Case Study
Dairyworks NZ achieves 42% increase in ENOP reporting and 67% improvement in high-risk shoulder movements with SoterCoach wearable technology
Dairyworks is New Zealand's largest dairy producer, manufacturing a wide range of dairy products including cheese, butter, and cream. With a commitment to quality and safety, Dairyworks employs hundreds of workers across their production facilities who handle thousands of kilograms of dairy products daily.
The company has a strong safety-first culture and is constantly seeking innovative ways to protect their workforce. As a leader in the New Zealand dairy industry, Dairyworks recognized that traditional safety approaches weren't providing the real-time insights needed to prevent musculoskeletal injuries before they occurred.
With workers performing repetitive manual handling tasks throughout their shifts, Dairyworks needed a proactive solution that could identify ergonomic risks, provide immediate feedback, and create lasting behavioral change across their production teams.
Dairyworks faced several interconnected challenges in their production facilities that required a comprehensive technology solution:
"We knew we needed to move beyond traditional safety approaches. Our workers deserved technology that could help them stay safe in real-time, not just tell them what went wrong after the fact."
— Health & Safety Manager, Dairyworks
Dairyworks implemented SoterCoach wearable technology to provide real-time feedback to workers about their movements and postures. The smart wearable devices were deployed across production areas where manual handling tasks were most prevalent, creating a comprehensive safety monitoring system that operated continuously throughout each shift.
Workers wear small, lightweight sensors clipped to their clothing that monitor body movements and postures throughout their shift. The devices are unobtrusive and don't interfere with daily tasks.
When a worker performs a high-risk movement (such as excessive bending, twisting, or reaching), the device provides immediate gentle vibration feedback. This allows workers to self-correct their posture in the moment, preventing cumulative strain.
Management gains access to detailed analytics showing patterns of high-risk movements across different work areas, shifts, and tasks. This data enables targeted ergonomic improvements and helps prioritize safety investments.
The technology creates opportunities for positive coaching conversations between supervisors and workers. Rather than punitive measures, the focus is on collaborative problem-solving and continuous improvement.
The rollout of SoterCoach at Dairyworks was carefully planned to ensure worker buy-in and successful adoption. The implementation included:
"At first, I wasn't sure about wearing a device at work, but once I understood it was there to help me, not watch me, I really appreciated the feedback. Now I can feel when I'm moving in a way that might hurt me later, and I can adjust right away."
— Production Line Worker, Dairyworks
Workers became significantly more engaged in identifying and reporting potential hazards
Dramatic reduction in high-risk shoulder postures and movements
Significant reduction in high-risk spinal movements
While the quantitative results were impressive, the qualitative changes at Dairyworks were equally significant. The implementation of SoterCoach catalyzed a broader transformation in how workers and management approached safety:
One of the most significant aspects of Dairyworks' success with SoterCoach has been the sustainability of the improvements. Unlike many safety initiatives that show initial promise but fade over time, the behavioral changes driven by real-time feedback have proven to be lasting.
Dairyworks has established SoterCoach as a permanent part of their safety infrastructure, with plans to expand the technology to additional production areas and continue leveraging the data for ongoing ergonomic improvements.
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