Here’s a company that strives to balance safety, health, and wellness and provide total protection for its employees. Today, we’ll look at L.L. Bean’s wellness component.
You probably know L.L. Bean as the label inside your favorite chamois shirt, durable tote bag, or resilient hiking boots. The iconic company has made and sold outdoor apparel and gear for almost 100 years.
Freeport, Maine-based Bean has a long history of concern for its workers and, starting in the 1980s, began to build a world-class protection program.
L.L. Bean’s robust initiatives successfully balance safety, health, and wellness. The program components not only prevent illness and injury, but also save the business a considerable amount of money.
In 1982, the company opened its first fitness center, a relatively new concept at the time. Today, Bean manages 13 on-site fitness rooms; provides over 40 health, education, and activity classes; maintains tobacco-free campuses; and offers safety and health programs that have earned national recognition, including within OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP).
The commitment to worker protection was formalized in 2006, when L.L. Bean added a sixth value to its list of corporate values. The Safe and Healthy Living Core Value reads: We believe healthy people lead fuller, more productive lives. Our employees and other stakeholders should feel their association with L.L. Bean contributes to their health and well-being.
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Prevention Is Key to Health
L.L. Bean has a historic commitment to worker health. The embodiment of that commitment is an array of services delivered primarily through on-site clinics. According to Occupational Health Manager Rachael White, the clinics are staffed by occupational health nurses who will assess an employee to determine whether the condition is job related. The nurse administers treatment or refers the individual for further evaluation.
Employees like the convenience of the clinics, and the company likes the cost savings.
White says L.L. Bean saves money when employees can be treated by on-site providers rather than by entering the workers’ compensation system. The clinic nurses tour Bean facilities each year to become familiar with the specific jobs employees perform. A database that contains the physical demands of each position is maintained for their use. If an employee needs to be seen at another facility, clinic staff monitors the situation with an eye to returning the employee to work as soon as possible.
Another high-value health strategy is the Post-Offer Health Inquiry (POHI). This is an assessment of the physical capabilities of individuals who have been offered a job at L.L. Bean. The idea, says White, is to prevent future injuries by determining in advance if a person is well-suited to a particular job or if it requires too much standing, lifting, etc. A staff nurse screens new employees to determine their capability against the requirements of the jobs they’ve been hired to do.
During the session, employees can ask for an accommodation required for a medical condition. (For example, an employee with diabetes might need the nurse to intervene with a supervisor to provide time for the employee to monitor blood sugar several times a day.) If the nurse is concerned about the physical demands of a position, she will recommend a more in-depth exam to identify any needed work restrictions. If it is determined that the individual cannot perform the job, every attempt is made to find a less demanding opening.
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Focus on Good Ergonomics
Repetitive motion is the primary risk factor for employees, and L.L. Bean works on several levels to prevent ergonomic injuries. Throughout the company, a stretch-break program is in place. In these 5-minute sessions (about two a day depending on the site), volunteer employee leaders help co-workers perform stretches appropriate for their jobs.
Bean also trains a corps of volunteer employees—Safety Ergonomics Representatives—to perform ergonomic evaluations at the request of employees. The assessment includes adjusting workstations properly and identifying potential ergonomic risk factors.
Tune in tomorrow for more on L.L. Bean’s wellness programs and more about BLR’s 7-Minute Safety Trainer, a remarkable safety program that can help you ensure both worker wellness and safety in your organization.
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