Case Study
Covia Eliminates Reportable Ergonomic Injuries with SoterCoach
How a leading industrial minerals company achieved zero ergonomic injuries through wearable technology
About Covia
Covia is a leading provider of diversified mineral-based and material solutions, serving customers across industrial, energy, and consumer markets. With operations spanning multiple states and thousands of employees, Covia's facilities involve heavy industrial work including mining, processing, packaging, and distribution of industrial minerals.
The physical demands of Covia's operations—repetitive lifting, awkward postures, and manual material handling—created significant ergonomic risks for workers. Committed to industry-leading safety standards, Covia sought innovative solutions to protect their workforce.
The Challenge
Despite strong safety programs and regular training, Covia faced persistent challenges with musculoskeletal disorders:
- Recurring injuries: Workers in processing and packaging roles experienced frequent back, shoulder, and wrist injuries from repetitive tasks
- High workers' compensation costs: Ergonomic injuries accounted for over 40% of total workers' comp claims, costing hundreds of thousands annually
- Training gaps: Traditional classroom safety training wasn't translating into sustained behavior change on the production floor
- Limited visibility: Supervisors couldn't observe every worker movement, making it difficult to identify and correct risky behaviors before injuries occurred
- Production pressure: During high-volume periods, workers often reverted to risky movement patterns to meet deadlines
Covia needed a solution that could provide continuous monitoring and real-time intervention to prevent injuries at the source, not just respond after they happened.
The Solution: Real-Time Ergonomic Monitoring
Covia implemented SoterCoach wearable technology to provide workers with immediate feedback on their body movements and postures. The comprehensive implementation strategy included:
Wearable Technology Deployment
Workers wore lightweight SoterCoach devices clipped to their belts during shifts. The devices monitored spine, shoulder, and hip movements, providing gentle vibration alerts when high-risk postures or movements were detected. This immediate feedback allowed workers to self-correct before injuries could develop.
Data-Driven Insights
Management accessed a comprehensive dashboard showing aggregated movement data across teams and shifts. This visibility enabled them to identify high-risk tasks, problematic workstations, and areas needing process improvements or engineering controls.
Coaching & Engagement
Supervisors conducted weekly coaching sessions using individual and team data. Rather than punitive measures, the focus was on positive reinforcement, celebrating improvements, and collaborative problem-solving to address ergonomic challenges.
Process Optimization
Covia used the data to redesign workflows, adjust equipment heights, implement mechanical assists, and modify packaging processes. These systemic changes addressed root causes rather than just treating symptoms.
The combination of real-time worker feedback and management insights created a comprehensive approach to injury prevention that addressed both individual behaviors and systemic risk factors.
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The Impact: Zero Reportable Ergonomic Injuries
The implementation of SoterCoach at Covia delivered exceptional, measurable results:
Safety Achievements
- • Zero reportable ergonomic injuries
- • 71% reduction in high-risk movements
- • 83% decrease in near-miss incidents
- • 89% reduction in discomfort reports
Financial Benefits
- • $380,000+ annual cost savings
- • 94% reduction in ergonomic claims
- • ROI achieved in 7 months
- • Lower insurance premiums
Behavioral Improvements
- • 76% improvement in lifting posture
- • 68% reduction in twisting movements
- • 91% employee engagement rate
- • Sustained improvements over 18+ months
Operational Impact
- • Improved worker morale and satisfaction
- • Reduced absenteeism by 34%
- • Enhanced productivity metrics
- • Better employee retention
Most remarkably, Covia achieved and maintained zero reportable ergonomic injuries—a milestone that seemed impossible before implementing SoterCoach. This achievement represents not just a statistical improvement, but a fundamental transformation in how the company approaches workplace safety.
Employee Perspectives
"I've been in this industry for 20 years and always dealt with back pain. After using SoterCoach for just a few weeks, I noticed I was moving differently—bending my knees more, keeping my back straight. The pain is gone and I feel like I can work another 20 years."
— Production Operator, Covia Processing Facility
"The data showed us that one of our packaging lines was causing workers to twist repeatedly. We redesigned the layout and saw immediate improvements. SoterCoach gave us the evidence we needed to justify the investment in better equipment."
— Operations Manager, Covia
"At first I thought it would be annoying to wear a device all day, but you forget it's even there. When it vibrates, it's just a gentle reminder to adjust how I'm moving. It's like having a safety coach with me all the time."
— Warehouse Associate, Covia Distribution Center
Long-Term Success & Cultural Transformation
Eighteen months after implementation, Covia continues to maintain zero reportable ergonomic injuries. The technology has become embedded in their safety culture, with workers viewing the devices as essential protective equipment—no different from hard hats or safety glasses.
New employees receive SoterCoach training during orientation, and the data is regularly reviewed in safety committee meetings. The success has inspired Covia to expand the program to additional facilities and explore applications in other high-risk areas of their operations.
"SoterCoach has fundamentally changed our approach to ergonomic safety," says Covia's Director of Safety. "We've proven that with the right technology and commitment, ergonomic injuries don't have to be an inevitable cost of doing business. They can be prevented entirely."
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