Experi-metal Inc.

At EMI, we take the preventative measures to help our employees avoid excess strain and sprain while in the workplace; however, a slight move in the wrong direction may cause an unplanned strain to your body. According to the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL), “strains and sprains are caused by excessive reaching, bending, lifting, gripping, squatting, or twisting of hands, shoulders or body.” While working in the manufacturing industry, workplace related strains and sprains can occur due to the work involved or a lack of physical exercise and stretching as a vital part of overall wellness.

But, what is the difference between a strain and sprain? A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon, which can be caused due to overstretching a muscle or tendon, and can be the result of a partial or complete tear. On the other hand, a sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament of one or more ligaments. The severity of the injury will depend on the extent of the injury itself, and the number of ligaments involved.

To help avoid excess strain and sprain, proper stretching is required. When stretching, it’s important to know your limitations and to not overstretch any part of the body. If you start to feel tension, don’t push yourself to try and stretch further since this will put you at a higher risk of tearing a muscle. Additionally, if an object it too heavy to lift by yourself and can be broken down into smaller parts, break it down or  ask for help.  Always lift from the knees and never from your back.

All EMI employees are encouraged to work safely and stay healthy. We take pride in our work and look out for the safety of all of our employees. To learn more about Experi-Metal Inc. and our employees, please contact us.

On Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, Experi-Metal Inc. (EMI) was excited to host its annual blood drive for The American Red Cross. Each year EMI looks to engage and give back to the community through voluntary efforts and donations. Our employees are passionate about helping build a stronger community and look to help those in need. This is one of the many reasons why we’ve made our blood drive a bi-annual event.

We are pleased to announce that over 30 of our employees signed up, and 24 were able to donate. Since each blood donor can save three lives, Experi-metal was able to help out 72 individuals.

Did you know that more than 38,000 blood donations are needed each day? Have you considered donating? To find out more about eligibility requirements, click here.  If you are eligible, please consider donating your blood to help others.  To find a blood drive near you, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation.

As many start the New Year with a resolution to lose weight, the EMI family has come together in a team building exercise by joining Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers has teamed up with EMI and recruited 15 members to commit to making a positive and healthy lifestyle change during 2012.  EMI has announced that 2012 will be the year of “Employee Health and Wellness.”  We are offering 20% insurance co-pay discounts to employees who get a flu shot and biometric testing, refrain from tobacco usage, attend quarterly lunch-and-learn sessions and maintain a healthy lifestyle.  The Weight Watchers program is another example of how EMI encourages employees to work hard and motivate each other to be the best they can be.

Weight Watchers is a weight loss program that is based on a points system.  Depending on the member’s height, weight, and age, he/she will be given a point target to hit each day.  EMI was appointed a Weight Watchers representative, and she visits our facility every Monday afternoon to weigh in and counsel each member.  Following the weigh in, she holds a meeting where members can ask questions, share recipes, success stories, etc.

Our team is off to an amazing start! After just two weigh-ins, the 15 members have lost a TOTAL of 117 pounds! We are excited for our team members participating in this program and encourage them every day to stay strong.  EMI believes that improved health and wellness is a goal we can all make strides toward during 2012.