Worker Health and Wellness

Dallas — Work demands that get in the way of family life and family obligations that hinder work performance both can cause chronic stress that may increase workers’ risk for cardiovascular disease, especially among women, warn researchers from Brazil.

Although OSHA's Medical Services and First Aid Standard states that "adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available," the agency doesn't provide a list of required items. Safety+Health reached out to several experts with questions to help workplaces get in compliance.

Washington — The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would close loopholes to provide the reasonable accommodations needed by employees “whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition,” supporters of the legislation contended during an Oct. 22 House hearing.

Chicago — If your daily routine involves drinking at least two glasses of soft drinks – artificially or sugar-sweetened – you may be at an increased risk for early death, according to a team of European researchers.

Muncie, IN — More than 1 out of 3 U.S. working adults aren’t getting enough sleep, and the prevalence of sleep deprivation has increased significantly since 2010, according to researchers from Ball State University.

Kyoto, Japan — Researchers want health care professionals to understand the limits of hand sanitizers, after their study showed that ethanol-based sanitizers can take up to four minutes to disinfect hands that carry the flu virus.

Denver — Nearly 4 out of 5 millennial workers say their employers should do more to support their health and well-being, including making resources more readily available, according to the findings of a recent survey.

Honolulu — Men who are exposed to high levels of pesticides at work face a 45% higher risk of heart disease and stroke, results of a recent study from the University of Hawaii show.

Do you regularly eat at your desk? If so, you’ll want to make sure to “give bacteria the pink slip the next time you desktop dine,” the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says.

Aurora, CO — Small employers, particularly those with 10 or fewer employees, have less success implementing Total Worker Health initiatives than larger organizations, according to a recent study from the Center for Health, Work and Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health.