This marks the 27th year the AFL-CIO has produced a report on the state of safety and health protections for America’s workers. It features state and national information on workplace fatalities, injuries, illnesses, the number and frequency of workplace inspections, penalties, funding, staffing and public employee coverage under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It also includes information on the state of mine safety and health.
Showing posts sorted by date for query niosh. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query niosh. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Hearing Loss Remains a Significant Problem at Work
Today's post is shared from the cdc.gov:
"Noise-induced hearing loss is a significant, often unrecognized health problem among U.S. adults. Discussions between patients and personal health care providers about hearing loss symptoms, tests, and ways to protect hearing might help with early diagnosis of hearing loss and provide opportunities to prevent harmful noise exposures. Avoiding prolonged exposure to loud environments and using personal hearing protection devices can prevent noise-induced hearing loss."
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Zika: The Next Compensable Infectious Disease - Benefit Challenges Begin
Workers' Compensation insures for the consequences of infectious diseases arising out of and in the course of employment. Is the system ready for a potential onslaught of Zika claims?
The line in the sand has been drawn in the State of Florida, where an infected Miami Beach police officer has been denied benefits. The union has actively supporting the municipal employee in an effort to rule the claim compensable.
The NJ Supreme Court in establishing compensability in an occupational disease cited Justice Learned Hand, “Few adults are not diseased … an infection mastered, though latent, is no longer a disease, industrially speaking, until the individual's resistance is again so far lowered that he succumbs.” Bober v. Independent Plating Corp., 28 N.J. 160, 145 A.2d 463 (1958).
Friday, August 19, 2016
NIOSH to Hold Meeting on Motor Vehicle Safety
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is seeking input on the progress and future direction of its Center for Motor Vehicle Safety
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Early screening spots emergency workers at greater risk of mental illness
Today's post is shared from sciencedaily.com
Emergency services workers who are more likely to suffer episodes of mental ill health later in their careers can be spotted in the first week of training. Researchers wanted to see if they could identify risk factors that made people more likely to suffer post-traumatic stress (PTSD) or major depression (MD) when working in emergency services.
Researchers from the University of Oxford and King's College London wanted to see if they could identify risk factors that made people more likely to suffer post-traumatic stress (PTSD) or major depression (MD) when working in emergency services.
Dr Jennifer Wild from the University of Oxford explained: 'Emergency workers are regularly exposed to stressful and traumatic situations and some of them will experience periods of mental illness. Some of the factors that make that more likely can be changed through resilience training, reducing the risk of PTSD and depression. We wanted to test whether we could identify such risk factors, making it possible to spot people at higher risk early in their training and to develop interventions that target these risk factors to strengthen their resilience.'
Emergency services workers who are more likely to suffer episodes of mental ill health later in their careers can be spotted in the first week of training. Researchers wanted to see if they could identify risk factors that made people more likely to suffer post-traumatic stress (PTSD) or major depression (MD) when working in emergency services.
Researchers from the University of Oxford and King's College London wanted to see if they could identify risk factors that made people more likely to suffer post-traumatic stress (PTSD) or major depression (MD) when working in emergency services.
Dr Jennifer Wild from the University of Oxford explained: 'Emergency workers are regularly exposed to stressful and traumatic situations and some of them will experience periods of mental illness. Some of the factors that make that more likely can be changed through resilience training, reducing the risk of PTSD and depression. We wanted to test whether we could identify such risk factors, making it possible to spot people at higher risk early in their training and to develop interventions that target these risk factors to strengthen their resilience.'
….
Jon L. Gelman of Wayne NJ is the author of NJ Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thomson-Reuters) and co-author of the national treatise, Modern Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thomson-Reuters). For over 4 decades the Law Offices of Jon L Gelman 1.973.696.7900 jon@gelmans.com has been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered occupational accidents and illnesses.
Related articles:
|
May 21, 2013 ... Emergency room medicine is becoming an easy avenue for work-related medical care as employers and insurance carriers keep restricting ...
workers-compensation.blogspot.com
|
|
Sep 15, 2009 ... The Urgent Need for Workers Compensation Flu Pandemic Planning ... Additionally, the President may issue an emergency declaration under ...
workers-compensation.blogspot.com
|
|
Aug 29, 2013 ... A recently published study from the US Department of Health and Human Services (NIOSH) reports that 45% of emergency room medical ...
workers-compensation.blogspot.com
|
|
May 31, 2016 ... 27, 2016, from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency alleging Ungerer & Company employees suffered respiratory distress from ...
workers-compensation.blogspot.com
|
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Human exposure to carbon nanotubes and the carcinogenic consequences
As the application of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in consumer products continues to rise, studies have expanded to determine the associated risks of exposure on human and environmental health. In particular, several lines of evidence indicate that exposure to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) could pose a carcinogenic risk similar to asbestos fibers. However, to date the potential markers of MWCNT exposure are not yet explored in humans.
