Seasonal Safety

Secaucus, NJ — Lyme disease is becoming more common outside the Northeast and more prevalent in the United States overall, a recent study by lab services provider Quest Diagnostics shows.

Even if you don’t live or work in an earthquake-prone area, don’t dismiss the threat. Earthquakes can occur in all 50 states.

The threat of lightning is one of the hazards of working outdoors. OSHA points out that employees who work outdoors in open spaces or on or near tall objects have a significant risk for exposure to lightning.

Summer is here, which means the weather is warmer, more people are on the roads and highway construction work is underway.

If you work outside, it’s important to know about cold stress. Cold stress is a preventable danger that involves a person’s skin temperature – and eventually internal body temperature – dropping to levels at which the body cannot warm itself, according to OSHA. This can lead to serious injuries, including permanent tissue damage and death. Types of cold stress include trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia.

As outdoor temperatures plummet, employers and employees alike can take steps to help prevent injuries and illnesses when workers have to brave the elements to get the job done.

Menlo Park, CA – The holiday season brings with it a mix of joy and stress for workers: 51 percent say they’re more cheerful at work this time of year, but 35 percent feel more work-related pressure, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by Accountemps, a finance staffing firm.

Arlington, VA – More than 40 percent of health care professionals who reported at least one symptom of influenza during a recent flu season did not stay home from work, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nothing brings people together like food. And with the holidays fast approaching, office potlucks will be kicking into full swing, so it’s a good time to talk about safe food-handling practices.