Preventing and Mitigating Recordable Injuries in the Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study on the Success of the Injury Prevention Program

Opportunity

Client X, an apparel company with over 1800 employees, had an increasing number of OSHA-recordable injuries among the line staff involved in production. These injuries were primarily repetitive strain and soft-tissue injuries that evolved into work comp claims because they went untreated or were not resolved by traditional treatment methodologies.

Objectives

The objective of this case study is to showcase the benefits of implementing our on-site hands-on therapeutic care and wellness training programs. We will examine how our tailored approach to injury prevention and wellness training helped our client, a manufacturing company, reduce their recordable injuries and create a safer workplace for their employees.

• Identify hands-on interventions to prevent or mitigate recordable injuries through implementing the Injury Prevention Program.
• Utilize trained IPS staff and establish an onsite occupational health clinic focused on the Injury Prevention Program.
• Engage in health literacy training with lunch and learn and wellness-oriented training during the employees’ workday
• Lead stretch and flex microbreaks at the start of shifts and throughout the workday to enhance employee resiliency and baseline health
• Conduct floor walks to identify better ergonomic working practices and means of adjusting the employee work processes to be safer and more productive

• Focus on screenings and early interventions with hands-on, manual treatment and therapeutic modalities that mitigate injuries that are in their nascent stages
• Provide ergonomic training to the employees that help them implement better working practices that avoid reinjury
• Treat and mitigate more advanced injuries to return employees to productive work as quickly as possible
• Provide first aid and emergency response for any workplace emergencies that occur
• Assist the client in workers’ compensation case evaluation and case management services to restore employees to productive duties as quickly as possible (on unavoidable injuries).
• Utilization of data collection and analytics to develop actionable insights for program enhancement.

Results

Work Health Solutions was able to help them achieve a 30% reduction in recordable injuries within one year, and 95% of symptom intervention cases did not become recordable injuries. This was accomplished by focusing on on-site hands-on therapeutic care, wellness training and coaching, ergonomic working practices, and early injury interventions.

By investing in the programs listed above, our client was able to create a safer and more productive workplace, ultimately improving their bottom line.

• Reduction in recordable injuries at one site by 20% and the other site by 30% within one year of the program implementation
• With the injury prevention program in place, this client had their lowest incident rate in 6 years.
• 95% of symptom intervention cases did not become recordable injuries.
• Subjective measure: positive employee feedback and statements about the program

• Work Health Solutions informed client management staff and senior leadership of the results, and the client is currently sharing an internal presentation highlighting the program efficacy with their senior leadership.

Summary and Conclusion

In conclusion, this case study highlights the importance of implementing effective occupational health programs in manufacturing. The program implemented at the facility, the Injury Prevention Program, aimed to prevent and mitigate recordable injuries through hands-on interventions and an onsite occupational health clinic. The program significantly reduced recordable injuries at the facility and received positive feedback from employees. The program also assisted the client in workers’ compensation case evaluation and management, which helped to restore employees to productive duties as quickly as possible. Occupational health programs such as the Injury Prevention Program are crucial for maintaining the health and well-being of employees and preventing injuries, which ultimately leads to a more productive and safe working environment.