Colgate-Palmolive

Michael Lonorgan, EOH&S Manager

I think it adapts it to any sort of organisation – it can be introduced into any sort of workforce.

My main objective was to reduce musculoskeletal injuries as best we can. We need to change and improve the culture of how people move day to day.

Normally, with a lot of trainers, they come in, they have a presentation, they go through slides. Move 4 Life introduced some different options to Colgate and then we started using them.

A local GP that we use to conduct the annual medicals gave me some constructive feedback on how flexible our workforce has been. In all the workplaces that she manages, this is the first workplace where she’s seen so much improvement in the flexibility of the employees.

The employees were telling us that this program works, and my journey was to implement this and make sure that it was going to be successful.

We had a 98% success rate with the feedback, with how well the program was delivered and was this going to be any benefit to the people in the plant, but also the moves that we learned, you can apply these at home as well and share it with your family and friends.

It’s a change. It’s a change in culture, it’s a change in how we do things, but over time I’ve really seen the improvements.

We’ve seen a significant improvement and also a reduction of over 60% in our strain and sprain injuries on the site.

It doesn’t matter what sort of organisation you are, Colgate-Palmolive, we manufacture, also we’ve got sales teams, and I think it adapts to any sort of organisation. It’s not just for manufacturing. I think it can be introduced into any sort of workforce.

I’m very passionate about the program because I’m 100% confident that it works and it works extremely well.

Tony Geros, Production Team Member

We do our Move 4 Life 60-second Investment every morning before we start our shift. Everyone can do it. It’s not difficult, it’s not time-consuming, and just that small period of time for Move 4 Life a day helps a lot in the long-term.

It makes it easier for me to perform my physical job here at Colgate and at home when I’m doing other things, and socially as well.

As you get older it gets harder, but being just a bit more flexible in what you’re doing day to day help you just be fitter and be able to recover quicker.

Gerard Brownrigg, Team Leader

Most people are sitting or standing throughout their working day so to have tips on how to manage it better, it’s got to be a positive. The guys are putting what they’ve learned into practice in the way they’re lifting, in the way they’re moving.

Our injury rate, musculoskeletal injuries, have reduced significantly. I think we’ve got that increased awareness here out on the floor. Just the small things like the fish wings and some different moves, they really, really help them out on the floor.

It’s really, really impressive. It gives the guys a bit more of appreciation of how the company thinks and appreciates them and cares about them to try and reduce those injuries. Sure the company would benefit from that, but certainly it’s a personal benefit as well.