National Safety Council report shows progress in safety cultures, gaps in risk reduction and innovation WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Safety Council released the 2024-2025 MSD Solutions Index Pledge Community Report, highlighting efforts to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), the most common workplace injury. Now in its third year, the MSD Solutions Index shows steady progress in strengthening safety culture but calls for greater investment in risk reduction and innovation. De ...

Core Insights - The National Safety Council (NSC) awarded $300,000 in grants for the 2025-2026 Research to Solutions (R2S) and MSD Solutions Pilot programs, totaling nearly $850,000 invested in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) prevention over three years [1][2] Group 1: Grant Programs - The grants support academic research and workplace pilot programs through the NSC MSD Solutions Lab, which was established in 2021 with funding from Amazon [2][6] - The R2S grant provides up to $50,000 for academic institutions to explore innovative MSD interventions, focusing on areas like emerging technologies and total worker wellbeing [4][5] - The MSD Solutions Pilot Grant offers $20,000 to trial safety innovations through partnerships between MSD Pledge members and technology providers [5][7] Group 2: Awardees and Projects - University of Waterloo will utilize innovative MSD risk assessment tools leveraging data from emerging technologies [7] - Auburn University plans to test a new plant-layout organizational tool for MSD control [7] - Texas Tech University will assess 3D printed head and neck rests to reduce discomfort during overhead work [7] - George Mason University aims to develop smartphone computer vision technology for real-time movement assessment to prevent MSDs in emergency responders [7] - Cargill will collaborate with MākuSafe to explore technology for risk profiling and early hazard identification [7] - Northwell will validate the benefits of a "surgeon exoskeleton" in reducing upper limb strain during complex surgical procedures [7]

Core Insights - The MSD Solutions Lab, established by the National Safety Council (NSC) in 2021 with funding from Amazon, aims to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) through innovative research and pilot programs [2][4] - The 2023-2024 MSD Solutions Lab Research to Solutions (R2S) and Pilot Grant programs have shown measurable progress in addressing MSDs, which are the most common workplace injuries [1][3] Funding and Grants - Nearly $850,000 has been awarded by NSC in the third grant cycle, including $275,000 to nine organizations during the inaugural 2023-2024 cycle [2] - The MSD Solutions Pilot Grant program supported various companies, including Amerisure Insurance and General Electric Aerospace, in applying emerging technologies to manual materials handling [3] Technological Innovations - The pilot programs involved trials with HeroWear, an exosuit developer, and TuMeke Ergonomics, which utilizes computer vision to detect risky postures [3][6] - Rutgers University developed an AI-based image captioning tool for real-time ergonomic risk identification, while Iowa State University created a predictive model for shoulder MSD hazards [6] Industry Collaboration - The initiative emphasizes collaboration across industries to effectively address MSDs through strategic investment and innovative thinking [4] - NSC's efforts include providing data-backed insights on emerging safety technologies to reduce ergonomic risks [4]