ISE Industry Talk Series: Dr. Rammohan (Ram) Maikala

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MSD Solutions Index: An Organizational-Level Benchmarking Tool for Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)

Dr. Rammohan (Ram) Maikala, PhD, ASP, FHFES

ABSTRACT:
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) continue to be the most pervasive workplace injury worldwide. Research and injury surveillance data, from the International Labour Organization, European Statistics on Accidents at Work, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, and the National Safety Council’s Injury Facts®, consistently highlight the critical need to address MSDs. While organizations commonly use qualitative and quantitative assessments of work, workers, and the work environment to identify MSD risks, organizational commitment and accountability for preventing these injuries remain in their infancy.
To accelerate progress, the National Safety Council (NSC) created a unique MSD Pledge to encourage organizations to challenge themselves and take measurable action toward reducing MSDs. Supporting this effort, the NSC developed the MSD Solutions Index, a first-of-its-kind survey-based tool designed to evaluate MSD risk factors within the workplace and hold employers accountable for meaningful prevention. Completing it annually reinforces accountability for organizations that have made the MSD Pledge, enabling them to track progress, benchmark against similar organizations, and strengthen their safety metrics over time.
The presentation will explore how the MSD Solutions Index enhances organizational accountability, strengthens MSD prevention strategies, and advances workplace safety on a national scale.

BIO:
Dr. Ram Maikala is a Subject Matter Expert and Program Technical Consultant at the National Safety Council’s MSD Solutions Lab, where he has been leading innovative efforts to advance workplace ergonomics and prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) since November 2021. The Lab focuses on transforming workplace injury prevention through data-driven strategies, collaborative partnerships, and frontline engagement.
Ram currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Ergonomics in Design. He was inducted as a Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) in 2023 and was named a Science Policy Fellow by HFES in 2022.
Ram holds a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Alberta, Canada, an M.S. in Industrial Engineering with a specialization in Ergonomics and Safety Engineering from West Virginia University, US, and a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University, India.