Claims Lost In Server Crash

April 28th, 2006: WorkCover staff are struggling to restore archived files relating to worker compensation claims that were lost in a computer glitch this week.

WorkCover says that the lost data comprises of “personal archive material” staff were saving on a central computer and that nothing affecting cases currently before the Workers Compensation Commission has been lost.

The Sydney Morning Herald’s source says that WorkCover’s staff have been frantically trying to restore the lost files, 90 percent of which have been recovered so far according to WorkCover’s chief executive officer, Jon Blackwell.

The rest of the affected files have not been successfully restored however, due to corruption or loss. In some cases, information has only been restored to September last year with everything since lost.

"We have a staff of 100 people running around like headless chooks," the Herald’s source said. "We have lost a lot of separate bits of information, like links in a chain … it makes it very difficult."

Because WorkCover investigates around 13,000 cases a year and cross-references archived material regularly, the loss of the files could prove quite costly in the long run.

The case highlights how important a consistent and thorough backup process is for all company data.

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