Vol6 Issue2 - March.pdf Apr. 2014 | Page 36

H E A LT H Other Services for Client Companies INJURY CARE: Workers get emergency care for many types of injuries from skilled physicians at the Sycamore office. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH: Workers Dr. Patrick Gannon, DO, FACOEP them how to prevent it from happening again, especially repetitive-use injuries.” However, many injuries are avoidable if employers anticipate dangers and plan ahead. Kishwaukee Corporate Health at MOI’s on-site job analysis service and pre-lift work tests determine the physical stresses – lifting, bending, stretching, and climbing stairs – a potential employee might encounter doing a certain job. Y ou already may know that Kishwaukee Corporate Health and Midwest Orthopaedic Institute have teamed up to treat the illnesses and injuries of local business employees. But did you know they bring comprehensive safety and wellness education, as well as on-site job analysis, right to the comfort of your own workplace? New on-site classes encourage workers to make healthy changes at home and smart decisions at work with advice on everything from eating properly to handling physically demanding tasks safely. Dr. Patrick Gannon, DO, FACOEP, can attest to the damage workplace hazards cause. He listed some conditions he treats at Kishwaukee Corporate Health at MOI’s offices in Sycamore. “We see a variety: back, neck, extremity, and eye injuries; muscle tears, lacerations, burns, and fractures.” Some injuries occur over time. “We also deal with long-term injuries, such as hearing loss, and we do monitoring for respiratory issues such as exposure to asbestos or for 36 silicosis. There are repetitive-use injuries: for example, repetitive gripping, lifting, and twisting of the wrist,” Dr. Gannon said. Brent Huff, industrial certified athletic trainer for Kishwaukee Corporate Health at MOI, travels to businesses to train workers how they can avoid these injuries. “I do on-site presentations about nutrition, lifting techniques, strength and conditioning, anything safety-oriented. We can modify the presentations to anything the company would like...We come to you. You don’t have to leave work.” Huff’s presentations have been well-received by Sycamore’s city workers, said Sue Willey, the city’s human resources director. Huff has covered nutrition, safe lifting techniques, defibrillator use, and precautions for winter weather – avoiding dehydration and frostbite – with the people who keep Sycamore safe. “We always need back-stretching exercises,” Willey said. “The firefighters and EMTs do especially. They do a lot of lifting, for instance, getting heavy cots into the ambulance.” It would seem heavy lifting and moving machinery would pose the greatest threat, but sitting very still for a long time can be detrimental too. Willey explained that Sycamore police officers have taken instruction on how to stay limber sitting in a squad car for long periods of time. They must make adjustments so their guns, batons, and equipment don’t affect their posture and ability to move quickly when they need to. get access to preventative care and help returning to work after an injury. CONVENIENT CARE: Employers, their employees, and dependents 13 years of age and older can get treatment for non-work-related minor illnesses and injuries at the Sycamore office. This private service is not available to the general public, thereby reducing wait times experienced in urgent care settings. Fit-for-duty exams are also available. HEALTH RISK SCREENINGS & IMMUNIZATIONS: Baseline health assessments check body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and blood work, among other tests. Immunizations offered include flu, chicken pox, and others. DRUG TESTING SERVICES: Workers can get testing to meet requirements for certain licenses and policies. WORK CONDITIONING: Supervised reconditioning sessions focused on the physical demands of an individual’s job in preparation for returning the employee to work, safely. Contact Kishwaukee Corporate Health at MOI Visit www.kchatmoi.com or call (815) 754-4882 “In our on-site job analysis, we are able to record the daily physical demands placed on an employee , this allows us to provide realistic physical requirements needed to perform a job safely. From there, we can offer pre-employment lift screens and post-injury lift screens that we expect will increase safety measures for employees and employers.,” Huff said. city also takes advantage of the job analysis service, an important step in preparing for the work of firefighters, police officers, and utility workers, who often bear heavy burdens at work. The City of DeKalb relies on Kishwaukee Corporate Health at MOI’s services for everyone from clerical aides to firefighters. Each requires some form of pre-work drug testing or physical, said Michelle Anderson, the city’s human resources director. The “Our water employees are required to do a lot of lifting, so we do a pre-work lift test,” Anderson said. She explained that careful planning prevents injury, “Especially if they climb ladders or walk over uneven terrain.” 2111 Midlands Court • Sycamore, IL 60178 Job site analyses and wellness presentations benefit employees, but the results affect employers as well. “This program reduces lost time and lost days and helps companies avoid increased insurance premiums and reduced production,” Huff said. Kishwaukee Corporate Health at MOI may extend its on-site services in the near future to include having medical professionals stationed at client companies’ workplaces at