AURORA, Ontario – Magna International has received the Ergonomic Innovation Award today from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA). The award was presented at the Magna Mirrors facility in Newaygo, Mich., which played an instrumental role as the lead inspection site for MIOSHA's award review and assessment period.
 
Magna received the award for implementing a continuous-improvement ergonomics program across all of its North American facilities, including 14 Magna manufacturing facilities within the state of Michigan. The ergonomic improvements help employees work safely without exposure to awkward postures, excessive forces and harmful repetitive motion.
 
Magna has long demonstrated a strong commitment to providing a safe and healthy work environment. It introduced its systematic Ergonomics Program across all North American facilities in 2007. The program includes five measureable categories: 1) support infrastructure, 2) analysis and prioritization, 3) implementation and risk reduction, 4) proactive ergonomics and 5) metrics and communication. Each category has five to six criteria elements that outline the specific requirements of each plant, which includes an ergonomics committee with representatives from all levels of the manufacturing organization.
 
"Magna's Ergonomics Program is a consistent, systematic and robust program to identify and help reduce ergonomic risk in our manufacturing facilities," said Marc Neeb, executive vice president of human resources, Magna International. "The program has unquestionably been positive for our organization and specifically our employees through benefits such as reduced injuries and increased productivity and quality."