Friday, April 22, 2016
22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous occupational noise
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data regarding injuries, deaths, and illness faced by millions every year in the workplace. This week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) issue is devoted to occupational health concerns, in acknowledgment of Workers Memorial Day (April 28th).
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Daylight Savings: Suggestions to help workers adapt to the time change
Today's post is shared from cdc.gov/niosh:
We all know the saying to help us remember to adjust our clocks for the daylight savings time changes (this Sunday in case you are wondering). But, what can we do to help workers adjust to the effects of the time change? A few studies have examined these issues but many questions remain on this topic including the best strategies to cope with the time changes.
Spring forward Fall back.
We all know the saying to help us remember to adjust our clocks for the daylight savings time changes (this Sunday in case you are wondering). But, what can we do to help workers adjust to the effects of the time change? A few studies have examined these issues but many questions remain on this topic including the best strategies to cope with the time changes.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Coffee Workers at Risk for Lung Disease
Today's post is shared from cdc.gov
Roasted Coffee Beans
Obliterative bronchiolitis, an irreversible form of lung disease in which the smallest airways in the lung (the bronchioles) become scarred and constricted, blocking the movement of air, was previously identified in flavoring manufacturing workers and microwave popcorn workers who were occupationally exposed to diacetyl (2,3-butanedione) or butter flavorings containing diacetyl. Now, NIOSH research finds that workers at coffee processing facilities may also be at risk.
Monday, January 4, 2016
Preparing for Working In Cold
Today's post is shared from John Howard, M.D., Director, NIOSH cdc.gov/niosh
Don’t assume there is no need to prepare for working safely in the cold this year, because of the moderate temperatures in much of the country so far. According to the National Weather Service
, the long-range weather forecast predicts chillier temperatures than average in January and February in the Southern Plains and the Southeast. Cold weather can bring on health emergencies for people who may be susceptible as a result of their working environment, such as those who work outdoors or in an area that is poorly insulated or without heat.
Don’t assume there is no need to prepare for working safely in the cold this year, because of the moderate temperatures in much of the country so far. According to the National Weather Service
, the long-range weather forecast predicts chillier temperatures than average in January and February in the Southern Plains and the Southeast. Cold weather can bring on health emergencies for people who may be susceptible as a result of their working environment, such as those who work outdoors or in an area that is poorly insulated or without heat.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Senator Gillibrand: We Have a Moral Obligation to Care for 9/11 Heroes, Survivors & Their Families
As the Zadroga Act slowly journeys to expiration, Senator Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) declared that, “We Have a Moral Obligation to Continue to Provide the Critically Needed Care and Compensation That Our 9/11 Heroes, Survivors and Their Families Deserve."
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Lead: Bringing it Home From Work
NIOSH reports that homes may be contaminated by toxic substances such as lead when employees bring home the contaminates. Bystander exposure occurs when employees bring home toxic substances on their bodies, clothing or other objects. Lead affects the developing nervous system of children, and no safe blood lead level (BLL) in children has been identified:
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
US EPA Report Calls For Better Regulation of Demolition of Asbestos Containing Buldings
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Diacetyl Emerges Again As A Serious Threat to Worker Health
Emerging again in the workplace are serious and health threatening exposures to Diacetyl. The Journal Sentinel has reported:
"Most coffee roasters have never heard of the chemical compound diacetyl. Those who have, associate it solely with its devastating effects on microwave popcorn workers and those in the flavoring industry. They don't suspect that it could be wreaking the same havoc on their own lungs.
"We don't make flavored coffee, many in the roasting business say. It's not a problem for us.
"But air sampling by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shows reason to worry.
"Tests at two midsized Wisconsin roasteries that agreed to let the news organization analyze the air in their production areas found diacetyl levels from unflavored roasted coffee that exceeded safety standards proposed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"In some areas, by nearly four times the concentration.
"Workers exposed to similar levels at popcorn plants suffered serious, incurable lung disease.
