11/6/2017 A few months ago the cover of National Geographic Magazine caught my eye. The feature article was titled, “The Science of Addiction.” The subtitle was “How new discoveries about the brain can help us kick the habit.” While this topic may appear to be a little off the main stream of occupational safety and health, I thought the subject to be pertinent as opioid addiction is getting substantial coverage these days. At the same Read more…
10/30/2017 In the early morning hours one day this past June, a 24-story apartment building in London caught fire resulting in the deaths of an estimated 80 people with another 70 persons severely injured. Persons were so badly burned, that as of late September, a number of the victims still could not be identified. The apartment building was known as the Grenfell Tower. The fire is reported to have begun on the fourth floor and, Read more…
10/23/2017 Last weeks’ topic focused on the history of breast cancer. This weeks’ topic discusses the various risk factors of this disease as well as preventative measures. To begin, breast cancer is a malignant tumor (a collection of cancer cells that have multiplied without control and have the ability to invade other tissue) initiating within cells of the breast. According to the American Cancer society: Over 250,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be Read more…
10/16/2017 October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month or NBCAM. While it has been tradition for football players and other athletes to have some type of pink article on their uniform during October, for some reason, this year, it has not been the case. I do not know what has changed as this was an excellent way to raise awareness and to show support for all those fighting breast cancer as well as to remember Read more…
10/2/2017 While hiring temporary workers has been a common practice for years, we are seeing this type of employment increase as many corporations are using this approach as a way to manage peripheral costs while ensuring they have a sufficient work force to perform their work objectives. Temporary employees can have part-time or full-time status and are generally hired on a non-permanent basis. Such persons may work on a project or within an office environment Read more…
5/30/2017 Many of our nations’ cities have people riding their bicycles about town, darting in and out of traffic and challenging drivers for the right of way. In New York City, many companies hire messengers to deliver packages as an inexpensive and fast way to get documents and other items to businesses across town. This mode of delivery service may have its advantages, but make no mistake, for those that opt to be bicycle curriers, Read more…
9/11/2017 First, Texas suffered the devastation of Harvey. And now Irma has come to Florida and is looking just as threatening. But while these storms bring immediate destruction, they will fade; however, another form of devastation is just days away. Due to such traumatic events as the Indian Ocean Earthquake/Tsunami in December, 2004, health organizations like the International and American Red Cross have been focusing on the aftermath effects caused by mass flooding. While a Read more…
Week of September 5, 2017 – Workplace Violence Workplace violence (WPV) is defined as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide. It can affect and involve employees, clients, customers and visitors. At present, homicide is the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States. According to the Read more…
8/28/2017 Today, the automobile industry has many mandatory safety features for any car sold in the United States. Some of the more notable ones include seat belts (actually belt and shoulder strap), locking doors, anti-lock brakes, padded dashboards (yep, they weren’t always standard) and shatter-proof windows. The first recorded car accident was in Ohio City, Ohio in 1891. It was here that the first single-cylinder gasoline automobile hit a tree root, causing the car to Read more…
8/22/2016 It’s still summertime so that means we are still enjoying the outdoor weather. Typically that means taking your family or going out with your friends to county fairs and amusements parks. And whether it’s Disneyland, Magic Mountain or a traveling carnival, it seems that every year we hear about an unfortunate event associated with a ride at one of these venues. This year is no exception. A few weeks ago, a 10-year old boy Read more…