Study Shows Employee Health and Safety Education Needs to Start at Home

A need for "home improvement" ...

"Each year in the United States, there are an average of nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits due to unintentional injuries suffered at home, according to the Home Safety Council's "State of Home Safety in America" report.

American businesses bear a significant burden of these home-related injuries, as the same study shows that home injuries can cost employers up to $38 billion in a single year.

The Home Safety Council is working to help reduce this alarming toll by introducing new, free informational materials and resources during Home Safety Month that companies can use to educate employees and their families about how to apply injury prevention practices in and around their homes."   continued ...   (Via Occupational Hazards)

Survey: 43 Percent of Companies Have Formal Health/Wellness Strategy

An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure ...

"Some 43 percent of companies have adopted a formal disease management and health promotion/wellness strategy for their employees, according to a survey of approximately 200 companies conducted by Aon Consulting. Another 19 percent said their management has asked them to explore the possibility of implementing a health management program.

"When you consider these results together with increased implementation of consumer driven health plans, it's clear that senior management has begun to embrace a more holistic approach for managing rising health care costs," said Michele Becker, a vice president with Aon Consulting. She said the challenge employers face is to "balance short-term administrative costs with a desire to impact longer-term health care costs, reduce absence and improve productivity."

Obesity and lack of physical inactivity were the top lifestyle concerns (62.8 percent for the two) for human resource executives surveyed. Another 15 percent cited stress, but only 3 percent rated smoking as their primary concern.

"This is an interesting finding in light of the fact that smoking remains the No. 1 cause of early preventable death in the U.S.," Becker said."   continued ...   (Via Occupational Hazards)

Bill would give small businesses more power against OSHA

Less rather than more? ...

"The Occupational Safety and Health Administration no longer riles businesses by proposing ergonomics regulations or suggesting that employers are responsible for the safety of their employees' home work environments. Those are just bad memories from the Clinton years.

Small businesses, however, still complain that OSHA doesn't treat them fairly when it comes to enforcing workplace safety regulations.

Republicans have responded with legislation that would give small businesses more rights when dealing with the agency."   continued ...   (Via East Bay Business Times)

States Bar Teen Drivers Using Cell Phones

Making DUP (Driving Under Phone) illegal may be the only solution ...

There are a few things that the average teenager absolutely must have in 21st century America — a license to drive is one, a cell phone is another. But police officers, parents, and, increasingly, lawmakers are coming to the conclusion that those essentials are a dangerous mix when combined with inexperience on the road.

A growing number of states are creating legal barriers to keep young drivers from using cell phones, even as few ban adults from talking — at least handsfree — while driving.

"It's not a silver bullet solution, but it's one piece of a puzzle we need to put in place if we're serious about eliminating highway deaths, highway crashes, as the No. 1 cause of death of young Americans," said Maryland Delegate William Bronrott."   continued ...   (Via Yahoo! News)

Simple listening can be a powerful tool for learning

A few examples of macro-ergonomics? ...

"Nowadays, Imada roams the globe from Japan to Brazil to Sweden, a busy consultant and respected pioneer in a field that many people hardly know exists – macro-ergonomics. The field is only about two decades old. The first International Symposium on Human Factors in Organizational Design and Management was held in Waikiki in 1984.

The key, he said, is “listening as if you are in the presence of a great teacher,” even to the lowest status worker on the shop floor. In one study, which involved the sale of tens of millions of dollars worth of hot dogs at a sports stadium, the solution for gaining efficiency was to lower the counters.

This was “not rocket science,” said Imada, because production engineers have long understood that keeping work steps at the same level cuts down on waste motion."   continued ...   (Via The Maui News)

Management-Based Safety Can Take Your Program to New Heights

Hats off to the airline industry ...

"What's the safest industry in the country? According to one consultant, the answer is in the clouds.

