Category: Personnel Safety

Substance abuse, mental health, safety

NSC Urges Employers to Brace for Employee Substance Misuse Amid Pandemic’s Impact on Mental Health

According to the American Medical Association, at least 30 states are reporting spikes in fatal opioid overdoses and ongoing concern about mental illness or substance use disorders, all in connection with COVID-19. To help employers address these interconnected issues, the National Safety Council (NSC) is calling on employers to prioritize employee stress and emotional and mental […]

Reopening

National Safety Council Urges Caution in Reopening Business

Employers should reopen only when they can do so safely, the National Safety Council (NSC) said in response to guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for office workers returning to work during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Facemask at work

CDC Releases COVID-19 Recommendations for Office Buildings

Updated recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for reopening offices during the COVID-19 pandemic include wearing cloth masks throughout the workday; maintaining social distances of six feet, including in elevators; positioning workstations six feet apart or installing plastic partitions; and removing communal coffeepots.

Get Ready for a Safe Summer of Working in the Heat

Heat is the invisible factor that affects your workforce. This summer and in the summers to come, temperatures are only projected to get hotter and more variable, so it’s increasingly important to know how to keep your employees safe while they work in the heat.

Legionella bacteria, Legionnaire's Disease

Beware of Legionnaire’s Risk When Reopening Buildings

Building owners reopening vacant buildings as stay-at-home orders expire may need to flush plumbing fixtures weekly to prevent harmful organisms from growing in plumbing, according to a pre-press research study.

Heat stress, temperature

In California, Employers Balance COVID-19 and Heat Protections

California employers now must protect worker from both COVID-19 infections and heat illness as the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued extreme heat warnings for several parts of the state. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) reminded employers they must assess each worksite and protect their workers from heat illness while also […]

Mental health

Minding Employees’ Mental Health and Safety

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it’s important for environment, health, and safety (EHS) managers to remember the important role mental wellness plays in everyday employee health and safety. Here are some facts surrounding mental health today, as well as tips and strategies for recognizing warning signs and coping with stress and anxiety.

Suicide prevention

Suicide and Your Workplace: Lifesaving Advice for EHS

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and in the United States, we are in the midst of an opioid crisis and a suicide epidemic, on top of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Every year, approximately 47,000 Americans die by suicide. It is a preventable public health problem and one of the leading causes of death across […]

Safety management

NSC Outlines 10 Universal Actions Every Employer Must Take to Help Ensure a Safer Reopening

Reopening businesses and returning employees to traditional work environments post-quarantine will be the most nuanced and complex actions American employers will undertake in the coming months. To help them prioritize safety during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Safety Council (NSC)—based on recommendations from the SAFER task force—identified the 10 universal actions every employer […]