Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Monday, October 6, 2014

Taking Action on Workplace Stress

Taking Action on Workplace Stress NEW! FREE!

Presenter:	John Oudyk, Occupational Hygienist, OHCOW
Date:	Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Time:	1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT

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Product Description

Is work stressing your employees out? If so, they’re not alone. In Canada, over a quarter of working adults report feeling highly stressed at work. Factors such as excessive demands, lack of control, insecure job arrangements, inadequate resources and support, and workplace bullying and harassment can all took their toll on the well-being of workers.

This free webinar takes a closer look at ways to identify and measure these psychosocial hazards, and outlines mental injury prevention tools and resources to help your organization take action on workplace stress.

Who should attend

Health and safety professionals and committee members, managers, supervisors, employers, and anyone interested in a better understanding of workplace stress.

About the presenter

As an Occupational Hygienist for the last 25 years with the Hamilton Clinic of the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers, John has measured all kinds of hazards in workplaces ranging from offices to foundries. In the 1990’s he began to measure psychosocial hazards in office settings and among firefighters. In 2009 he started working with the Mental Injuries Tool group to devise a questionnaire to help workplace parties assess psychosocial hazards at work. John has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo and Masters in Health Research Methods from the McMaster University. He has an appointment as an Assistant Professor (part-time) in the Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department.

System Requirements

After registering you will receive a confirmation email from GoTo Webinar containing instructions on how to join the webinar.

You do not need a microphone or a telephone to listen to this webinar - just listen to the presentation through your computer's speakers or headphones.

PC-based attendees

Internet Explorer 7.0, Mozilla Firefox 4.0, Google Chrome 5.0 (JavaScript enabled) or the latest version of each web browser
Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Cable modem, DSL or better Internet connection
Dual-core 2.4GHz CPU or faster with 2GB of RAM (recommended)

Macintosh-based attendees

Safari 3.0, Firefox 4.0, Google Chrome 5.0 (JavaScript enabled) or the latest version of each web browser
Mac OS X 10.6 – Snow Leopard or newer
Intel processor (1GB of RAM or better recommended)
Cable modem, DSL, or better Internet connection

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Public Comment Sought on Draft Document for Workplace Tobacco Policies

NIOSH is seeking public comment on a draft Current Intelligence Bulletin,Promoting Health and Preventing Disease and Injury through Workplace Tobacco Policies. The public comment period is open for 30 days, closing on September 15. Occupational safety and health practitioners, healthcare professionals, and the general public are encouraged to review the document and provide comments. https://federalregister.gov/a/2014-19384.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

European Parliament pilot project on health and safety of older workers

The project, Safer and healthier work at any age – occupational safety and health (OSH) in the context of an ageing workforce aims to assess the prerequisites for OSH strategies and systems to take account of an ageing workforce and ensure better prevention for all throughout working life. The results will assist policy development and provide examples of successful and innovative practices. In doing so, the work aims to highlight what works well, what needs to be done or prioritised and to identify the main drivers and obstacles to effective implementation of policy initiatives in this area. The project builds on existing European work on sustainable work, for example, that of Eurofound.
The project is investigating:

OSH policies, strategies, programmes and actions in relation to older workers in EU member states and beyond
policies, strategies and actions regarding employability and return-to-work in member states and beyond
case studies of support programmes and initiatives at the workplace
views of OSH stakeholders, employers, workers and worker representatives exploring their experiences, motivations, needs and challenges
tools and guidance to assist workplaces in managing OSH in relation to an ageing workforce
gender-related issues

An afternoon meeting to report on progress took place on 2nd of December 2013 in the European Parliament. A report of the meeting, including the presentations, is available here. A conference is planned...

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Thursday, July 17, 2014

National Prevention Council Annual Status Reports

Today's post was shared by US Labor Department and comes from www.surgeongeneral.gov

Every year, the Council submits a report describing national progress in meeting specific prevention, health promotion, and public health goals defined in the National Prevention Strategy to the President and the relevant committees of Congress.