Click here to read the entire article "Coffee roasters' health at risk from chemical compound, air samples suggest--But most workers don't realize their lungs may be in danger from exposure to diacetyl"
Read more about Diacetyl and workers' compensation:
NIOSH to Propose New Criteria for Diacetyl Exposure
Aug 18, 2011
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) invites public comment on a draft document, "Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione.” For public ...
Workers' Compensation: Flavoring 2,3-pentanedione ...
Aug 20, 2012
2,3-pentanedione should be added to that list. "Flavorings-related lung disease is a potentially disabling disease of food industry workers associated with exposure to the α-diketone butter flavoring, diacetyl (2,3-butanedione).
Workers' Compensation: Legislation to Protect Food ...
Sep 27, 2007
The legislation would force the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue rules limiting workers' exposure to diacetyl, a chemical used in artificial food flavoring for microwave popcorn and other foods.
Flavoring Workers At Higher Risk for Alzheimers
Aug 04, 2012
It found evidence that the ingredient, diacetyl (DA), intensifies the damaging effects of an abnormal brain protein linked to Alzheimer's disease. The study appears in ACS' journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.
"Most coffee roasters have never heard of the chemical compound diacetyl. Those who have, associate it solely with its devastating effects on microwave popcorn workers and those in the flavoring industry. They don't suspect that it could be wreaking the same havoc on their own lungs.
"We don't make flavored coffee, many in the roasting business say. It's not a problem for us.
"But air sampling by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shows reason to worry.
"Tests at two midsized Wisconsin roasteries that agreed to let the news organization analyze the air in their production areas found diacetyl levels from unflavored roasted coffee that exceeded safety standards proposed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"In some areas, by nearly four times the concentration.
"Workers exposed to similar levels at popcorn plants suffered serious, incurable lung disease.
Click here to read the entire article "Coffee roasters' health at risk from chemical compound, air samples suggest--But most workers don't realize their lungs may be in danger from exposure to diacetyl"
Read more about Diacetyl and workers' compensation:
NIOSH to Propose New Criteria for Diacetyl Exposure
Aug 18, 2011
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) invites public comment on a draft document, "Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione.” For public ...
Workers' Compensation: Flavoring 2,3-pentanedione ...
Aug 20, 2012
2,3-pentanedione should be added to that list. "Flavorings-related lung disease is a potentially disabling disease of food industry workers associated with exposure to the α-diketone butter flavoring, diacetyl (2,3-butanedione).
Workers' Compensation: Legislation to Protect Food ...
Sep 27, 2007
The legislation would force the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue rules limiting workers' exposure to diacetyl, a chemical used in artificial food flavoring for microwave popcorn and other foods.
Flavoring Workers At Higher Risk for Alzheimers
Aug 04, 2012
It found evidence that the ingredient, diacetyl (DA), intensifies the damaging effects of an abnormal brain protein linked to Alzheimer's disease. The study appears in ACS' journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.
….
Jon L. Gelman of Wayne NJ is the author of NJ Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson-Reuters) and co-author of the national treatise, Modern Workers’ Compensation Law (West-Thompson-Reuters). For over 4 decades the Law Offices of Jon L Gelman 1.973.696.7900 jon@gelmans.com have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered occupational accidents and illnesses.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Health and Compensation Programs Passed Into Law After Almost Decade Long Fight Set to Expire This Year – Participants in 9/11 Health Program Living in All 50 States and 429 of 435 Congressional Districts
After nearly a decade long fight to stand by our first responders who answered the call of duty on September 11th, Congress finally fulfilled its moral obligation in late 2010 and provided our 9/11 heroes with the health care and financial compensation they deserved by passing the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. With the Zadroga bill’s two critical programs – the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund – set to expire in October 2015 and October 2016 respectively a bipartisan group of lawmakers from across the country today introduced the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act to permanently extend these programs. Last month, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed an amendment to the Senate budget resolution that will facilitate future legislation to renew and extend the Zadroga Act.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Weather Alert: Workers' Need to Prepare for Cold Weather Exposures
The United States weather bureau has predicted bitter cold for a vast segment of the nation. Workers who maybe exposed to frigid weather conditions should consult with the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health information in order to protect themselves from cold weather exposures. Such exposures may result in compensable injuries and illnesses for which workers' compensation benefits may be available.
