Category: Health

Prescription Drug Overdoses — a U.S. Epidemic

In 2007, approximately 27,000 unintentional drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States, one death every 19 minutes. Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States. The increase in unintentional drug overdose death rates in recent years has been driven by increased use of a class of prescription drugs called opioid analgesics.

via CDC Grand Rounds: Prescription Drug Overdoses — a U.S. Epidemic.

How to Prevent Needlestick and Sharps Injuries

Needlestick and other sharps injuries are a serious hazard in any healthcare setting. Contact with contaminated needles, scalpels, broken glass, and other sharps may expose healthcare workers to blood that contains pathogens which pose a grave, potentially lethal risk.

via CDC – NIOSH Publications and Products – Home Healthcare Workers: How to Prevent Needlestick and Sharps Injuries (2012-123).

Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention

Occupational hearing loss is the most common work-related injury 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 Topic.

How Men Can Increase Health and Energy

An active lifestyle increases your health and energy. Engaging in fitness activities for men improves your moods, sleep, flexibility, balance, endurance, strength and sexual performance. Belly fat in men “increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Michael Jensen at MayoClinic.com. Activities popular with men, such as hiking, running, team sports, surfing, cross-country skiing, circuit training and handball, help maintain your metabolism to prevent weight gain — or encourage weight loss.

via How To Increase Human Health & Energy With Activities For Men | LIVESTRONG.COM.

Effect of Obesity on Workers Comp

There is mounting evidence of obesity contributing to the cost of workers compensation. Longitudinal studies by Duke University of its own employees—and by Johns Hopkins University of employees of a multi-site U.S. aluminum manufacturing company—point to substantially higher odds of injury for workers in the highest obesity category. Further, a 2011 Gallup survey found that obese employees account for a disproportionately high number of missed workdays, thus causing a significant loss in economic output. Finally, earlier NCCI research of workers compensation claims found that claimants with a comorbidity code indicating obesity experience medical costs that are a multiple of what is observed for comparable non-obese claimants.

via NCCI Releases New Research on Indemnity Benefit Duration and Obesity.

Getting Blood Pressure Under Control

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, both of which are leading causes of death in the US. Nearly one-third of all American adults have high blood pressure and more than half of them don’t have it under control. Many with uncontrolled high blood pressure don’t know they have it. Millions are taking blood pressure medicines, but their blood pressure is still not under control. There are many missed opportunities for people with high blood pressure to gain control. Doctors, nurses and others in health care systems should identify and treat high blood pressure at every visit. Blood pressure control means having a systolic blood pressure less than 140 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg, among people with high blood pressure.

via CDC Vital Signs – Getting Blood Pressure Under Control.

Safety Committee Meeting Tips

Health and Safety Committee meetings should be held regularly on a specific day and time and at least on a quarterly basis (i.e. the first Thursday of each month/quarter at 8:30 A.M.). New committees should consider meeting on a more frequent basis. When a meeting schedule is planned well in advance, the members are then in a better position to arrange for their attendance and prepare for discussion.

A typical Committee meeting should include:

  • Review of unfinished items from the previous meeting(s) and/or activities.
  • Status reports from any sub-committees.
  • Discussion/review of safety inspection reports and the actions taken to correct observed hazards.
  • Review of accident/incidents sustained since the previous meeting and a discussion of measures to prevent similar accidents and incidents.
  • Review of the status of current action plans or training programs.
  • Review of outstanding recommendations developed by outside loss control consultants and/or Department of Commerce health and safety compliance inspectors.
  • Discussion about activities related to future action plans and/or training programs.
  • Discussion about special activities such as health fairs.
  • Discussion about new business, future agenda items, projects and meeting dates.

via Safety Committee Guidelines.

Famous Tobacco Victims – Desi Arnaz

Actor Desi Arnaz died of lung cancer on Dec. 2, 1986 at age 69. He was a star of the I Love Lucy TV series with wife Lucille Ball — both were smokers.I Love Lucy was sponsored by Philip Morris, with their cigarette products appearing both in the show and in commercials during the show’s time slot.

via Famous Tobacco Victims | CigaretteZoom.com – Zoom on cigarettes.