PORTLAND, Maine, May 2, 2006—USM and MEMIC will host the first annual Northern New England Ergo Symposium on May 17 at the Portland Marriott at Sable Oaks. This new event marks the expanding partnership between USM and MEMIC to reduce workplace injuries through the science of ergonomics.

The symposium tackles what ails workers no matter the workplace: musculoskeletal, or soft tissue, injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, back strains and tendonitis. In Maine, half of the workplace injuries are attributed to this type of injury. Across the U.S., musculoskeletal disorders account for more than 600,000 injuries that result in time away from work.

The dual track format caters to all types of business—construction, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, hospitality, retail, finance and office—and level of ergonomic experience.

By attending, employers will

• learn how other local businesses have successfully used ergonomics to increase production
• discover the latest ergonomics tools
• learn how to keep productivity up and injuries down with an aging workforce
• find out how to sell the bottom line benefits of ergonomics to the boss
• see demonstrations of products by vendors
• plus: easy on the pocket ergo tips, lifting guidelines, how to start a stretch program and more

Among the three keynote speakers is the head of the ergonomics program at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Tom Waters. Waters is recognized internationally as being on the forefront of advancing ergonomics. He will address what is known about preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders and what we’d like to know. Also, speaking are Stephen Jenkins, an ergonomist to Fortune 500 companies, and Sara Burns, CEO for Central Maine Power.

Local business partners assisting in the planning are Barber Foods, Fairchild Semiconductor, Hannaford Brothers, Pratt & Whitney, Southworth and U.S. Health Works.

Registration is required. The fee structure for the symposium provides discounts for MEMIC policyholders and also offers a group discount for three or more attendees from a company.

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About the USM, MEMIC partnership

In 2005, USM and MEMIC launched a partnership to foster safety in the workplace by creating an ergonomics internship program for USM students and a certificate program in ergonomics for non-traditional students. MEMIC also donated a highly sophisticated lumbar motion monitor to the University’s ergonomics laboratory. The tool is used to assess a worker’s risk for injury.

About USM

University of Southern Maine (USM) serves 11,089 students with campuses in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston-Auburn, Maine. A member of the University of Maine System, USM offers nearly 50 undergraduate programs and more than 20 graduate degrees, ranging from musical theater to programs in bioscience.

About MEMIC

Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC), based in Portland, Maine, is Maine's largest and leading workers' compensation insurer, providing coverage to 21,000 Maine employers and their estimated 170,000 employees. The company is rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best. MEMIC is the parent company of MEMIC Indemnity Company, which is licensed to underwrite insurance in a growing number of states across the U.S.