The MEMIC Safety Research Center 2024 – 2025 grant has been awarded to the University of Cincinnati to fund research targeting ergonomic hazards experienced by frontline workers in the healthcare industry. By providing this grant, MEMIC is investing in the future to improve technologies and practices to reduce the frequency of musculoskeletal disorders, debilitating and life-altering injuries, that happen all too often in the healthcare industry.

The Funded Research

The two-year study aims to quantify the body positions of nurses and nursing aids in long-term care facilities over extended shifts by utilizing inertial measurements units (IMUs) and accelerometer sensors. The IMUs will continuously document the posture of the trunk and upper extremities of the subject and will capture any twisted or bent positions. The accelerometer sensors will be used to track the amount of standing, sitting and walking required of these workers during the shift. By corelating the data with activity logs and surveys where the subjects can report discomfort or injuries, the goal is to provide direct causal links to specific high hazard periods and tasks. Another benefit of performing these long duration sampling events is that they are more likely to capture measurements of infrequent, high intensity events such as catching a falling patient. 

The research will be led by Dr. Kermit Davis, Professor and Division Director of Environmental and Industrial Hygiene at the University of Cincinnati, and his team of researchers, Amour Dondi and Dickson Rungere. 

Dr. Davis emphasized the importance of the research: “Long-term care workers are the backbone of our healthcare system, yet they face significant physical demands that often go unmeasured. This grant allows us to bring objective data to the conversation and develop solutions that can make a real difference.” As stated in the research proposal, the employment count in the long-term care sector is expected to grow 10% in the next decade in the United States as a result of the increased aging population. This increase in population is attributed to the baby boomer population and advancements in the medical treatment of chronic complex diseases. 

The Impact of Research Grants

By ensuring that our universities are continuing research on leading edge of workplace safety, MEMIC’s investment in funding university-based research is to ensure that businesses, large and small, have access to ever improving injury prevention tools.

These grants not only support the funded project but also pave the way for future research and innovation. For this year’s grant recipients, the equipment provided by MEMIC is already being earmarked for upcoming studies. Dickson Rungere plans to use the IMU monitors to investigate ergonomic risks faced by automotive mechanics. Meanwhile, Amour Dondi aims to extend the data’s application beyond employee safety, exploring its potential impact on patient safety and fall prevention.

According to Luis Pieretti, founder of the MEMIC Safety Research Center, the partnership of best workplace safety practices from industry with academic institutions will expand the current state of knowledge in pursuit of solutions to workplace injury. Field experience is irreplaceable, but knowledge gathered from sound research will produce actionable knowledge for business owners, their employees, and related stakeholders to reduce physical pain, occupational injuries and illnesses. 

Where to Learn More

Visit our research page to learn more about this research and other studies performed with the assistance of the MEMIC Safety Research Center. Additional information about ongoing research projects can be found at our current and past university recipients’ websites: Oklahoma State University, Illinois State University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

MEMIC research center announcements: 

• MEMIC Safety Research Center Awards $30,000 Grant to University of Cincinnati for Innovative Ergonomic Research in Long-Term Healthcare
• MEMIC Safety Research Center Awards $30,000 Grant to Oklahoma State University for Virtual Reality Safety Research
• MEMIC Safety Research Center Selects Illinois State University Team to Study Wearable Technologies in the Workplace
• MEMIC Grants Indiana University of Pennsylvania $30,000 to Help Reduce Workplace Slips, Trips, Falls
• Spotlight on Safety: MEMIC’s Safety Research Center Program and the Grant Winners

Posted ByAnna Hooper, Safety Management Consultant, CSP, WCP®