BETHLEHEM, Pa. — More than 7,000 employees across the Lehigh Valley have access to a program aimed at keeping them safe and injury-free at work.
St. Luke’s University Health Network is partnering with area businesses to implement the Worksite Injury Prevention Program, or WIPP.
It's offering the program to about 1,000 corporate clients.
The goal of the program is to provide a comprehensive approach to injury prevention by focusing on the reduction of musculoskeletal disorder risk. WIPP also addresses identified community barriers to health, such as transportation, accessibility and health literacy.
“As a program, we focus on primary prevention by working to eliminate injury risk in a facility."Kyra Dodson, St. Luke’s Network Director, Corporate Health & Wellness, Occupational Medicine
“As a program, we focus on primary prevention by working to eliminate injury risk in a facility,” said Kyra Dodson, St. Luke’s Network director of corporate health & wellness, occupational medicine.
“We ergonomically analyze a facility, objectively identify risk factors and hazards, and partner with that client to develop and implement solutions. This is a financial value to the employer and betters the wellbeing of employees by reducing their exposure to injury risk.”
Preventative medicine, workman’s compensation treatment, and return-to-work protocols, as well as pre-employment physicals, are all part of St. Luke’s Care Now Occupational Medicine.
'Safest, most efficient way'
EMD Electronics in Hometown, Schuylkill County, is among the locations where the program is underway.
“Companies want their employees to go home as healthy as they were when they came into work," said Randy Kalce, EMD senior manager of environmental health & safety and site security.
"In the case of EMD’s work with St. Luke’s WIPP, our employees actually go home healthier than when they came to work.”
"We address the needs of the individual employee, while impacting the larger preventative opportunities at the employer location."Kyra Dodson, St. Luke’s Network director of corporate health & wellness, occupational medicine
He said that last year, the program helped to reduce the number of work-related health problems. One factor contributing to that decrease in injuries is an on-site occupational athletic trainer.
Dan Slotterback is the trainer responsible for the 370 employees at the Hometown plant.
“Dan works with and helps employees prevent non-work-related issues or concerns, too, through things like finding safer ways to approach tasks and stretching," Kalce said.
"They take this information home with them and apply it outside of work."
Dodson said that by placing an Occupational Athletic Trainer on site, they are providing a convenient and accessible resource for immediate health attention and a partner in health navigation."
"We address the needs of the individual employee, while impacting the larger preventative opportunities at the employer location,” he said.
Employees get guidance on a number of topics, including diet and weight loss, wellness, and injury prevention educational sessions.
If a workplace injury should take place, the trainer oversees the treatment and follow-up of the employee as they return to work.
“This model creates continuity of care and gets employees back to work in the safest, most efficient way,” Dodson said.
