OSHA aims to stop a recent increase in workplace fatalities in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Recently, the agency has seen an increase in fatalities associated with falls, struck-by objects and vehicles, machine hazards, grain bin engulfment, and burns. OSHA launched its Safe + Sound Campaign in 2017 to encourage employers to develop and implement a …
Tag: health and safety
California Confirms First WNV Cases of 2018
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced the first confirmed illnesses in California due to West Nile virus (WNV) on June 15, reporting that the four illnesses occurred in Los Angeles, Kern, and Riverside counties. “West Nile virus activity in the state is increasing, so I urge Californians to take every possible precaution to …
Healthy Attitude: Danger Is in the Eye of the Beholder
On April 28, we’ll observe Workers’ Memorial Day to honor workers who have died while on the job. It’s a sobering reminder that not every employee who reports in at the beginning of their workday goes home at the end of it. Indeed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of fatal work …
Proven process not being used in workplace health and well-being programs
A new report from the National Safety Council’s Campbell Institute says many employers aren’t using a proven process to get worker wellbeing right. The report, A Systems Approach to Worker Health and Wellbeing, suggests employers use an approach similar to a safety management system (SMS). Worker wellbeing is where workplace safety and wellness programs intersect. …
Flu Widespread in California, Officials Urge Vaccination
The California Department of Public Health warned residents Jan. 9 that flu activity in California is both widespread and at levels usually seen at the peak of the influenza season; the state’s health officials are urging Californians to get vaccinated if they haven’t already done that. For the week ending Dec. 30, 2017, which was …
More Employers Offer Health and Wellness Programs (Infographic)
Companies are expanding health and wellness offerings, according to survey findings from OfficeTeam, a Robert Half company. Two-thirds, or 66 percent, of human resources managers reported that, in the past five years, their companies have broadened health and wellness options. The majority of those questioned, 89 percent, also said their company supports worker health and …
Nurses: Are the Caregivers Taking Care of Themselves?
A recent study of 120 Midwest nurses has found that the majority had poor health habits, which many of them attributed to high stress levels. “The Impact of Perceived Stress and Coping Adequacy on the Health of Nurses: A Pilot Investigation,” published in the online journal Nursing Research and Practice, found that nurses with high …
DOL Women’s Bureau Turns 97
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau has been around a long time. Ninety-seven years, to be precise, something the agency is celebrating. The bureau was created by Public Law No. 259 on June 5, 1920, which gave the bureau the duty to “formulate standards and policies which shall promote the welfare of wage-earning women, …
New Research Reveals Ways to Overcome Safety Challenges for Remote Workers
A new study recommends that line managers who supervise remote or distributed workers should work closely with occupational safety and health professionals to control the risks they face. “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” explored existing research, leadership styles and models, elements of management and communication and direct contact with safety and health professionals. The …