As part of our ongoing efforts to improve team member health and safety, Valvoline introduced a tool in 2022 to reduce ergonomic injuries in the workplace. Data captured within VTrac, Valvoline’s EHS database, indicated that approximately 70 percent of our recordable injuries over the last few years were related to ergonomic issues, or the position that a team member’s body was in when the injury occurred. Many of these injuries occurred while lifting, pulling, bending or twisting. Partnering with Soter Analytics, a worldwide leader in safety technology solutions, Valvoline implemented a program that uses videos to record work activities that have a higher risk for ergonomic injury. The tool then uses artificial intelligence to assess each video and flags the body parts that are under the greatest stress, and at the greatest risk for injury during certain work activities. The results provide us with information that is evaluated in order to make changes to the work activity or workplace to reduce those risks. Over 300 videos were recorded at our manufacturing, warehousing and distribution facilities around the world. Results are being compiled and recommendations for improvements are being made both at the site-specific level as well as across all sites that may have similar high-risk tasks. “After” videos are then taken to qualitatively assess the improvement (reduced risk) of implemented changes to those work activities. Valvoline expects to significantly reduce the stresses, strains and ergonomic injuries as we continue to implement the program over time.

Below: The Soter Analytics tool provides a visual display that highlights, in red, the areas of the body that are subject to the highest stresses, and consequently, the highest risk of injury, while performing a work activity. After the results are evaluated, changes can be made to the work activity and/or workplace to reduce the ergonomic stress and risk for injury, as shown by the green display from the “after” videos.