Risk Profile Improvement
Occupational hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses in the United States. Approximately 22 million U.S. workers exposed to hazardous noise levels at work, and an additional 9 million exposed to ototoxic chemicals. An estimated $242 million is spent annually on worker’s compensation for hearing loss disability.
via CDC – Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topi.
As temperatures fall and the wind howls, we begin hearing about the danger of “wind chill.” The wind chill index combines the temperature and wind speed to tell you how cold the wind makes it “feel.” Even though the chill is given as a temperature, it’s not really a different kind of temperature. Low wind-chill numbers shouldn’t keep you from going out; they should encourage you to dress properly.
Employee wellness programs have often been viewed as a nice extra, not a strategic imperative. But the data demonstrate otherwise, according to Berry, of Texas A&M University; Mirabito, of Baylor University; and Baun, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Their research shows that the ROI on comprehensive, well-run employee wellness programs is impressive, sometimes as high as six to one.
via What’s the Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs? – HBR.
There are definitely some things you should put in your shopping cart in the name of your child’s health and well-being. Your precariously placed child should not be one of them—especially given that more than 20,000 children a year are treated in US emergency departments for reported shopping cart–related injuries! A majority involve either shopping carts tipping over or sudden falls that occurred within the presence of a watchful adult. To play it safer, consider alternatives to toting your kids around in shopping carts, such as the use of a stroller, wagon, baby carrier, or sling; getting your child to walk the aisles; leaving them at home with appropriate supervision, of course; or even shopping online. If you do choose to cart your child, look for the kid-friendly carts that are low to the ground and often conveniently fashioned after fire trucks or race cars. Also buy in to the following rules, which bear a striking and necessary resemblance to those used on just about every amusement park ride we’ve ever been on.
Why is job hazard analysis important?
Many workers are injured and killed at the workplace every day in the United States. Safety and health can add value to your business, your job, and your life. You can help prevent workplace injuries and illnesses by looking at your workplace operations, establishing proper job procedures, and ensuring that all employees are trained properly.
One of the best ways to determine and establish proper work procedures is to conduct a job hazard analysis. A job hazard analysis is one component of the larger commitment of a safety and health management system.
via Job Hazard Analysis.
My grand daughter asked me “How many times does a heart beat in a lifetime?” I said that’s a good question so let’s do the math. If we average 70 beats a minute x 60 minutes x 24 hours x 365 days x 100 years = 3,679,200,000 (that’s 3.68 billion).
She said “Wow I better take care of my heart if it has to do all that work.”
Emergency medical services (EMS) workers are primary providers of pre-hospital emergency medical care and integral components of disaster response. The potentially hazardous job duties of EMS workers include lifting patients and equipment, treating patients with infectious illnesses, handling hazardous chemical and body substances, and participating in the emergency transport of patients in ground and air vehicles. These duties create an inherent risk for EMS worker occupational injuries and illnesses; and research has shown that they have high rates of fatal injuries and nonfatal injuries and illnesses.
via CDC – Emergency Medical Services Workers – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.
Hundreds of Americans die every year from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.What Is Carbon Monoxide?
You cannot see or smell carbon monoxide (CO), but at high levels it can kill a person in minutes. It is the leading cause of poisoning death, with over 500 victims in the United States each year.
Carbon monoxide is produced whenever a fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal is burned. The amount of CO produced depends mainly on the quality or efficiency of combustion. A properly functioning burner, whether natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), has efficient combustion and produces little CO. However, an out-of-adjustment burner can produce life-threatening amounts of CO without any visible warning signs.
When appliances that burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of CO produced usually is not hazardous. But if appliances are not working properly or are used incorrectly, dangerous levels of CO can collect in an enclosed space. Hundreds of Americans die accidentally every year from CO poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning appliances. Many more people are harmed to some degree each year.
Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) is a strategic business discipline that supports the achievement of an organization’s objectives by addressing the full spectrum of its risks and managing the combined impact of those risks as an interrelated risk portfolio.
ERM represents a significant evolution beyond previous approaches to risk management in that it:
The demands of caregiving can be overwhelming, especially if you feel you have little control over the situation or you’re in over your head. If the stress of caregiving is left unchecked, it can take a toll on your health, relationships, and state of mind—eventually leading to burnout. When you’re burned out, it’s tough to do anything, let alone look after someone else. That’s why making time to rest, relax, and recharge isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.
via Caregiver Stress & Burnout: Tips for Recharging and Finding Balance.