The National Safety Council awarded $300,000 to the 2025-2026 Research to Solutions (R2S) and MSD Solutions Pilot Grant recipients, bringing the total investment in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) prevention to nearly $850,000 over three years.
 
The grants support academic research and workplace pilot programs through the NSC MSD Solutions Lab, established in 2021 with funding from Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN). The programs focus on preventing musculoskeletal disorders, the most common workplace injury in America.
 
This year’s awardees were announced during the Workplace Safety Summit: Innovation to Application, held during National Safety Month. The event spotlighted pioneering research and innovative strategies to mitigate MSDs. The lab also celebrated the third anniversary of its signature MSD Pledge initiative, which now includes nearly 250 organizations representing 3 million employees worldwide.   

“Each year, the MSD Solutions Lab grants spark innovative thinking and fresh solutions to one of the most pressing workplace challenges,” said Katherine Mendoza, senior director of workplace safety programs at NSC. “This year’s recipients exemplify the kind of bold, actionable ideas needed to create safer working environments.”
 
 The R2S grant supports academic institutions researching MSD interventions. Each selected project receives up to $50,000 to explore areas such as emerging technologies, risk-prone job tasks, MSD management systems and total worker wellbeing. This year’s recipients include:

• University of Waterloo, a second-time grant recipient, will use innovative MSD risk assessment tools to better leverage data from emerging technologies
• Auburn University will test a new plant-layout organizational tool for MSD control and mitigation
• Texas Tech University will assess 3D printed head and neck rests for reduced discomfort during overhead work
• George Mason University will develop smartphone computer vision technology for real-time movement assessment to prevent MSDs in emergency responders

The MSD Solutions Pilot Grant supports the trial of safety innovations through partnerships between MSD Pledge members and leading technology providers. Each recipient receives $20,000 to implement and evaluate promising solutions aimed at reducing MSD risks. This year’s recipients include:

• dormakaba will partner with DORN to train employees in MSD risk reduction best practices to improve overall wellness
• Cargill will work with MākuSafe to explore how technology can be used to create risk profiles and provide early hazard identification 
• Panduit will team with Stroma Vision to help reduce upper extremity MSD risks in cable management and electrical connectivity manufacturing operations
• Northwell will collaborate with Hapo to validate the benefits of a “surgeon exoskeleton” in reducing upper limb strain during long, complex surgical procedures
• US Foods will use IntelliSafe Analytics to identify lifting stress incidents at manufacturing facilities and delivery sites 

This year’s grant recipients will have the opportunity to present their findings at the 2026 NSC Safety Congress & Expo. For more information about the MSD Solutions Lab and grant programs, visit nsc.org/msd.