Each morning, construction crews on Stuart Olson Dominion Construction Ltd. (SODCL) worksites start their day by stretching and warming up. The initiative is part of the company’s comprehensive health and wellness plan.
Each morning, construction crews on Stuart Olson Dominion Construction Ltd. (SODCL) worksites start their day by stretching and warming up.
The initiative is part of the company's comprehensive health and wellness plan.
“We teach our employees a stretching program,” said Katie Smart.
“If you warm up, you have a better chance of not getting injured.”
She joined the company in 2008 as its wellness co-ordinator and has developed a program for both hourly and salaried workers.
“From our sites to our offices, I want people participating and having a chance to take part,” she said.
Smart and her co-worker, Jim Billey, discussed the company’s program during a workshop at the Vancouver Regional Construction Association’s Construction Learning Forum in Whistler, B.C.
“Some of our subtrades realize how important it is and join in with us,” she said.
One of the goals of the program is to cut down on workplace injuries.
“There is a correlation between the work we do and the type of injuries,” Billey explained.
Over exertion is responsible for about 30 per cent of soft tissue injuries on a worksite and that is where the wellness program comes in.
“Our focus needs to be on prevention,” Billey said. “Injuries rates (industry wide) are actually decreasing, but duration is increasing.”
He said that the stretching program is one way to address injuries before they happen.
“I definitely see the benefits, I’d recommend it to anyone,” Billey said.
Even some unlikely people are getting on board.
“We’re finding the macho guys on the worksites are quite into it,” he said, adding that some older workers are stretching for longer than required.
The program started several years ago after a company president had a heart attack. That experience prompted him to push for more fit and healthy employees, which later evolved into the health and wellness plan.
That’s where Smart came in.
She arrived at SODCL in 2008 and put together a program from scratch.
Smart visits worksites and teaches the stretching program to construction workers.
“This program is about giving employees an awareness about their own bodies,” she said.
Office staff are also involved with the program, but the goal is to get them more active.
“What we have in our office is a wellness break,” said Smart.
Every Monday, after their town hall meeting, staff head to the lunchroom for a 10-15 minute stretching and warm up routine.
“They go back even more productive,” she said.
It’s a way to get people from various departments together and Smart said that the benefits go beyond just the physical.
“It gets them out and socializing,” she said. “It’s great for team building.”
The company is currently working on quantifying the benefits of the health and wellness plan.
“There is no evidence that stretching will help your employees,” she said.
“But, our employees are seeing a difference.”
There is an important difference between static and dynamic stretching.
Dynamic stretching is more about warming up the muscles and preparing them for activity. Proper warm up has been proven to reduce injuries.
This is what they focus on.
“We do micro-stretching,” she explained. “It warms up the muscles.”
Daily site stretching is mandatory and the office program is strongly encouraged.
“Our MSI (musculoskeletal injuries) have dropped dramatically across the country,” said Billey. “Our long-term injury claims are dropping.”
Office staff have other opportunities to improve their health.
Each week, an activity is planned.
Depending on the time of year, the activity may be street hockey, trips to the driving range or even a sports day.
There is also a fitness room in the Vancouver office and every Tuesday a yoga class is held.
Employees get an extra 15-20 minutes for lunch if they take part in an activity.
“It’s all about the participation,” Smart said.
In addition, the company will pay 50 per cent of the cost of a gym membership or sports activity, up to $300 per year. They will even help with the cost of setting up home gym equipment.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are dropped off at the office each week to provide a healthy alternative to the doughnuts and junk food sometimes found in an office. The company also hosts wellness clinics on a variety of topics such as nutrition, naturopathy and massage.
Similar clinics are brought to worksites in the form of Lunch and Learns, but these are tailored to the needs of construction crews.
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