NSC Reaches 200 Signatures on Its MSD Pledge, Awards Nearly $265,000 in Grants
The participating organizations represent nearly 2.9 million employees worldwide.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jun 18, 2024
The National Safety Council (NSC) has marked a significant milestone in its efforts to combat workplace musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) by surpassing 200 signatures on its MSD Pledge.
According to a recent release, the 200 organizations now part of this initiative—which initially launched in June 2022—represent nearly 2.9 million employees worldwide. NSC also awarded nearly $265,000 in grant funding to advance research and innovation focusing on MSDs, reportedly the most common workplace injury in the United States.
To mark this achievement, the MSD Solutions Lab—established in 2021 with funding from Amazon—hosted its third annual Workplace Safety Summit. Keynote speaker Julia Abate from North Carolina State University highlighted the summit, which featured discussions with MSD Pledge members and 2023-2024 grant recipient Rutgers University.
“At NSC, we believe every employee deserves to work in an environment where their safety is valued, and risks and injuries are minimized. The MSD Solutions Lab addresses the critical toll MSDs take on people and businesses, and I’m incredibly proud of the progress we have made in just three years,” NSC president and CEO Lorraine Martin said in a statement. “Between growing the MSD Pledge to more than 200 committed organizations and awarding grants to some of the nation’s top innovators, we are one step closer to helping workers everywhere lead healthier, fuller, MSD-free lives.”
Part of the 2024-2025 Research to Solutions (R2S) and MSD Solutions Pilot Grant programs, the grants were awarded to nine organizations. These include R2S grants of $50,000 each to Virginia Tech, North Carolina State University and Oregon State University and Pilot Grants to projects involving Ocean Spray Cranberries, Wonderbrands and Superior Tube Products.
Each Pilot Grant recipient will have an opportunity to present its findings at an NSC event sometime in 2025. The inaugural recipients will share their research at the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo in Orlando. More information on the NSC’s efforts are available online.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.