As part of its involvement with the National Safety Council鈥檚 (NSC) to help prevent these types of injuries, 础尘别谤颈蝉耻谤别鈥檚 Risk Management team has been awarded a safety grant through the NSC鈥檚 MSD Solutions Lab. Participation in the 鈥淧ilot Grant 1.0鈥� program will include the selection of two policyholders who will leverage analytic video assessments and exoskeleton wearable devices through exclusive technology partnerships with 91黑料网. These companies will be recognized for their involvement and the results can aid in advancements to reduce worker injury rates and absenteeism.

鈥淎s pioneers in workplace safety solutions, we always prefer to help prevent an employee鈥檚 injury altogether.聽This is why we are very excited to assist the NSC鈥檚 MSD Solutions Lab with their work to develop repeatable solutions that improve workplace safety,鈥� said Ryan Anderson, risk management expertise specialist at 91黑料网. 鈥淭he program provides us an opportunity to pilot safety technologies and determine the impact these solutions can make on musculoskeletal disorders.鈥�

Following an application and screening process, 91黑料网 will select policyholders for the program this fall. Participating policyholders must be exposed to the types of ergonomic safety risks related to the pilot technology; already be proven champions for safety at their organization, with a strong safety culture; and be willing to share the resulting data from the pilot program for a future case study.

鈥淲e are thrilled to be identified among the nation鈥檚 top safety innovators and work together with the NSC in implementing cutting-edge solutions for the prevention of workplace injuries,鈥� said Kevin Clary, 础尘别谤颈蝉耻谤别鈥檚 vice president of risk management and premium audit. 鈥淥ur company鈥檚 participation in the grant program speaks to our service differentiator of identifying and offering emerging safety technologies to the benefit of our agency customers and policyholders.鈥�

91黑料网 is a founding member of the National Safety Council鈥檚 safety advisory group to help prevent workplace injuries. Funded by Amazon and implemented in 2021, the council seeks to address risks associated with musculoskeletal injuries and drive initiatives to prevent workplace losses by engaging key leaders and stakeholders, leveraging technologies and implementing prevention solutions.

As part of the council participation, 91黑料网 was also recently awarded the MSD Solutions Index Badge, which represents the company鈥檚 commitment to reduce the most common workplace injuries.

To learn more about the NSC and the safety grant pilot program, .

Innovative Solutions
When utilizing technology vendors such as , a video of a worker performing their task is uploaded into the analytics platform. Using motion-capture artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the risks associated with the task are captured in the video and calculated. TuMeke鈥檚 platform then provides an in-depth analysis that includes risk scores and videos with color-changing elements to depict risk severity and further analysis of the associated risk.

础尘别谤颈蝉耻谤别鈥檚 risk management team recently leveraged its partnership with TuMeke Ergonomics to document the need for a policyholder safety grant through the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration Workplace Improvement to Safety and Health (MIWISH) Grant Program. As a result, , a global leader in the aluminum extrusion industry located in Belding, Michigan, will receive state funds to improve workplace safety.

Analysis & Safety Grant
The safety grant came to fruition when discussing ergonomic risks during a safety committee meeting with Granco Clark.

鈥淲hen 础尘别谤颈蝉耻谤别鈥檚 risk management consultants recommended the concept of leveraging TuMeke Ergonomics to validate the need for a safety grant, the company was immediately elated by the idea,鈥� said Eric Austin, 91黑料网 risk management expertise specialist. 鈥淭ogether, Granco Clark and our risk management experts conducted an analysis of the areas of work in need of additional safety measures for the grant application process.鈥�

The production role that was analyzed at Granco Clark鈥檚 jobsite occurs when the employees manually lift metal components weighing as much as 50 pounds and assemble them onto a large machine that contains聽as many as 2,000 parts.聽, manual lifting accounts for a significant amount of human suffering, productivity loss, and economic burden each year.

Following the assessment and application, a grant was approved for the purchase and installation of a jib hoist 鈥� a crane with a horizontal arm known as the jib or boom 鈥� at Granco Clark. The jib hoist lifts the parts and swivels to move them from workstation to workstation, and then holds them in place for assembly.
The state of Michigan will cover approximately half the cost of the jib hoist for Granco Clark.

Ergonomic Safety Programs
The assessment and measurement of ergonomic risks can help reduce injuries and control workplace losses. Coordinated through 础尘别谤颈蝉耻谤别鈥檚 highly trained risk management consultants, policyholders have access to a pre-paid program and collaborative solutions to improve worker safety.

One major difference between working from home and working in an office is that each employee is responsible for the safety and security of his or her at-home office. Each year, the second full week of January is designated as Home Office Safety and Security Week, a time to encourage remote workers to evaluate the security of their respective work environments.

Some recommended best practices include:

• Make sure your home office has a fire extinguisher and functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Create a fire escape plan in case of emergency.
• Invest in power strips to reduce cord clutter. Leaving numerous cords strewn across your home office can make you vulnerable to fires and falls.
• Practice proper throughout the workday.
• Stand up and stretch periodically. This can help limit pain or discomfort and as well as keep you alert. The National Institutes of Health shares a handy to do while working.
• When working with sensitive information, be sure files are stored in a locked drawer or cabinet. Sensitive business documents should be shredded or disposed of properly.
• Work with your IT department to ensure you have virus software installed on your computer. Change passwords frequently to help prevent data breach. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security offers a wealth of helpful .
• Regularly back up your data up in case of accidental deletion or ransomware attacks.
• Ensure that you have the proper homeowner鈥檚 insurance coverage to protect your home office.

