[Getconnected] No stretch of the imagination

[getconnected at bryantx.gov]

No stretch of the imagination
How the City of Bryan improved employee health while saving money
 
All-Pro San Diego Charger running back LaDainian Tomlinson does it
before each game. Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade does, too. And, now, so
do all of the City of Bryan's Public Works field crews before they get
down to business.
 
It's stretching. For the city, it's resulted in fewer injuries, fewer
man-hours lost and dollars saved.
 
The idea to implement a mandatory stretching program came from Mark
Jurica, operations manager for Environmental Services, who noticed that
the city's solid waste collection crews suffered 34 muscle-related,
on-the-job injuries in fiscal year 2004. Those injuries cost the city
more than $45,000 in medical fees and 350 hours of lost or restricted
time.
 
"We decided to develop a year-long pilot study that incorporated
mandatory stretching," Jurica said. "Different routines were designed to
address specific job tasks; for example, lifting-oriented stretches for
our crews at the recycling center. Our goal was to reduce employee
injuries by 50 percent."
 
Jurica says the early-morning stretching sessions produced some
unexpected results: Employee morale improved and the crews even found
ways to have fun through competition. And at the conclusion of the pilot
program, employee injuries were down 66 percent.
 
In fact, the results were so compelling, the city's transportation and
fleet employees now have daily stretching routines.
 
"Our crews are healthier and our department is now saving money that was
spent on lost time and medical bills," Jurica said. "Maybe others will
take notice."
 
They already have.
 
The Texas Lone Star Chapter <http://www.txswana.org/>  of the Solid
Waste Association of North America
<http://www.swana.org/www/default.aspx>  recently awarded the City of
Bryan its Annual Safety Award for the innovative stretching program.
 
 
 
 
-30-

 

Jay G. Socol
Public Information Officer
City of Bryan, Texas
P.O. Box 1000
Bryan, Texas 77805-1000
(979) 209-5120 (o) - (979) 229-1060 (c)
(979) 228-2437 (pgr) - (979) 209-5107 (f)

www.bryantx.gov <http://www.bryantx.gov/>  
 
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