***Bitterly cold temperatures from the Dakotas to the Northeast
***Lake effect snow continues downwind of the Great Lakes
***Mild and dry for the western part of the country
*** The weather pattern over the next few days will feature a massive surface high settling southward from Canada to the Great Plains on Wednesday, following by another large surface high by the end of the week.
Both of these features are of Arctic origin, and will bring bitterly cold weather from the western High Plains to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast U.S. Widespread subzero overnight lows are forecast for the Dakotas, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and interior New England. Wind chill advisories and warnings are in effect for many of these same areas, with some of the coldest wind chill readings in the -25 to -45 degree range!
Some record low temperatures are also possible. In addition to the frigid temperatures, the cold air advection over the Great Lakes along with upper-level shortwave energy moving over the region is expected to produce significant lake effect snow downwind from the Great Lakes through midweek. The heaviest snow is likely to occur east of lakes Erie and Ontario, where local amounts will easily exceed one foot.
Some upslope snow is likely in the central and northern Appalachians as well. The western U.S. is expected to remain dry with mild temperatures through the end of the week. Graphics available at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_wbg.php
Friday, December 19, 2014
Medicare penalizes 23 New Jersey hospitals over errors, infections
Hospital acquired infections (HAI) are a major problem and take a toll on injured workers and employers. The Federal Government in its expanding roll to provide better services at les cost is now enforcing HAI rules by imposing penalties. Today's post is shared from northjersey.com/
[Click here to see the rest of this post]
Read more about hospital acquired infections and workers compensation
| The federal government will reduce its Medicare payments to 23 hospitals in the state — including six in North Jersey — in a crackdown on hospital errors and infections. The list of hospitals, released Thursday, includes Hackensack University Medical Center, St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic and Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus. In all, 721 hospitals nationwide will see their Medicare payments cut by 1 percent for the year that began Oct. 1. New Jersey was one of 10 states where a third or more of the hospitals were penalized. The financial incentives and public reporting are a two-pronged strategy under the health care reform law known as Obamacare aimed at reducing harm to patients from hospital stays. Hospital errors are estimated to cost Americans more than $17 billion a year and contribute to the deaths of 180,000 Medicare patients alone. And because Medicare, the federal insurance program for those over 65, is one of the largest sources of hospital revenue, even a 1 percent reduction can have a sizable impact on health care facilities. For example, Hackensack University Medical Center, with $1.2 billion in revenue in 2012, had more than $263 million in Medicare payments that year. So a reduction of 1 percent would cost it nearly $3 million. Reached on Thursday night, hospital spokeswoman Nancy Radwin said that Hackensack “remains committed to reducing its hospital-acquired condition rates. As evidenced... |
Read more about hospital acquired infections and workers compensation
Aug 15, 2008
The patient was admitted for the installation of a pacemaker and a resulting hospital acquired infection resulted in the loss of his right leg a portion of his left foot, a kidney and his a majority of his hearing. The award was ...
May 09, 2013
Some infections are contracted during treatment such as infection that are acquired during hospital stay. Those are called Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI). These infection are expensive to treat and are a major concern to .
Mar 26, 2014
Hospital Acquired Infections are a compensable condition and significantly raise treatment costs and time to recuperate from a work related accident or disease. Today's post is shared from the US CDC. On any given day, ...
May 31, 2013
Some infections are contracted during treatment such as infection that are acquired during hospital stay. Those are called Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI). These infection are expensive to treat and are a major concern to .
