Transcript

Al Buczkowski: Welcome everybody to Radio Free Tenacity, the Voice of Worker Safety. Here today with our friend Alsie Nelson, longtime member of the Ergodyne Innovation Team, and among many other things, she is charged with leading up the development of our Trex Traction Series. Alsie, welcome.


Alsie Nelson: Thank you Al.


Al Buczkowski: I understand we have an exciting new launch in the Trex line.


Alsie Nelson: We do! We are launching an indoor spikeless traction device. I'm very excited about this product launch. We once again partnered with Michelin on working towards a solution for those who are exposed to water/grease hazards. Not specifically indoors, but not specifically outdoors, either.


Al Buczkowski: Got it. So you mentioned that we have partnered with Michelin before, I believe that was on our model 6325 device. So tell me, what the main differences are then between this spikeless, the 6326 and the previous spikeless device, the 6325. For those scoring at home.


Alsie Nelson: That's a very good question. Our first device that we worked on with Michelin was the 6325. That device was a solution for those who were transitioning indoors to outdoors or had exposure to a variety of surfaces where wearing a spiked ice cleat wasn't conducive for them. So thinking specifically, anyone driving machinery or equipment. Those at heights or climbing ladders. Or those moving, like a beverage worker or delivery worker, from an outdoor to an indoor, walking on a ramp.


Alsie Nelson: Right? So the goal was that they could utilize the device in snow and slush and cold conditions, but also wear that device indoors where they had wood floors, linoleum, and they didn't have to remove their device, right? They could easily transition from outdoor to indoor.


Al Buczkowski: Got it. So the 6325 mainly used for traction in wintry conditions, but for folks that are going in and out. So that indoor part of it is more of an added benefit of not having to take the device off or scratching up floors, that sort of thing, or causing another injury as you mentioned.


Alsie Nelson: Yes, correct. Yes.


Al Buczkowski: So then with the 6326, you mentioned not 100% for indoors, but mainly for indoors, right?


Alsie Nelson: Yep. So the goal as we were looking at the product line, we have a variety of outdoor specific devices that are spiked. We now have a transitional device that we just mentioned. We really needed to find a solution for those who were exposed to water, grease and oils or soaps in an indoor setting. And again, I mentioned it could be indoor or outdoor.


Alsie Nelson: So I'll talk a little bit about maybe the applications to which they can be worn.


Al Buczkowski: Yeah, that'd be great.


Alsie Nelson: You have home and garden centers, right? So they have exposure to water typically on concrete. Car washes where there's soap exposure, sometimes on concrete, sometimes on linoleum.


Al Buczkowski: And those are kind of indoor/outdoor hybrid, right? With the garden center and car washes, you can find yourself inside and outside.


Alsie Nelson: Yes, precisely. Yeah. But then on the indoor specific side of things, you have food processing, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution. Whether you're in, as grotesque as it can sound, a slaughterhouse, right? Where there's exposure to different types of fluids. We had the opportunity to work with a variety of different end users and many of the applications I just mentioned to ensure that what we were developing not only worked for them but worked better than what they had been using previously.


Al Buczkowski: Okay. And what they've been using previously was either a device like this or kind of just your typical slip resistant boot, I'm assuming?


Alsie Nelson: Often it was just their own shoe or work boot. But then in many other applications, it was a slip resistant over shoe. So when we set out to develop this product, we wanted to make sure we did improve on that. We did a variety of tests to gather some data points, one being the coefficient of friction testing, both static and kinetic.


Alsie Nelson: And we found a 10% improvement in our design as compared to the leading competitive over shoe devices.


Al Buczkowski: Okay.


Alsie Nelson: More specifically, slip-resistant boots.


Al Buczkowski: Got it. Sure. Okay. So, I mean, that essentially answers the question of why somebody would want to wear the 6326 as opposed to count on their, you know, tennis shoes or a slip-resistant boot. Are there any other benefits to wearing a sling device like this as opposed to just a typical slip-resistant boot or tennis shoe?


Alsie Nelson: Yes, definitely. So there is certainly increased durability with this product. And because there is less full coverage over the shoe or boot, it's actually lighter weight. So not only is it more comfortable and lighter weight, but the durability and the ROI to our customer in terms of longevity with use is certainly an improvement over what they're currently using.


Al Buczkowski: Makes total sense. So now that we kind of have a full view of the Trex line and where the new device falls in there, so we have the, we'll call it outdoor traction, which is, you know, the ice cleat, right? We have inside traction now with the 6326 and then that transitional with the 6325 people working in wintry conditions but kind of going in and out of vehicles or buildings.


Al Buczkowski: So with that, I was wondering if you could tell us a little bit more about the hazard then that that entire Trex line is generally solving for and protecting people from?


Alsie Nelson: Yeah. So slips on the same level are the third most preventable injury on a jobsite via the BLS. So when you think about the cost associated with an injury from slipping and falling, whether that be medical costs that are incurred or just loss in productivity and how that impacts a business or just a general workforce. This is a relatively low cost solution to protect them from a potentially very expensive hazard.


Al Buczkowski: Yeah, no, absolutely. Put a little in, get a lot out. That's great. Well, Alsie, thank you so much for joining us. Congrats to you and the team on what looks like a pretty promising product. If you all are out there listening and watching would like to learn more about the model 6326, go on to Ergodyne.com and search traction.


Al Buczkowski: This has been Radio Free Tenacity. Thanks for watching. Listening.


Al Buczkowski: Stay safe out there people.