Research/Studies

Washington – Long-haul truck drivers are twice as likely to be obese – and more likely to have other risk factors for chronic disease – as the entire U.S. adult working population, according to recent NIOSH study.

Olympia, WA – Truck driving and protective services are the occupations with the highest percentage of obese workers in Washington state, according to a new study from the state’s Department of Labor and Industries.

Toronto – More than half of National Hockey League players missed at least one game during the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons due to an injury, and concussions accounted for almost one-fifth of the lost-time costs, according to a new study from St. Michael’s Hospital.

Buffalo, NY – Police officers working the night shift are more likely to suffer long-term workplace injuries than officers on other shifts, according to a new study from the University at Buffalo.

Bloemfontein, South Africa – Anatomy and mortuary workers may be in danger of contracting tuberculosis because a certain type of bacteria can remain in dead bodies for up to 36 days, according to a new study from the University of the Free State.

Ottawa – Repeated exposure to heat stress on the job may cause experienced firefighters to become more tolerant to its effects, suggests a new study http://oeh.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15459624.2013.821574 from the University of Ottawa.

Washington – Results of a NIOSH study of workers at a former IBM plant could not establish a definitive link between chemical exposures and cancer risk.

Arlington, VA – Workplace wellness programs assisting with management of chronic disease may help lower health care costs, but program components encouraging the adoption of healthier lifestyles may not lead to cost savings, according to a study from RAND Corp., a nonprofit research institute.

Santa Monica, CA – Post-traumatic stress disorder and depression may be common among private military contractors, suggests a new study from RAND Corp., a nonprofit research institution.

Perth, Australia – Promoting activity in the workplace can help reduce sitting time, but not by much among workers with fixed schedules, according to a new study from Curtin University.