Worker Health and Wellness

Arlington, VA – Coal mine dust samples taken after the Mine Safety and Health Administration implemented a rule to prevent deadly diseases known as “black lung” suggest that compliance is “highly achievable,” the agency announced April 23 during a hearing of the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee.

Washington – A newly proposed rule from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission aims to provide guidance on how worker wellness programs can comply with provisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

New York – Emergency medical workers have endured chronic health conditions as a result of aiding victims of the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack, indicates a study from the New York City Fire Department and Montefiore Medical Center.

Dallas – Workplace wellness programs do not fully address employees’ heart health, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.

Atlanta – More than 15 percent of asthma cases among employed adults are work-related, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sacramento, CA – The California Department of Industrial Relations has issued a new guidance document to help familiarize employers on the state’s updated heat illness prevention rules, which are set to go into effect May 1.

Pullman, WA – Looking at a tablet computer puts 3 to 5 times more strain on users’ neck muscles than when the neck is not bent, recent research from Washington State University indicates.

Frankfort, KY – Heart attacks are the No. 1 killer of workers in Kentucky, prompting the state to encourage employers to promote good health among employees.

Lowell, MA – A new online program from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, aims to help nurses cope with stress on the job.

Washington – Employers are spending more on wellness programs to improve worker health, but workers are not taking advantage of millions in potential savings, according to the results of a survey from Fidelity Investments and the non-profit organization National Business Group on Health.