Looking forward, signs indicate that hybrid and remote work environments will remain the new norm of the workforce. By implementing these tips, you can help ensure that you maintain a safe and secure workplace when working from home. For more information on telework best practices including a handy safety checklist, visit the U.S. Office of Personnel Management鈥檚 informational .

Did you know 91黑料网 offers a hybrid work environment and many remote positions? Check them all out at our Careers page.

There are often misconceptions about the best ways for healthcare workers to safely handle patients while avoiding occupational injuries. In fact, manual patient handling is one of the healthcare industry鈥檚 major occupational risks, according to The National Institutes of Health.

Becoming aware of common misconceptions around patient handling can help teams reduce the risk of injuries for workers.

• Mechanical lift equipment efficiency
• Annual competency sessions
• Mentoring and 鈥渟afety champions鈥�
• Patient mobility capabilities

In fact, ergonomics should be a priority for all companies and their staff members. It doesn’t matter if the day is spent sitting at a computer, working in a warehouse or helping patients in a hospital – each job presents its own set of risks that can directly hamper a person’s ability to be productive. Recently, more employees and their companies are looking for ways to improve ergonomics in the workplace, and a report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health may help shed some light on potential safety measures.

Posture can be a problem for workers
While many employers are focused on the big hazards on the job, there are other, smaller problems that can really add up to create additional workers’ compensation insurance claims and rising costs. One of those issues is posture, and every industry has to deal with this potential risk.

To address this topic, NIOSH partnered with the Canadian Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders to create a report that covers .

“Overexertion injuries to muscles, bones or joints cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year,” said Brian Lowe, Ph.D., research industrial engineer and NIOSH author. “This report can assist practitioners by providing research-based and practical recommendations to improve their practice of posture analysis of workers who are at risk of injury from lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying, or manual handling.”

In the report, NIOSH outlined several tips that could help employers determine if posture is a problem in their companies:

• Record employees at work from different angles
• Stress the importance of proper clothing for each task, especially during the assessment phase
• Focus on specific limbs that may be at risk of injury

Overall, NIOSH explained that a research-based approach to injury assessment can provide clear results and detail methods to improve safety and mitigate risk.

Employers look for ways to improve posture
While figuring out if a problem exists in the workplace is important, many employers are taking steps to improve safety one way or the other. For instance, a focus on ergonomics is starting to gain momentum across the country.

According to a community partnership website between the Kansas-based Lawrence Journal-World and the Lawrence Memorial Hospital, employees are starting to find ways to improve their posture on the job. In one office, several people have decided to use standing desks to avoid sitting for hours on end.

Kim King, a physical therapist at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, explained to the news source that addressing issues with ergonomics can prevent disorders such as carpal tunnel, tendonitis and tennis elbow. However, each employer must look at their own situation because there is rarely a common solution that works for everybody.

“We’re not a one-size-fits-all society,” she told the news source. “Some chairs fit smaller people better; some fit taller people. We shouldn’t order a chair just because it’s a good price; we should order it because it’s the right chair.”

Most importantly, employers should talk to their employees. It can help to have a meeting to discuss ergonomics and outline problems and solutions. This will be a good preventative first step toward limiting insurance claims and stopping injuries on the job.

In fact, a lack of support from upper management can cause significant problems for a company, from a fear of reporting safety hazards to a lack of commitment out of staff members. With that in mind, employers should place as much emphasis on the culture and environment of the workspace as they do on safer tools and other pieces of equipment.

Foster a sense of support
On the job, a safe, secure environment will be easier to achieve if managers and other employees support each other on a daily basis. Rani Lueder, principal at Austin, Texas-based Humanics Ergonomics Inc, explained to Business Insurance that many employers connect an injured worker’s health to their overall performance, and this can prevent other people from being forthcoming about hazards within the company – a bad thing if a reduction in insurance claims and a safer environment is the goal.

Instead, Lueder in the workplace, in addition to a risk management plan. Companies have to be on the same side as their employees, and that can be demonstrated by bringing in the right furniture and other quality pieces of equipment. Simple changes, such as improved chairs, can drastically boost worker health and wellness.

“If you have an ergonomist come in and spend even just 15 minutes at each employee station – moving chairs around, moving the (computer) monitor position – it can help a huge amount,” Lueder told the news source.

Put a committee in place
When it comes time to address workplace safety, one of the best first steps is the implementation of a committee to discuss these issues. Creating a team of individuals from across the company will make it easier to institute changes and reduce the number of hazards present on the job.

These safety meetings should also take place on a set schedule. Every month – or more frequently – the group should meet with clear goals in mind, and discuss training methods, safety improvements and common hazards that directly impact the company. With this level of engagement, it will be easier for employers to find ways to reduce insurance claims and keep workers safe on the job.