National Prevention Council’s 2014 Annual Status Report

The National Prevention Council’s 2014 Annual Status Report illustrates how Council departments are working across the federal government to incorporate health in diverse sectors like housing, transportation, and education to advance the Strategy and influence the health of individuals, families, and communities. In addition, the report highlights how partners across the country are advancing the National Prevention Strategy in organizations ranging from health care systems to workforce agencies and national foundations to local non-profits.
Read the National Prevention Council 2014 Annual Status Report (PDF - 4.8 MB)
The above file is currently undergoing remediation for compliance with Section 508. The remediation will be complete by July 31, 2014. In the interim, should you need accessibility assistance with the file, please contact the Office of the Surgeon General at Surgeon.General@hhs.gov.

Learn how organizations from around the country are implementing the National Prevention Strategy

Previous Annual Status Reports

Read the National Prevention Council 2012 Annual Status Report (PDF - 490 KB)
Read the National Prevention Council 2011 Annual...

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Monday, June 30, 2014

Obesity Prevalence by Occupation in Washington State

Today's post comes from guest author Kit Case, from Causey Law Firm.

Truckers, movers, and police and firefighters are likeliest to be obese. Doctors, scientists and teachers are the healthiest.
Those are the results of a first-of-its-type study the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries sponsored connecting what you do for work with obesity. The study also examined the percentage of workers in specific occupations who smoke, have adequate fruit and vegetable servings, participate in leisure time exercise and report high physical demands of their job.

“This is the first state-level study using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to estimate occupation-specific obesity."

“The objective of the research was to identify occupations in need of workplace obesity prevention programs,” said Dr. David K. Bonauto, associate medical director for L&I’s research division. “Employers, policy makers and health practitioners can use our results to target and prioritize prevention and health behavior promotions.”
The study, “Obesity Prevalence by Occupation in Washington State, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System,” was published earlier this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study was based on more than 88,000 participants the CDC contacted in the state in odd years from 2003-2009. It found that nearly 1-in-4 workers statewide were obese.
“We know obesity poses a threat to public health,” Dr. Bonauto said. “This is the first state-level study using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to estimate occupation-specific obesity. All states within the U.S. could have this data if questions about occupation and industry were added to many state and national health surveys.”
Truck drivers were the most obese, nearly 39 percent. The proportion of current smokers was highest also for truck drivers, who – with computer scientists and mechanics – had the lowest proportion of adequate servings of fruits and vegetables. “Truckers are likely influenced by the availability of food choices, such as fast food and convenience stores,” Dr. Bonauto noted.
The study has its limitations. Because researchers used self-reported height and weight, there might be an underestimate of obesity. Also, the body mass index results don’t distinguish between fat and muscle mass. Police and firefighters, for instance, had a high prevalence of obesity but also had the highest proportion of vigorous leisure time physical activity.
Those with less education and an income less than $35,000 had a significantly higher likelihood of being obese, according to the study. Workers who had regular servings of fruits and vegetables and adequate physical exercise were less likely to be obese.
Photo credit: kennethkonica / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0)

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Sunday, June 29, 2014

FDA approves device that helps people with certain spinal cord injuries to walk

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today allowed marketing of the first motorized device intended to act as an exoskeleton for people with lower body paralysis (paraplegia) due to a spinal cord injury. ReWalk is a motorized device worn over the legs and part of the upper body that helps an individual sit, stand, and walk with assistance from a trained companion, such as a spouse or home health aide.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there are about 200,000 people in the United States living with a spinal cord injury, many of whom have complete or partial paraplegia.

“Innovative devices such as ReWalk go a long way towards helping individuals with spinal cord injuries gain some mobility,” said Christy Foreman, director of the Office of Device Evaluation, at the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “Along with physical therapy, training and assistance from a caregiver, these individuals may be able to use these devices to walk again in their homes and in their communities.”

ReWalk consists of a fitted, metal brace that supports the legs and part of the upper body; motors that supply movement at the hips, knees, and ankles; a tilt sensor; and a backpack that contains the computer and power supply. Crutches provide the user with additional stability when walking, standing, and rising up from a chair. Using a wireless remote control worn on the wrist, the user commands ReWalk to stand up, sit down or walk.

ReWalk is for people with paraplegia due to spinal cord injuries at levels T7 (seventh thoracic vertebra) to L5 (fifth lumbar vertebra) when accompanied by a specially trained caregiver. It is also for people with spinal cord injuries at levels T4 (fourth thoracic vertebra) to T6 (sixth thoracic vertebra) where the device is limited to use in rehabilitation institutions. The device is not intended for sports or climbing stairs.

