Ability and motivation to work outweighs physical challenges

Like for many hardworking young men, Jarrod Moncur’s (pictured) favourite part of the week is the Friday afternoon beers with workmates.

Unlike most workers however, Jarrod enjoys his refreshing ale using his Levo wheelchair, which allows him to ‘stand up’ in the chair.

This amazing technology, plus modifications to his excavator and truck, were purchased through the Federal Government’s Workplace Modifications Scheme, and they have revolutionised Jarrod’s life after he sustained paraplegia in April 2006.

The modifications were made possible with the assistance of Employment Options, a service of the Spinal Injuries Association that is the only service in Australia to exclusively assist people with physical disabilities to find and stay in work.

Prior to his injury Jarrod was heavily involved in administration for AFL Queensland and had joined his father’s tree-lopping business, Chipmunks Tree Services, as an apprentice at 17.

A month before he turned 23, Jarrod was at work using a cherry picker when the leveling system in the bucket snapped, tipping him out from 11 metres high. Jarrod landed on his head and cracked his skull in three places, punctured a lung, broke six ribs sustained paraplegia.

“I don’t remember much, just being in pain in the back of the ambulance and then waking up four days later in hospital,” Jarrod said.

After eight days at the Royal Brisbane Hospital Jarrod was transferred to Queensland’s only Spinal Injuries Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, where he spent four months in rehabilitation – quite a short period of time for such an injury.

The following 18 months were extremely challenging as Jarrod went through a relationship break-up and struggled with not having a job.

“I had no motivation to get up early in the morning. I wanted to get back out there and work but didn’t know how,” Jarrod said.

Fortunately, Jarrod’s supportive family offered him office work a few days a week, which didn’t suit his ‘great outdoors’ personality at all.

“Then one day dad and some other workmates encouraged me to try using a 4.5 tonne excavator,” Jarrod said.

“Because they’re mostly hand-control operated, I started digging trenches and really started to enjoy it.

“But because I couldn’t transfer from my wheelchair to the excavator easily, I’d have to stay in the machine for nine hours at a time and rely on people to bring me food and drinks.”

Looking for a way to easily access the excavator and the work truck, Jarrod was introduced to Employment Options Manager Graham Eglington, a workplace rehabilitation specialist.

Currently, 50% of their clients have a spinal or skeletal condition, 27% have a spinal cord injury, 9% have multiple sclerosis, 7% have spina bifida, 5% have cerebral palsy and 2% have muscular dystrophy.

Graham worked with Jarrod to apply for $90,000 worth of Workplace Modifications Scheme funding, which modified his excavator and truck (pictured), allowed him to purchase a quad bike so he can easily access work sites, and purchased the Levo wheelchair to give him the ability to change his height according to his work environment.

“Now that I could access my equipment and worksite properly and safely, I went from working two days a week to five or six (days a week),” Jarrod said.

“It was brilliant. When you’re only working one or two days a week, there’s no purpose to the other days.

“When I finally started working full time, I felt normal again.”

Since 1 July 2010, the Employment Options team has successfully secured $344,464 in workplace modifications for their clients.

Spinal Injuries Association Client Services Executive Manager Frances Porter said having a physical disability did not, and should never mean, that you could no longer work and contribute to society.

“Some employers may think a person with a disability is not going to be able to function as well as someone without a disability. That’s simply not true,” Frances said.

“They’re being productive like they should be and are contributing like every other tax-paying person in employment.

“We also get very positive feedback about how hiring our clients can create diversity and a more supportive workplace.”

With one in five Australians having some form of disability (ABS 2008), Frances said being employed was not only about securing your future financially, but about being treated equally and with respect.

“As well as assistance with workplace modifications, our staff identify employment opportunities and provide support – at no cost – to help people either obtain and maintain employment or with career progression,” she said.

“They organise worksite assessments and can work with employers and staff to discuss any disability issues in the workplace.”

For more information about Employment Options, visit www.spinal.com.au/services/employment, phone (07) 3391 2044 or email enquiries@spinal.com.au.

To see how Jarrod transfers in and out of his truck, watch the short video here.

Issued 4 July.