Worker Health and Wellness

London — People who are aware that their co-workers are using employer-provided mental health benefits may be more likely to use them too, researchers say.

Richland, WA — Spending just three days working a night shift “can knock the body’s biological rhythms off course, disrupting important processes related to blood glucose regulation, energy metabolism and inflammation,” researchers from Washington State University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory say.

Taking prescription medicines known as “Z-drugs” for insomnia may lead to complex sleep behaviors, overdose, injury and – in rare cases – death, the Food and Drug Administration cautions in a recent alert.

Washington — OSHA’s Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health has unanimously recommended that the agency move forward with its proposed standard on protecting workers from excessive heat.

New York — Female nail technicians have a higher occurrence of reproductive health issues than other women, according to a new report from the New York Healthy Nail Salons Coalition.

Chicago — A large majority of workers are either burned out or feel ambivalent about their job, results of a recent survey show.

Tumwater, WA — A new webpage offers resources for fostering mental wellness in the workplace and supporting workers who have a diagnosed mental illness.

Ann Arbor, MI — “Working memory” may play a key role in helping workers avoid getting distracted, results of a recent University of Michigan and Google study suggest.

Washington — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a Heat and Health Initiative to help protect workers from dangerous conditions.

College Station, TX — Three out of 4 solid waste workers say their employer considers workplace safety and health important, yet only 1 in 4 feel encouraged to share safety-related suggestions.