Davey Tree Flipbooks

8 THE DAVEY BULLETIN | May/June 2024 SAFETY EMPLOYEE WELLNESS IS FOCUS OF GROWING 'INDUSTRIAL ATHLETE' APPROACH TO DAILY WORK OF DAVEY CREWS Davey work can be physically strenuous, which is why new preventative programs are being developed to improve how Davey employees work by refining physical movements, reducing soft-tissue injuries and offering education on how to properly apply self-care for the general aches and pains that can come with the job. NOT JUST ARBORISTS, BUT ATHLETES "The biggest component of this initiative is creating cultural change," said Jason Sakihara, Industrial Athlete Program (IAP) manager, Davey Tree Surgery Company. "We are trying to get our employees to see themselves as industrial athletes, so they are more willing and interested in investing in their body as the tool with which they perform their work." In 2018 the Surgery Company started development of the IAP, which involved crew observations, analyses of ergonomics, and reviewing other components of Davey work. That initial review determined there were better ways to perform certain tasks to put less stress on employees' bodies in order to try and prevent injuries – and keep employees out of their doctor's office. Ongoing expansion of the program led to implementation of the Industrial Injury Prevention Specialists (IIPS), who provide coaching to Davey employees on how to perform their work to avoid causing an injury. An IIPS can provide first-aid and self-care instructions for employees dealing with work-related discomforts, again, all with the company's core value of safety in mind – we protect and care for each other. When an injury does occur, if it does not require referral to a doctor, the IIPS can provide first-aid by taping a muscle or joint. If the injury is not work related, they can generally offer education and training in a health coach or mentor type of role. In the past year, Sakihara and his team have expanded their operation, which included onboarding Bailey Evers as the now lead IIPS. The program continues to grow with expansion from Davey operations on the Central Coast of California to crews in the San Francisco peninsula and on the SoCal Edison account. "Bailey is helping develop our preventative actions approach, which is what we're working on right now," Sakihara said. "Bailey and I come from a background of physical therapy, athletics, and working with our military service members. We're trying to do more preventive work on the front-end to get ahead of potential injuries as opposed to waiting to deal with them from a responsive standpoint." Sakihara said they are conducting movement assessments to offer employees individually tailored preventative programs which address each individual's movement quality and style. They are also analyzing climbing, pruning and equipment-use motions to develop training programs for various roles within Davey. "We want the culture to get to the point where employees see self-maintenance as the norm," he said. "We are trying to get our employees to see themselves in an athletic capacity." Davey Tree Surgery Company employees are pictured following the updated stretching program.

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