MEMIC Safety Experts

Injury management is a key part of the workplace safety equation and getting the injured employee the appropriate level of care quickly and seamlessly is at the heart of the process.

On today's episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Lara Heal, Senior Director of Managed Care at MEMIC and Jared Payton, Direct of Claim Services at MEMIC join me to discuss MEMIC's workplace injury tirage tool, First Call, how it works and why your business should enroll.

Continuous process improvement for your safety program can challenging. However, with the right perspective, it can be integrated effectively and create an environment where quality and productivity thrive over the long term.

To help provide that perspective is Sean Fields licensed professional engineer and certified Six Sigma Blackbelt with Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance.

References mentioned during episode:

• https://quantumlean.wordpress.com/
• https://www.okalliance.com/
• https://www.beehivefund.org/

For some, a workplace inspection can be associated with a visit from OSHA or another certifying agency. Others may find them tedious and disconnected from expectations. However, workplace inspections can be a useful tool to connect what a business expects to the reality of the work being done.

On today's episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast, Rod Stanley, Director of Region 1 for Loss Control at MEMIC and I dig into the process and workflow of inspections and how they are an effective part of managing safety, quality, and productivity.

Did you know that the average OSHA Voluntary Protection Program worksite has a lost workday incidence rate at least 50 percent below the average of its industry? Curious about what it's like to go through the VPP process?

On today's episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast, Bob Thompson, former employee of a chemical manufacturer shares his experience of working on the volunteer team that brought the chemical plant into VPP compliance.

Ever wonder what a Safety person does all day? Could be Training, or Safety by Walking Around, or completing a Deliberate Risk Assessment Worksheet, or even Relationship building.

On today's episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast Tobi Bledsoe, talks how his experience in the Navy prepared him to be the Safety Office for the US Army's Pacific 10th Support Group.

Not all workplace violence happens with a weapon. Sometimes it can be verbal or even psychological abuse from a customer or a fellow employee. Regardless of the tool, violence at the workplace is on the rise.

On today's episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast Corey Jones, Owner of Safetyman Consulting and former shift commander of the SWAT team in Mount Laurel New Jersey joins me to discuss the problem of workplace violence and what you can do to prepare for and prevent it.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported that in 2020 there were nearly a quarter million work related musculoskeletal injuries that resulted in days away from work with the average number of days away being 14 (1) . Statistics also show that warming up properly can also increase performance and reduce the potential for injuries during physical activity. (2)

On today's episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast Clayton Cartwright, Physical Therapist and Safety Management Consultant with MEMIC and I stretch the classic definition of a workplace stretching program and explore the benefits of one that is well executed.

1. https://www.bls.gov/iif/nonfatal-injuries-and-illnesses-tables.htm#dafw
2. https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7015-10-75

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported that in 2020 there were nearly a quarter million work related musculoskeletal injuries that resulted in days away from work with the average number of days away being 14 (1) . Statistics also show that warming up properly can also increase performance and reduce the potential for injuries during physical activity. (2)

On today's episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast Clayton Cartwright, Physical Therapist and Safety Management Consultant with MEMIC and I stretch the classic definition of a workplace stretching program and explore the benefits of one that is well executed.

1. https://www.bls.gov/iif/nonfatal-injuries-and-illnesses-tables.htm#dafw
2. https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7015-10-75

90% of all Physical and Occupational Therapists will suffer an occupational injury in their career. One in every six will change jobs or careers as a result of a work-related musculoskeletal injury. There are tools available such as lift, slides, and slings, but they are not always used.

On today's episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast Susan Diffenderfer, Physical Therapist and Safety Management Consultant with MEMIC and I explore Safe Patient Handling tools, ergonomics, and how a change in a point of view can help prevent Physical and Occupational Therapist injuries.

Links and resources:

· Cause, Prevalence, and Response to Occupational Musculoskeletal Injuries Reported by Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants | Physical Therapy | Oxford Academic (oup.com) - Holden

· Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among physical therapists - PubMed (nih.gov) – Bork, B.E.

· Work-Related Activities Associated with Injury in Occupational and Physical Therapists - PMC (nih.gov) – Darragh, Amy

· Effect of a safe patient handling program on rehabilitation outcomes - PubMed (nih.gov) – Campo, Marc

· SPH Techniques Video 5: Strategies for rehab nursing and rehab therapists - YouTube – NYSLabor safe patient handling techniques video series www.dol.ny.gov

· Safe Patient Handling and Movement | APTA – American Physical Therapy Association

· policy-e14-20211115.pdf (aota.org) – American Occupational Therapy Association Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Policy

· Safe Patient Handling Toolkit | ARN (rehabnurse.org) – Association of Rehabilitation Nurses

· Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in physical therapists: prevalence, severity, risks, and responses - PubMed (nih.gov) – Cromie, JE

· Healthcare - Safe Patient Handling | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

· Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM) | NIOSH | CDC

· ASPHP | Association of Safe Patient Handling Professionals

· Implementation of a Safe Patient Handling Program in a Multihospital Health System From Inception to Sustainability: Successes Over 8 Years and Ongoing Challenges (sagepub.com) – Olinski, Christine

· Safe-patient-handling equipment in therapy practice: implications for rehabilitation - PubMed (nih.gov) – Darragh, Amy

· OSHA3708.pdf – Safe Patient Handling Fact Brochure

· Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in physical therapists: a prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up - PubMed (nih.gov) – Campo, Marc

Behavioral economics looks at how the decisions we make are influenced by our human cognitive processes. While there are many ways to impact choices, social marketing and nudging are two that can be implemented on the workplace safety front.

On today's episode of the MEMIC Safety Experts Podcast we have part two of my conversation with the Director of the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety, Dr. Julie Sorenson about how a simple nudge can help change the architecture of choice.in workplace safety.