Category: Health and Wellness

NIOSH Adds Four Total Worker Health Program Centers

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) September 16 announced the addition of four new Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health (TWH). New Centers of Excellence in California, Maryland, North Carolina, and Utah now join the program’s six existing centers in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, and Oregon. NIOSH’s TWH approach combines […]

A Look at Eye and Face Protection

Have you provided your employees with the appropriate level of eye and face protection? Eye hazards include chemicals, lasers, objects and particles, and arc welding, which show up across a wide spectrum of industries, and employers are subject to one or another of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for eye and face […]

OSHA Task Force Sponsors Suicide Prevention Week

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) task force announced a weeklong Suicide Prevention Safety Stand-Down, planned for September 6-10, to raise awareness about the unique challenges construction workers face. A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study found that men working in construction have one of the highest suicide rates compared with […]

Thinking of Requiring COVID-19 Shots? What Employers Need to Know

The list of employers and government agencies requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 is growing, and such requirements are generally legal under federal law. But employers need to be clear about when exceptions must be made and how state laws can add a wrinkle to their vaccination policies. Major employers across the country have […]

California wildfire

Cal/OSHA Warns Employers of Wildfire Smoke Hazards

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) on July 13 reminded employers of their obligation to comply with the state’s protection from wildfire smoke standard, which requires employers to take steps such as moving work operations, modifying work schedules, or providing proper respiratory protection such as N95 respirators in the event of wildfires. There […]

Ask the Expert: Face Masks and Summer Heat

Our experts at EHS Hero® recently received a subscriber-submitted question regarding guidance to prevent heat illness, specifically for those workers who are wearing masks as a means of COVID-19. Read on to see what our experts had to say. Q: With summer temperatures on the rise and a growing focus on heat related illness, is there any […]

California and Nevada, COVID-19

California Has New COVID-19 Rules

Except when required during outbreaks, California workers no longer need to wear face coverings outside, and fully vaccinated workers do not need to wear them indoors. However, workers are explicitly allowed to wear a face covering without fear of retaliation from employers. California workplaces have new emergency temporary standards (ETSs) for exposures to COVID-19. The […]

OSHA Relaxes COVID Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Workplaces

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is easing its COVID-19 recommendations for fully vaccinated workplaces, but the agency is still advising employers to take steps to protect any unvaccinated workers. On June 10, OSHA announced updated guidance along with new rules for frontline healthcare employers. The latest word from OSHA reflects new guidance from […]

Well-Being Questionnaire

NIOSH Releases Free Worker Well-Being Questionnaire

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released a Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ) designed to measure worker well-being. The freely available survey instrument is intended to help employers, policymakers, wellness practitioners and researchers, and workers themselves understand workers’ well-being and target interventions to improve it. The questionnaire can be completed in approximately 15 […]