Prior to being trained to use ReWalk, patients should be able to stand using an assistive standing device (e.g., standing frame), and their hands and shoulders should be able to support crutches or a walker. Patients should not use the device if they have a history of severe neurological injuries other than spinal cord injury, or have severe spasticity, significant contractures, unstable spine, unhealed limb fractures or pelvic fractures. Patients should also not use the device if they have severe concurrent medical diseases such as infection, circulatory conditions, heart or lung conditions, or pressure sores.

Patients and their caregivers must undergo training developed by the manufacturer to learn and demonstrate proper use of the device.

To assess safety and effectiveness of ReWalk, the FDA reviewed testing done to assess ReWalk’s durability, its hardware, software and battery systems, and other safety systems that help minimize risk of injury should the device lose balance or power.

The FDA also reviewed clinical data based on 30 study participants. The clinical tests assessed the participants’ ability to walk various distances, the amount of time needed to walk various distances, performance on various walking surfaces and slight slopes, and performance walking in areas where jostling might occur. Studies also assessed the risk of certain physical effects on the user. Additionally, observational data from 16 patients were also provided to support use of the device on various walking surfaces in the home and community with various levels of assistance from a trained companion. Risks associated with ReWalk include pressure sores, bruising or abrasions, falls and associated injuries, and diastolic hypertension during use.

The FDA reviewed the ReWalk through its de novo classification process, a regulatory pathway for novel, first-of-its-kind medical devices that are generally low-to moderate-risk. The FDA is requiring Argo Medical Technologies, Inc., the manufacturer of ReWalk, to complete a post-market clinical study that will consist of a registry to collect data on adverse events related to the use of the ReWalk device and prospectively and systematically assess the adequacy of its training program.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Goodbye to the Doctor’s White Coat?

Today's post was shared by The New York Times and comes from well.blogs.nytimes.com

A scene from “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC's long-running hospital drama.

Ron Tom/ABC A scene from “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC’s long-running hospital drama.

New recommendations on what health care workers should wear may mean an end to the doctor’s white coat.
The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, a professional group whose mission is to prevent and control infections in the medical workplace, has issued guidance on what health care workers should wear outside of the operating room.
The paper, in the February issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, suggests that to minimize infection risk, hospitals might want to adopt a “bare below the elbows” policy that includes short sleeves and no wristwatch, jewelry or neckties during contact with patients.
The authors also recommend that if the use of white coats is not entirely abandoned, each doctor should have at least two, worn alternately and laundered frequently. And even if they wear the coat at other times, they should be encouraged to remove it before approaching patients.
The authors emphasize that the recommendations are based more on the biological plausibility of transmitting infection through clothing than on strong scientific evidence, which is limited.
The lead author, Dr. Gonzalo Bearman, a professor of medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, said that hand washing, bathing patients with antibacterial soap, and checklists for inserting...

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Thursday, January 16, 2014

EPA’s fast-track approval process for pesticides raises health concerns

Today's post was shared by FairWarning and comes from cironline.org

EPA HQ

Tiny particles of silver could appear soon in children’s toys and clothing, embedded inside plastics and fabrics to fight stains and odors.
No one knows how the germ-killing particles, part of a new pesticide called Nanosilva, affect human health or the environment in the long run. But regulators have proposed letting Nanosilva on the market for up to four years before the manufacturer has to submit studies on whether the particles pose certain dangers.
That’s because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has backed approving Nanosilva through conditional registration, a fast-track process that recently has drawn criticism for oversight problems. Unlike regular registration, it allows a pesticide to be sold before all required safety studies are in. In this case, manufacturer Nanosilva LLC can move ahead even though it hasn’t explored fully the potential health risks if the product were to seep out of plastic or be inhaled.
Nanosilva’s approval, which could be finalized early this year, has renewed focus on the loophole, designed mainly to help the EPA speed up approvals of pesticides nearly identical to those already being sold.
Recent reviews have found vast problems with the EPA’s oversight of conditional registration. An internal audit showed in 2011 that 70 percent of all active pesticides had been conditionally approved. The audit also concluded that the agency used the label too broadly. Since then, its use has increased. Figures...

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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

NFL concussion payout formula would provide up to $5 million per retired player

Today's post is shared from nola.com

Lawyers representing former NFL players in the proposed $765 million settlement of thousands of concussion-related claims detailed Monday how the money would be divided.

