Tag: NIOSH

Long Hours Put Emergency Responders at Risk of Fatigue

Emergency workers who deploy to work at disaster sites caused by weather, earthquakes, epidemics, and other catastrophic events often put in much longer than 8-hour shifts. Although workers in these fields are generally highly committed to their jobs and find the jobs rewarding in ways that make long hours seem bearable, they are at substantially […]

Sweating the (Very) Small Stuff: Preventing Nanomaterial Exposures

Nano-scale materials have different physical and chemical properties than the same materials in larger sizes. So the methods you would use to protect workers against those materials in larger sizes won’t always work for nanomaterial exposures. In fact, in some cases, you may need to protect workers against materials that pose no hazard in larger […]

It’s the (Very) Little Things: Identifying Nanomaterial Exposures

If you’ve ever had a cold, you know that terrible misery can come in microscopic packages. What you may not realize is that infectious biological agents like influenza and the cold virus are not the only extremely tiny hazards workers may face. Particles that fall into the “billionths of a meter” size—nanomaterials—may also be affecting […]

Improving Worker Health and Safety by Design

Improving Worker Health and Safety by Design   NIOSH broadly defines “green” jobs as those “that help to improve the environment.” These may include jobs related to renewable energy like solar and wind, jobs in recycling, jobs in the manufacturing of cleaner more sustainable products, and jobs where workers use these greener products such as […]

Climate Change and Worker Health—Rising Risks

Climate Change and Worker Health—Rising Risks Employers in the United States have long been governed by laws and regulations designed to provide a safe and healthy environment for workers. But climate change presents a new set of worker risks that are just beginning to be understood. Although many of the actual risks are the same […]

Not Too Hot to Handle: Tips for Preventing Heat-Induced Illnesses and Injuries

Late July brings some of the hottest temperatures of the year around the country. So it’s a good time for some refreshing refresher training on how your workers can beat the heat. Today’s Advisor gives you some training content. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) warns that heat-induced occupational illnesses, injuries, and […]

3 Steps for Developing a Stress-Reduction Program

Stressed workers can be a safety hazard. Here are three steps for reducing stress and the risk of stress-related accidents. According to a recent survey, 62 percent of employees report high levels of stress, leading to extreme fatigue and feeling out of control. Highly stressed workers are less likely to eat healthfully, exercise, and get […]

Make Sure Your Workers Are Safe from Unexpected Machine Startups

Workers are at risk of severe injury and death during machine maintenance and servicing if proper lockout/tagout procedures are not followed. Over a 25-year period, NIOSH investigated 185 fatalities related to installation, maintenance, service, or repair tasks on or near machines, equipment, processes, or systems. Investigations were carried out in 20 states as part of […]