Category: Injuries and Illness

Modern safety management goes beyond covering traditional workplace accidents to now being equally concerned with illnesses caused on and even off the job. This section will explain what you need to know to avoid both injuries and illnesses, and to track your progress in reaching this goal.

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Automated External Defibrillator, AEDs

What State Plan States Require AEDs in the Workplace?

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards do not specifically address automated external defibrillators (AEDs). However, exposures to first-aid hazards and the requirement that persons be properly trained to render first aid, which in some instances requires CPR training, are addressed in specific OSHA standards for the general industry. The regulations in state […]

US Map and COVID-19

Our Map of COVID-19 Cases Will Sunset June 3

After over a year of tracking the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the U.S., we will be sunsetting our interactive map of cases on Thursday, June 3. Read on for our final update to the map, a list of resources, plus animations showing how our map developed over time. We encourage readers to visit our map’s […]

Histoplasmosis Fungal Infection

NIOSH Looks to Raise Awareness of Fungal Infection Histoplasmosis in Workers

The diagnosis of histoplasmosis, a fungal infection of the lungs, often can be delayed due to a lack of awareness of the condition, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) said in its January 2021 newsletter on recent research developments. Workers in agriculture and construction are at higher risk for histoplasmosis, which is […]

Safety Data Stats and Charts

BLS Notes a Rise in Workplace Fatalities for 2019

The number of U.S. workplace deaths rose 2% in 2019 to 5,333 from 5,250 fatal workplace injuries in 2018, according to the most recent Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries released by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The fatal work injury rate was 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, the same […]

Safety data analysis, hard hats

NSC Report Notes Lower Recordable Rate During COVID-19

Employers have reported a lower recordable injury rate and a decreased number of near-miss incidents due to an increased focus on health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report released by the National Safety Council (NSC). However, some organizations also reported that the focus on pandemic-related risks sometimes took attention away from […]

Wildfire smoke California

Where There’s Wildfire, There’s Smoke: Emergency Regulations in California Require Employers to Protect Workers from Wildfire Smoke

The destructive wildfires throughout California have resulted in the loss of life and property and are stretching the resources to fight them. As we progress into late summer and fall, the danger will continue. Everyone must take precautions and stay aware of weather conditions to prevent human-caused fires. This is also the time to ensure […]

First responders, ambulance corps

AIHA Launches Site for First Responder Health Resources

AIHA (formerly the American Industrial Hygiene Association) launched a new website—https://www.workerhealthsafety.org/first-responders—with occupational health resources about the long-term health risks faced by emergency responders. The website includes a case study of training to prepare first responders for rail emergencies and a directory of industrial hygienists and occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) professionals.

Office safety and ergonomics

Tips for an Ergonomic Workstation

Many of us spend hours at our workstations every day, and with many of us working from home because of COVID-19, the ergonomic issues have come home with us. Bad habits and incorrect posture can lead to neck and back pain or sore wrists and fingers. Proper ergonomics can help you and your employees stay […]

safety statistics and data

NIOSH Highlights Importance of Occupation, Industry Data to COVID-19 Reports

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) stressed the importance of collecting, coding, analyzing, and reporting both industry and occupation data in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case reports to form better strategies for reducing the impact of the pandemic on workers.