The awards could reach $5 million for athletes with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease; $4 million for a death involving brain trauma; and $3 million for dementia cases.
Under the payout formula, those maximum awards would go to players under 45, who would likely need more lifetime care. For a man in his early 60s, the awards top out at $3 million for ALS and $950,000 for Alzheimer's disease. An 80-year-old with early dementia would get $25,000.
Individual awards would also reflect how long the player spent in the NFL, unrelated medical issues and other factors. For instance, the award could be reduced significantly if someone had injuries from an unrelated stroke or car accident. Men without any neurological problems would get baseline testing, and could seek compensation if test reveal any problems.
"This is an extraordinary settlement for retired NFL players and their families -- from those who suffer with severe neurocognitive illnesses today, to those who are currently healthy but fear they may develop symptoms decades into the future," lead players' lawyers...

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Monday, January 6, 2014

CMS Takes a New Direction in the Proposed MSP Appeal Process

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) has proposed rules for the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) appeals process that will target the “applicable plan” as the primary responsible party for recovery.

Medicare, in pursuing recovery directly from the applicable plan, removes the beneficiary, as well as the provider or supplier, as the responsible party to initial a re-determination and all subsequent levels of the administrative process that could culminate in judicial review.

Docket ID:CMS-2013-0270

Topic(s):Administrative Practices and Procedures, Health Facilities, Health Professions, Kidney Diseases, Medical Devices, Medicare, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, Rural Areas, X-Rays

Document Type:Proposed Rule

Received Date:Dec 27, 2013

Start-End Page:78802 - 78807

Comment Start Date:Dec 27, 2013

Comment Due Date:Feb 25, 2014

Click here to review the proposed rules.

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Tips To Protect Workers In Cold Environments

Today's post was shared by US Dept. of Labor and comes from www.osha.gov

Prolonged exposure to freezing or cold temperatures may cause serious health problems such as trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia. In extreme cases, including cold water immersion, exposure can lead to death. Danger signs include uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, clumsy movements, fatigue and confused behavior. If these signs are observed, call for emergency help.
OSHA's Cold Stress Card provides a reference guide and recommendations to combat and prevent many illnesses and injuries. Available in English and Spanish, this laminated fold-up card is free to employers, workers and the public. Tips include:
How to Protect Workers

Recognize the environmental and workplace conditions that may be dangerous.
Learn the signs and symptoms of cold-induced illnesses and injuries and what to do to help workers.
Train workers about cold-induced illnesses and injuries.
Encourage workers to wear proper clothing for cold, wet and windy conditions, including layers that can be adjusted to changing conditions.
Be sure workers in extreme conditions take a frequent short break in warm dry shelters to allow their bodies to warm up.
Try to schedule work for the warmest part of the day.
Avoid exhaustion or fatigue because energy is needed to keep muscles warm.
Use the buddy system - work in pairs so that one worker can recognize danger signs.
Drink warm, sweet beverages (sugar...

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Why Everyone Seems to Have Cancer

EVERY New Year when the government publishes its Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, it is followed by a familiar lament. We are losing the war against cancer.

Half a century ago, the story goes, a person was far more likely to die from heart disease. Now cancer is on the verge of overtaking it as the No. 1 cause of death.

Troubling as this sounds, the comparison is unfair. Cancer is, by far, the harder problem — a condition deeply ingrained in the nature of evolution and multicellular life. Given that obstacle, cancer researchers are fighting and even winning smaller battles: reducing the death toll from childhood cancers and preventing — and sometimes curing — cancers that strike people in their prime. But when it comes to diseases of the elderly, there can be no decisive victory. This is, in the end, a zero-sum game.

The rhetoric about the war on cancer implies that with enough money and determination, science might reduce cancer mortality as dramatically as it has with other leading killers — one more notch in medicine’s belt. But what, then, would we die from? Heart disease and cancer are primarily diseases of aging. Fewer people succumbing to one means more people living long enough to die from the other.

The newest cancer report, which came out in mid-December, put the best possible face on things. If one accounts for the advancing age of the population — with the graying of the baby boomers, death itself is on the rise...

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Monday, October 6, 2014

Taking Action on Workplace Stress

Taking Action on Workplace Stress NEW! FREE!