As with any industry, the field of workplace safety and ergonomics exists within a landscape of laws, regulations, and economic forces that shape how safety leaders manage and execute their programs. At the same time, employers are tasked with keeping workers safe despite continuous changes to the regulatory environment, especially within organizations that operate across national borders. In the United States, a looser regulatory strategy allows employers to utilize ergonomics at their own discretion, while other countries in Europe and elsewhere pose stricter guidelines around safety decisions. It’s up to safety leaders to stay abreast of regulatory trends and ensure that their organizations are in step with the law while also maintaining a healthy bottom line.
Fortunately, there has never been a more robust set of tools available to safety teams across industries that can support their injury prevention goals and boost productivity. With a shifting conversation that now includes an increased focus on employee mental health as well as a growing emphasis on technologies such as artificial intelligence, the safety world is evolving faster than ever. That pattern brings challenges for leaders who need to balance their goals against limited resources. Still, the adage that “ergonomics is good economics” remains true, and investment in safety programming and technology continues to pay dividends down the road.
In the latest episode of the DORN Injury Prevention Academy Podcast, host Cheryl Roy sat down with Matt Weber, Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Cardinus Risk Management. Matt brings more than 20 years of experience navigating the healthcare solutions sector, with a focus on building strategies and teams that improve wellness outcomes and help organizations reach their safety goals.
In this episode, we cover:
- Regulatory differences between the US and UK and how employers can navigate the gap
- How industrial ergonomics differs from country to country in both definition and execution
- Trends and predictions for ergonomics and workplace safety over the next few years, including how employers will manage mental health concerns among workers