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Is There a Link Between Firefighting and Cancer? – Epidemiology in Action
| Today's post is shared from cdc.gov/ Epidemiology is the art and science of using data to answer questions about the health of groups. In occupational epidemiology, we use that data to understand how work affects health. This blog entry is part of a series that shares the stories behind the data. Firefighters face numerous hazards in the line of duty. The risks of acute and potentially fatal injuries and stresses from the dangerous environment of a fire scene are well known. In addition to these hazards, fires generate toxic contaminants, including some agents known or suspected to cause cancer. Less is known about the potential long-term health effects firefighters may experience as a result of work-related exposures. In particular, do firefighters face a higher risk of cancer than is found in the general population? In 2010, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) embarked on a multi-year effort to conduct a large-scale study to better understand the potential link between firefighting and cancer. The research was a joint effort led by NIOSH researchers and conducted in collaboration with researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the University of California at Davis Department of Public Health Sciences and supported, in part, by the U.S Fire Administration. The study found that a combined population of firefighters from three large U.S. cities showed higher-than-expected rates of certain types of cancer... |
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Over Medicating Workers' Compensation Patients
When is it too much? That is the big question. Easy access to medication may also be a major problem. Today' s post is shared from nytimes.com\
[Click here to see the rest of this post]
A huge number of patients suffer from adverse medication issues that complicate workers' compensation claims even further. New data indicates that over medication of patients even complicates the issues further. The most common cause of fatal allergic reactions in the United States are medicines, especially antibiotics and radiocontrast agents used in imaging studies, a new analysis found. Using data from the National Center for Health Statistics, researchers found 2,458 cases of fatal anaphylaxis from 1999 through 2010. Almost 60 percent of the deaths, or 1,446, were caused by reactions to drugs, and in cases where the specific drug was known, half were caused by antibiotics. The rate of drug-induced fatal reactions almost doubled over the period. Insect stings caused 15.2 percent of the fatalities and food 6.7 percent. The cause was not recorded in a fifth of the cases. The study, published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, also found that older age was associated with a higher risk for death and that blacks had a higher risk of dying from drugs and food reactions. For insect sting deaths, rates among whites were almost three times as high as rates among African-Americans. The lead author, Dr. Elina Jerschow, an assistant professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, said that part of the increase in drug-induced allergic deaths is probably due to changes in the way deaths are coded on death certificates. But, she added, “We are using more imaging studies than other countries, and they’re potentially life-threatening. After antibiotics, radiocontrast was the chief culprit.” A version of this article appears in... |
Monday, September 29, 2014
World Heart Day — September 29, 2014
Cardiovascular events are compensable in workers' compensation. While in many jurisdictions the standard of proof is elevated they resukt in serious and sometime fatal claims.
World Heart Day will be observed September 29, 2014. The focus of World Heart Day this year is creating heart-healthy environments in which persons are able to make heart-healthy choices wherever they live, learn, work, and play. Heart disease and stroke are the world's leading causes of death, claiming an estimated 17.3 million lives in 2008, and representing 30% of all deaths worldwide (1). A heart-healthy environment can help persons make healthy choices to reduce their risk for heart disease. World Heart Day 2014 encourages persons to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease by promoting smoke-free environments, environments that encourage physical activity, access to healthy food choices, and a heart-healthy planet for all.
CDC is working to help create heart-healthy environments in multiple ways, including community-based approaches, such as the Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP), and community-clinical linkages, such as the Million Hearts Initiative. SRCP aims to increase access to and accessibility of lower-sodium food options while building the evidence base on population approaches to reduce sodium consumption at the community level. Million Hearts aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017 by bringing together communities, health systems, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, and private-sector partners from across the country to fight heart disease and stroke and their risk factors.
Additional information about World Heart Day is available at http://www.world-heart-federation.org/?id=123. Additional information about Million Hearts, SRCP, and CDC's Healthy Community Programs is available at http://millionhearts.hhs.gov andhttp://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/programs/healthycommunitiesprogram/index.htm.
Reference
World Health Organization. Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011. Available at http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010
Today's post is shared from cdc.gov
World Heart Day will be observed September 29, 2014. The focus of World Heart Day this year is creating heart-healthy environments in which persons are able to make heart-healthy choices wherever they live, learn, work, and play. Heart disease and stroke are the world's leading causes of death, claiming an estimated 17.3 million lives in 2008, and representing 30% of all deaths worldwide (1). A heart-healthy environment can help persons make healthy choices to reduce their risk for heart disease. World Heart Day 2014 encourages persons to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease by promoting smoke-free environments, environments that encourage physical activity, access to healthy food choices, and a heart-healthy planet for all.
CDC is working to help create heart-healthy environments in multiple ways, including community-based approaches, such as the Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP), and community-clinical linkages, such as the Million Hearts Initiative. SRCP aims to increase access to and accessibility of lower-sodium food options while building the evidence base on population approaches to reduce sodium consumption at the community level. Million Hearts aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017 by bringing together communities, health systems, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, and private-sector partners from across the country to fight heart disease and stroke and their risk factors.
Additional information about World Heart Day is available at http://www.world-heart-federation.org/?id=123
. Additional information about Million Hearts, SRCP, and CDC's Healthy Community Programs is available at http://millionhearts.hhs.gov andhttp://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/programs/healthycommunitiesprogram/index.htm.Reference
World Health Organization. Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011. Available at http://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd_report2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)