Released on March 12, 2009

Ferrous sand caster and fabricator Cast-Fab Technologies, Cincinnati, Ohio, recently completed the first step in its newly implemented incentives-based wellness program—a month-long employee walkathon.

The walkathon, held with the support of the American Heart Association, drew the participation of 20% of the company’s workforce. Sixty-six employees walked 2,200 miles on indoor and outdoor tracks set up by Cast-Fab management.

The event represented the first wellness-based activity the company will offer employees in exchange for lower premiums on their health insurance. Cast-Fab plans to allow employees to continue to participate in similar voluntary activities going forward.

“It’s our attempt to get employees active, stop smoking, lose weight and generally adapt a healthier lifestyle,” said Farley Houston, vice president of human resources. “People that live unhealthy lifestyles are the drivers of health care costs, and anything we can do [to improve their health] has benefits for the employees and the company.”

Houston said Cast-Fab was inspired to start the program following the loss of four employees to fatal illnesses last year, three to heart attack and one to stroke. At the end of 2008, Cast-Fab held a fundraiser with the American Heart Association’s help and then kicked off the wellness incentive program on Jan. 1.

“We’ve had a wellness program for a number of years but wanted to up the profile,” Houston said. “Historically, we’ve had a full time nurse here offer everyone a physical. We wanted to leverage having the nurse and take it to another level with financial incentives.”