skill that many physiotherapists may not have had formal training in beyond clinical notes or reports. 

The occupational health space demands a different style: clear, objective, professionally structured and written for a non-clinical audience. 

‘Office ergonomics’ introduces report writing for workstation assessments – participants learn how to translate their findings into a professional document that an employer or manager can action. 

‘Pre-employment assessment’ covers the requirements of writing a pre-employment assessment report as one of its core learning outcomes. 

This includes structuring findings against the inherent requirements of the role, communicating results objectively and clearly, and presenting recommendations that are defensible and legally sound. 

The Level 1 course also builds communication and documentation skills throughout – particularly in the context of injury management and return to work, where clear correspondence with employers and insurers is essential. 

Undertaking these courses gives participants the ability to produce documentation that is professional, is fit for purpose and meets the standards that employers, insurers and legal teams expect from OHP. 

‘Occupational Health Physiotherapy Level 1’ will take place on 19–20 September in Rockhampton, Queensland. Click here for more info. 

‘Office ergonomics’ on 5 September in Bentley, Western Australia. Click here for more info.

‘Pre-employment assessment’ on 30 August in Eight Mile Plains, Queensland. Click here for more info.

>>>Lucia Tsui MACP is the chair of the APA Occupational Health national group and an APA Titled Occupational Health Physiotherapist based in Melbourne. With extensive experience across workplace injury prevention, workers compensation and workforce health management in large multinational organisations, she is passionate about growing the profession and supporting physiotherapists to develop their passion in occupational health physiotherapy.