Industrial Athlete Spotlight
Published - Nov 16, 2018
Did you know that 34% of lost work days are attributed to musculoskeletal injuries? The IRG Industrial Athlete team has been hard at work helping Waste Management personnel stay healthy and on the job this year. They have seen a tremendous reduction in injury and cost, with an increase in employee engagement.
"Just over a year ago we started using certified athletic trainers for education, injury prevention, and as a resource for our employees. Since then, our area has seen a 37.6% reduction in our Recordable Injury frequency, and similar reduction in our DART frequency. All of the sites you support have made substantial improvements, including the largest site in our area, which is still injury free for the year! Our area has also seen a 35.5% decrease in our area’s Worker’s Compensation Allocations (expense), which is closely related to the reduction of our severe injuries. While it would be impossible to associate this reduction ONLY to our use of your services, there is a direct relationship. Many drivers have sought advice from your trainers for soft tissue and minor soreness issues, both from the on-site trainer, and at your facilities. Being subject matter experts, they have kept our industrial athletes in the game and escalated full recovery to just days, not weeks or longer.
In addition to the frequency and cost savings, I can think of at least a dozen drivers and employees who have shared their experiences with me. By partnering with your team, we have provided a powerful resource to our employees. They are a resource for guidance on improving flexibility, strength, nutrition, and overall wellness; IRG’s involvement in our most recent Get Fit challenge is just one of many examples. Many of our employees that have taken advantage of your offerings have amazing testimonies of what your team has done for them. For me, this is the biggest value of the program!
I’d personally like to thank you and your entire company for what you provide to us—far beyond cost savings or frequency improvements! To our employees, it shows hat we care about them, their health, and well-being."
- Jerry Ginter
Area Safety Manager
Waste Management – Pacific NW