In 2002, U.S. scheduled air carriers had 10 million departures, flew more than 7 billion miles, accumulated 17 million flight hours and had 34 accidents – none of which resulted in fatalities, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. That translated to 0.195 accidents per 100,000 flight hours and 0.0048 accidents per 1 million miles flown.

By contrast, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. workplaces in 2002 experienced 4.7 million OSHA recordable injury and illness cases – meaning 5.3 of every 100 employees experienced an OSHA recordable case. Also in 2002, 5,524 workers – five out of every 100,000 employees – died on the job.

Gualardo believes it comes down to several key elements that are ingrained in the airline industry's safety culture: Continuous safety training and re-training of pilots; tightly regulated, preventative maintenance of airplanes; redundant operating systems on airplanes; rigorous self-auditing by pilots (they complete checklists before, during and after the flight) and close airline and third-party monitoring of pilots' conformance to regulatory standards; and pilots' acute awareness of the "ultimate consequence" for taking shortcuts."   continued ...   (Via Occupational Hazards)

Girl probes 'PlayStation thumb'

Well, we have had Blackberry thumb and now it extends to PlayStation thumb ...

"A 13-year-old girl has become the youngest author to be published in South Africa's main medical journal for her research on "PlayStation thumb".
Safura Abdool Karim interviewed 120 of her former schoolmates for a science project about whether they suffered problems after playing computer games.

Symptoms of "PlayStation Thumb" include blisters numbness and tingling, mainly in the thumb, she wrote.

She said the condition is similar to Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)."   continued ...   (Via BBC NEWS)

Working misery

An old story worth mentioning again ...

"If you're wondering why you go home from work every evening with a knot in your neck and an ache in your wrist, the answer may be staring you in the face.

According to a Cnet.com report, doctors in the US are getting more patients who complain of aches and pains because of long hours in front of a laptop computer.

Doctors say the main problem with laptops is that, with the screen and keyboard located close to each other, users are forced to adopt bad postures for extended periods. For instance, they have to hunch to view the monitor."   continued ...   (Via The Electric New Paper)

Lab findings suggest reason cell phones and driving don't mix

It has to do with cognition and attention, not psychomotor function ...

"The reason talking on a cell phone makes drivers less safe may be that the brain can't simultaneously give full attention to both the visual task of driving and the auditory task of listening, a study by a Johns Hopkins University psychologist suggests.

The study, published in a recent issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, reinforces earlier behavioral research on the danger of mixing mobile phones and motoring.

"Our research helps explain why talking on a cell phone can impair driving performance, even when the driver is using a hands-free device," said Steven Yantis, a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the university's Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.

"The reason?" he said. "Directing attention to listening effectively 'turns down the volume' on input to the visual parts of the brain. The evidence we have right now strongly suggests that attention is strictly limited ? a zero-sum game. When attention is deployed to one modality ? say, in this case, talking on a cell phone ? it necessarily extracts a cost on another modality ? in this case, the visual task of driving.""   continued ...   (Via cellular-news)

ASSE: Integrating Fitness into Safety

Fitness can be viewed a preventitive safety ...

"By tightly linking safety, fitness and supervisor leadership, companies can achieve high rates of participation in physical fitness activities and take steps to curb rising health care costs, a safety and health consultant told attendees at the American Society of Safety Engineers' annual conference in New Orleans.

Fred Drennan, president of Team Safety Inc., noted that the work force is aging, with half of the nation's 146 million workers over 40.

"As people age, they become more sedentary," he said, adding that 60 percent of Americans are overweight and out of shape. And many times, he said, worker fitness declines but job tasks remain the same. This contributes to costly cumulative trauma disorders."   continued ...   (Via Occupational Hazards)

A Hearing Aid for Cell Phones

This could be a life saver for the hearing impaired ...

