Worker Health and Wellness

East Greenwich, RI – Although 2 out of 3 employees believe their employer cares about their health, many say they are not supplied with resources to support health-improvement efforts, according to a new survey.

Baltimore – Traditional risk-factor assessments might not be enough to detect cardiovascular disease in firefighters, according to a study from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Opioid painkillers increasingly are being prescribed to treat chronic pain, and their use among injured workers may be dangerous if the drug is unwarranted or misused. What should employers and workers know to help encourage safe use of opioids?

A poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that many transportation workers whose jobs demand high levels of alertness go to work without a good night’s sleep. What impact does sleepiness have on job safety, including the effects of cumulative lack of sleep, and how does this affect workers across all U.S. industries?

Worker safety advocates say paid sick days result in healthier workplaces. Several states and municipalities are considering legislation that would require employers to provide paid sick time, and proponents say the movement will continue to grow.

Research Triangle Park, NC – The second phase of a study to evaluate the health of cleanup workers who responded to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is beginning, and researchers are encouraging participants to stay involved with the project.

Brussels – The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (also known as EU-OSHA) has kicked off a two-year campaign on preventing and managing work-related stress.

Washington – Healthy aging at work is the subject of a new NIOSH webpage.

Washington – A new study of a poultry facility in South Carolina has concluded that although musculoskeletal disorder symptoms remained relatively stable after processing line speeds increased, MSD injuries and symptoms at the plant still were higher than the industry average and recommended levels.

San Francisco – First responders who were exposed to particulate matter at Ground Zero during and after 9/11 may be at higher risk for sleep apnea and post-traumatic stress disorder, suggest two new studies presented March 20 at the American Heart Association's EPI/NPAM 2014 Scientific Sessions.