This Employer Reduced MSDs by 86%
Rehrig Pacific Company shares key secrets to its success in reducing employee musculoskeletal injuries by 86%.
By: Annemarie Mannion | July 27, 2022

Any company with employees that do physically demanding or repetitive work is likely looking for ways to reduce musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) injuries and their associated costs.

And it’s no wonder that so many employers are interested in this same topic. According to the State of MSK Report 2021 by Hinge Health, more than half of the American population suffers from back, shoulder, knee and other joint pain. Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) injuries represent one sixth of all spending in the U.S. health care market.

The prevention of musculoskeletal injuries is a core concern for the National Comp conference, and a topic we’re pleased to include on this year’s program agenda.

Curt DeWeese, director and physical therapist for Atlas Injury Prevention Solutions and John Rhyne, corporate EHS director for Rehrig Pacific Company, will join up on Oct. 19th to discuss the simple but effective program they developed to reduce musculoskeletal injuries and other costs. DeWeese and Rhyne shared some of their thoughts with Risk & Insurance® in advance of the presentation.

The annual cost of musculoskeletal disorders (including health care costs and lost worker productivity) is around $600 billion, which is greater than heart disease ($309 billion), cancer ($243 billion) and diabetes ($188 billion).

In an analysis of 40 million Americans, the report also found that MSK costs doubled from around $10 billion in 2010 to around $20 billion in 2019.

Many companies, of course, are looking to buck that trend. One company that’s getting it right is Rehrig Pacific Company, which reduced MSD injuries by an impressive 86%.

Several years ago, Rehrig Pacific, which manufactures wheeled containers for waste hauling and recycling management, was looking for a way to better handle both injuries and employee complaint of strains or pains.

The company operates 24/7, 365 days a year, which means that MSK injuries or complaints can occur at any time night or day when the only medical facilities that are open are emergency departments or urgent care facilities.

“You could have a person with a relatively minor strain or muscle soreness and you could spend a fortune at the emergency department,” Rhyne said. “The vast amount of off-hour workers compensation costs are related to running to the emergency department rather going to a health clinic during normal business hours.”

Those weren’t the company’s only costs. Sending employees to ERs or urgent care typically led to OSHA-reportable injuries, lost time, and prescribed medications.

Here are four of the secrets Rehrig Pacific Company learned while transforming their program.

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