Elkay's Workers' Comp exposures are not dissimilar to those of other manufacturers: extensive hand/shoulder activity and lifting/standing, which contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome; tendonitis; and shoulder, back and knee strains.

To mitigate these challenges, Elkay's risk-management team introduced at each of its facilities training and ergonomic assessments that have now become standard practice.

Upon centralizing the company's Workers' Comp and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) functions in 2006, Elkay's risk team traveled to the company's plants and performed “train-the-trainer” sessions conducted over two to four days, depending on the size of the plant location, with the goal of better educating line employees and supervisors on ergonomic methods for minimizing physical strains.

Those training sessions, completed with members of the risk team and outside partner Hub International, consisted of medical education, ergonomic-evaluation criteria, risk assessment and risk prioritization for all employees.

In 2010, the company implemented a global safety-week program in which all of its plants participate, during which specific topics are discussed with staff each day and presentations are given.

In addition, “we have our physical therapists and physicians from the occupational medical facilities join in plant activities to assess positions with multiple job responsibilities,” says Corporate Risk Operations Manager Julia Sfurm.

Plant personnel have embraced the company's focus on safety “and have worked well within their teams to reduce or mitigate exposures,” says Sfurm. The “wins,” she adds, are posted at the sites so everyone can recognize the benefit of their efforts.

The risk group meets on a regular basis to complete assessments of each of Elkay's plants, and progress in keeping injuries down is measured in an auditing process.

“Ergonomics is an ongoing assessment process,” Sfurm notes. “It is not a program that is reviewed once, and we're done. When a workstation is assessed and recommendations are made for improvement, the teams are to follow up and reassess the station to ensure that the improvement has helped.”

A monthly safety-call meeting is also held, during which plant managers, human-resources personnel, maintenance and anyone else involved in EHS matters at any of its facilities must attend. The meeting includes a review of all recordable injuries; new regulatory-compliance issues; and an environmental review of upcoming or pending deadlines for federal, state or local compliance.

“We also have plants present best practices that they are using and that can be applied to other locations,” Sfurm adds.

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