May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, which serves as a particularly relevant reminder in light of the upcoming summer months. In anticipation of warmer weather and sunnier days, consider the importance of practicing skin cancer prevention—both recreationally and in the workplace.
On March 11, OSHA published their long-anticipated final rule, “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses”, just two weeks after being reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget. The workplace injury reporting and record-keeping rule proposes more frequent data collection from employers and remains a subject of interest and controversy in the public sphere.
Throughout the U.S. and the rest of the developed world, cardiovascular disease remains a leading preventable cause of death and disability. It’s certainly no coincidence that over the past several decades, global dietary patterns have been increasingly characterized by a rising intake of saturated fat, sugar and other high-calorie sweeteners, and salt. The prevalence of processed foods, combined with a shift toward sedentary habits and decreased physical activity, has contributed to a higher percentage of the labor force suffering from cardiovascular ailments that are often a result of poor nutrition.
When enjoying a meal, few take the time to consider all the steps it took to bring each of the ingredients from farm to dining table. Whether or not the food was prepared in your kitchen, at a restaurant, or in a retail setting, the main components of the dish were either harvested or raised from somewhere.
For workers who spend much of their day lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying materials—especially in a repetitive manner—it’s incredibly important to perform these movements properly in order to protect the back from discomfort or injury. Safe lifting techniques, such as getting close to the object you’re lifting or bending at the knees instead of from the back, are great examples of ergonomic principles that help workers protect themselves when moving materials.
The problem is that no one works in a vacuum; in real-world situations, you can’t always avoid working in awkward, ergonomically-incorrect positions. When certain job tasks do require getting in awkward positions, tightening the gut is the best way to stabilize the spine and safely engage in a variety of movements.
In order to avoid these consequences, employers must do their best to prevent workplace eye injuries from occurring in the first place: by 1) assessing hazards, 2) using proper eye protection, and 3) encouraging worker compliance.
From industry insights and predictions to in-depth reporting, each of the following resources explores a different aspect of the safety conversation. BIOKINETIX has selected some of our favorite online magazines and blogs out there today– in no particular order– that are sure to prove useful to safety leaders in a variety of industries. (more…)