Having to treat anxiety or depression in injured workers along with physical pain can significantly increase both the costs of workers’ compensation claims and the time away from work, a new study found.
Researchers have found a prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among nonsmoking workers in the information industry and in office and administrative occupations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
More and more states are legalizing traditionally illegal substances such as marijuana, and legal substances such as alcohol or prescription medication still have a high potential for abuse. It’s a special concern for environment, health, and safety professionals, as on-the-job use or abuse of any drug can potentially have devastating, even life-threatening consequences. However, safety […]
At BLR’s Safety Summit 2019, taking place April 8-10 in Austin, Texas, Sionnain McNally, OSH Services Manager for the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of British Columbia, presented a session on the need for safety professionals to broaden their perspective on workplace safety to encompass mental health, stress, fatigue, and other factors affecting employee well-being.
A 1,880-page draft report on the risk particulate matter (PM) imposes on human health may undergo extensive revisions because the EPA’s powerful Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) has concluded that the methods used by the authors of the report are flawed and that the authors’ estimated impact PM has on mortality is overstated.
The World Health Organization has called stress “the health epidemic of the 21st century.” According to the annual StressPulse Survey conducted by employee assistance program (EAP) provider ComPsych Corporation, stress and personal relationship issues are the most common reasons for employee absence, accounting for nearly half (47%) of employee absences—handily beating out medical issues. Given […]
Mold in the indoor workplace may not rank among OSHA’s top 10 hazards for workers, but research indicates that indoor mold can adversely affect the health of residents and workers, particularly those with respiratory problems.
When temperatures drop, people start to head indoors to keep warm. But with close quarters comes a dramatic uptick in communicable disease, including norovirus. While often mistakenly referred to as the “stomach flu,” it is a completely different virus. It is the leading cause of gastroenteritis, and with its rapid onset, norovirus can quickly overwhelm […]
On the opening day of the 2018 National Safety Council (NSC) Congress and Expo in Houston, Texas, the NSC unveiled a memorial to the opioid epidemic meant to commemorate its victims and emphasize the role employers can play in combating the crisis.
What health message are you giving your employees this week? Are you hanging 5-a-Day posters in the break room? Offering healthy recipes as paycheck stuffers? Holding a fitness fair? Starting a weight-loss challenge?