The global confectionary giant dramatically slashed employee accident rates in just over three years at its UK manufacturing base in Slough, UK, using scientific principles perfected for more than a century by world-leading Olympic weightlifters.
“Manual handling injuries were a serious concern – not just in terms of downtime but to the wellbeing of our employees and their families. In less than four years we have seen behavioural changes inspired by Pristine Condition result in a reduction of manual handling injury rates by 50 per cent after the first year, 70 per cent in year two and zero per cent in 2016” said Louisa Mead, HSE Advisor, MARS Chocolate.
Pristine Condition CEO Davy Snowdon, recently delivered a keynote speech at the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) annual conference in Monaco to explain how he is employing scientifically-proven weightlifting principles to reduce injuries in the workplace and home.
At the IOC conference in Monte Carlo, the world’s leading professors, doctors and sports and conditioning scientists heard how Davy Snowdon and Pristine Condition are helping create changes in behaviour that not only improve health and wellbeing in the workplace – but also for society as a whole.
Snowdon highlighted to the IOC how the science of Olympic weightlifting is making a major contribution to national health and wellbeing around the globe. He said: “An anatomical, mechanical and scientifically proven system of the perfect technique of lifting weights has been successfully implemented by Olympians for many years.”
Snowdon added: “What we do is transfer these Olympic principles to commercial industry. The results have been unprecedented and – in the case of MARS Chocolate – completely eradicating manual handling accidents and injuries. Among other benefits, this approach has had significant positive implications in the general community through reduced strain on doctors and health services. While we guarantee a 50 per cent reduction in workplace injuries, a majority of the organsiations we work with achieve far greater reduction rates using proven Olympic techniques.”
Mars signed Pristine Condition – the Henley-based global leader in health and safety and manual handling techniques – in 2013 to create a bespoke training program to address manual handling incidents at its UK manufacturing headquarters. As a result, MARS realised a 100 per cent injury-free period in 2016 among its workforce.
Founded in 1996, Pristine Condition International for the first time ever adapted the principles of Olympic weightlifting to benefit commercial industry and the wellbeing of society at large. Pristine Condition delivers scientifically-proven, practical and sustainable health & safety programmes to a global client base of more than 2,000 blue chip companies across almost every industry sector.
The company founder and CEO, Davy Snowdon MBE, is a former Weightlifting World Record holder, conditioning expert for the Olympic Federation covering all sports for two Olympic Games, a former National and staff coach for the British Weightlifting Team and lecturer for many governing bodies.