ITASCA, Ill. – The National Safety Council MSD Solutions Lab is proud to announce a new collaboration with Safetytech Accelerator, the first fully dedicated technology accelerator focused on safety and risk in industrial sectors, with a mission to make the world safer and more sustainable through wider adoption of technology. Together, Safetytech Accelerator and the MSD Solutions Lab will design, build and run an open innovation lab to help facilitate the development of next generation MSD prevention technology and create safer workplaces.
The Size of the Challenge
MSDs – such as tendonitis, back strains and sprains, and carpal tunnel syndrome – are complex ailments resulting from exposures to repetitive movements, awkward or static postures and forceful exertions. They’re pervasive, affecting nearly one-quarter of the global population and representing the leading cause of disability and limitations to gainful employment among workers.
In addition to the human toll and cost to workers themselves, MSDs present significant challenges to businesses. Thirty percent of unwanted days away from work are due to MSDs, totalling approximately $20 billion in costs to employers a year in the U.S.
Tackling the Largest Category of Workplace Injury
In June 2021, NSC, America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate, set out to tackle this widespread issue of MSDs by engaging key stakeholders, conducting research, identifying new technology, sharing innovative solutions and scaling the results so all workplaces can benefit. The collaboration with Safetytech Accelerator represents one of several initiatives launched this year by the MSD Solutions Lab to prevent MSDs before they start and provides individuals and organizations alike with the opportunity to develop and share cutting-edge solutions and technology to eliminate work-related MSDs. The best tech solutions to emerge from the innovation lab will be spotlighted at the 2022 NSC Safety Congress and Expo in September.
“MSDs know no boundaries and pose a risk to workers in every industry and business worldwide, which is why ongoing global collaboration is a crucial component of solving this omnipresent safety challenge,” said Corinne Towler, director, MSD Solutions Lab, NSC. “Safetytech Accelerator is a long-time leader in advocating for and implementing next-generation safety solutions across a spectrum of high-risk sectors, and we are excited to team with them and further our mission of helping workers everywhere live their safest, fullest lives on and off the clock.”
Dr. Maurizio Pilu, managing director at Safetytech Accelerator, said “we are delighted to continue our partnership with NSC. By working with the MSD Solutions Lab and National Safety Council leadership and their expansive network of safety experts, we hope to advance a practical understanding of how safety technologies can make a difference and create opportunities for entrepreneurs in developing and refining their solutions for real world use cases.”
This collaboration follows a recent collaboration between Safetytech Accelerator and the National Safety Council where the organizations piloted a program to help employers trial and adopt safety technology to save lives.
Get Involved
Safetytech Accelerator is a proud supporter of the MSD Pledge, a first-of-its-kind global initiative led by the MSD Solutions Lab to create safer outcomes for millions of workers worldwide and reduce MSDs by 25% by 2025. Underscoring the organization’s commitment to making the world safer and more sustainable through technology, Safetytech Accelerator invites companies and organizations to join a growing community of employers committed to sharing solutions and cutting-edge insights to enhance the wellbeing of workers, gain access to free tools, events and training, strengthen safety culture and be able to assess progress.
Watch this space to find out about our open innovation lab for this collaboration.
About MSD Solutions Lab
Created by the National Safety Council, the MSD Solutions Lab is a first-of-its-kind strategic initiative to address MSD risk prevention by engaging key stakeholders, conducting research, identifying new technology, innovating solutions and scaling the results so all workplaces can benefit.
About Safetytech Accelerator
Safetytech Accelerator is a non-profit established by Lloyd’s Register and the Lloyd’s Register Foundation. It is the first fully dedicated technology accelerator focused on safety and risk in industrial sectors, with a mission to make the world safer and more sustainable through wider adoption of technology.
