Vibration hazards in the workplace are a group of hand-arm injuries that can happen in any industry. Hand-held power equipment such as chainsaws, grinders, and hedge trimmers can transmit their vibration to the hand. Extended exposure to these tools can cause damage to the arm muscles and hinder employees from working. So knowing how to […]
Overuse injuries, also known as repetitive strain injuries, can occur in any industry. Workers experience them from awkward body positions and repetitive movements for long periods. While they primarily affect the fingers, hands, and wrists, they can appear in other body parts and reduce productivity. Knowing how to prevent injuries in the workplace is one […]
To the casual observer, athletic trainers are just the people who run onto the field after an athlete gets injured. Few may be aware of the fact that even in organized sports, an athletic trainer’s job continues throughout the rest of the week, both on and off the field, in order to ensure the well-being and safety of each team member. Much like professional athletes, industrial workers stand to benefit greatly from the help and expertise of workplace athletic trainers.
As one of the most significant public health challenges of our time, preventable health conditions continue to drive unprecedentedly high rates of injuries, missed work days, and premature deaths—yet the CDC reports that Americans are only using preventive services at about half the recommended rate. Why are these services not being utilized? The problem is often […]
At BIOKINETIX, our goal is to help businesses show their commitment to safety. The creators of both OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs and NSC’s Journey to Safety Excellence have identified 3 key components that are essential to the success of any occupational safety program: Management leadership Worker participation A systematic approach to […]
In the context of occupational health, standing is often framed as something employees aren’t getting enough of. This applies largely to sedentary work environments, where standing desks have become a popular intervention to get workers out of their seats and mitigate the physical effects of sitting. That’s not to deny the benefits of standing—it allows for physical freedom and greater mobility. And compared with the debilitating effects of slips, trips, and falls in the workplace, standing for long hours at a time seems a mild risk at best. However, the evidence shows that for industrial workers, prolonged standing can be equally as harmful as prolonged sitting. (more…)
It’s no secret that when employees show up to work at less than 100%, they’re less engaged and less productive. Presenteeism is more than just working while sick—contributing causes such as stress, mood disorders, or fatigue are often underreported and may not necessarily be related to work. Although sometimes difficult to quantify, poor on-the-job performance […]
Jon discusses the modern, effective methods of reducing workplace injuries with Susan Anderson from US Foods Radio. In an industrial work environment, the rigors and repetitive stress of physical tasks can cause significant wear and tear on the body. The best way to prevent this stress from turning into injury or illness is with a preventative health approach: […]
In an industrial work environment, at-risk behaviors such as poor posture and improper eye protection can be observed and corrected almost immediately. But another critical aspect of workplace safety often goes undetected– until the damage is already done. In the U.S., 22 million workers per year are at risk of occupational hearing loss [5]. Hearing damage typically occurs painlessly and progressively, but frequent and repeated exposure to high noise levels in the workplace can result in permanent hearing loss. Due to numerous sources of noise hazards such as heavy machinery and power tools, the mining, manufacturing, and construction industries experience the most incidences of work-induced hearing damage [1]. Although completely preventable, it has remained one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns for nearly three decades.
August is National Immunization Awareness Month—a timely reminder that flu season is only a few months away. For occupational safety and health leaders, a proactive approach is the key to sustaining workplace illness prevention: to anticipate and prepare for risks before they even happen. Not only does mitigating the risk of exposure to infectious diseases in the workplace ensure that employees will be less likely to get themselves and their families sick, it also protects productivity and minimizes lost work time.