"Can you hear me now?" isn't just a slogan; it's an annoyingly familiar refrain for cell-phone users. Palo Alto startup Sound ID wants to silence that question by outfitting wireless headsets with software used to help the hearing impaired. Its Personal Sound System uses sound-processing algorithms to analyze acoustic environments, so if someone is stuck in a noisy restaurant, the headset instantly boosts the voice signal, separating it from background noise and increasing the volume of human speech by 2 decibels. When the user moves into a quieter room, the levels stabilize. "The system knows which sounds your ear is missing," says Rodney Perkins, Sound ID's founder and chairman."   continued ...   (Via Business 2.0)

Construction industry is warned about back injuries

The construction industry is vulnerable to many health and safety problems ...

"Health inspectors will today warn the construction industry of the dangers of back injuries.

Over 270 Scottish construction companies are due to gather for a safety awareness day in Livingston, West Lothian.

The industry suffers from one of the poorest records of back-related injuries. Experts say many instances can be easily avoided if preventative action is taken by employers and employees.

The day will focus on ergonomics in the construction sector, a demonstration of helpful lifting aids and alternative light-weight materials that can be used to reduce the risk of injury."   continued ...   (Via Scotsman)

BrailleNote PK

A great PDA for blind users ...

"I’m loving the BrailleNote PK, a PDA for the blind. It has an 18-cell Braille display, Bluetooth, and just about everything you need to handle your appointments, notes, and contacts in a tiny package. Essentially, this is an ActiveSync compatible PIM with stopwatch, e-book reader, word processor, and a lot of amazing stuff. There’s also a text-to-speech system and a video-out for the sighted."   continued ...   (Via Gizmodo)

Poor posture at screen can be pain in the neck

A few practical tips from a user ...

"I'm old — 58 — and most of the players are young. The other night, I was playing with a group that had to stop our killing ways when a fellow warrior was told by his mom to go to bed.

I should be sitting with my feet on the floor, my neck should be straight, and the monitor should be about 18 to 30 inches away from my eyes. Ergonomic experts tell me that what seems comfortable at first — like my lazy posture — can cause pain over time. The monitor should be at eye level, especially for people who wear bifocals or trifocal lenses.

Posture is just one step to comfortable computing. Here are some others:

• Loosen up
• Take breaks
• Level with me
• Turn down the lights
• And more ..."

   continued ...   (Via Daily Sentinel)

ASSE: Changes in Safety Practice Needed to Prevent Serious Injuries

It doesn't appear to be getting any better ...

"Citing an "adverse trend" in the number of serious work injuries and the average cost of workers' compensation claims, veteran safety expert Fred Manuele called for safety professionals to take steps to assess their organization's experience with severe injuries and determine how to prevent them.

At an ASSE session titled "Preventing Fatalities and Serious Injuries: What are We Missing?" Manuele, president of Hazards Ltd., showed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that the percentage of nonfatal injuries and illnesses involving 20 or less days away from work had fallen from 1995 to 2001. However, for incidents involving 21-30 days, there was a slight increase and for 31 or more days, the increase was nearly 23 percent.

Manuele's conclusion is that "the frequency of worker injuries is down; serious injuries are more prominent within the entirety of the lost-worktime cases reported; and average workers' compensation claims costs have risen at a remarkable rate."   continued ...   (Via Occupational Hazards)

Toyota evolves the airbag

This should save some injuries - on slow crashes also ...

"Instead of getting your head biffed by one big airbag when you crash, Toyota’s new safety system takes the pressure off your poor melon.

If like us you’ve dinked your motor once (or three times), you’ll know that getting a face full of airbag isn’t quite as painless as having a party balloon bounced off your nose. So in a move to save your nose and neck from talking a pounding should you crash, Toyota’s new airbag system (pictured) distributes the impact via two airbags that fire most of the pressure onto your shoulders while still supporting your head."   continued ...   (Via T3)

Boeing Displays B/E Aerospace MiniPod Seats Aboard Its New 777-200LR Worldliner

Talk about the ergonomics of travel ...

"B/E Aerospace today announced that Boeing has selected a version of B/E's lie-flat MiniPod seat that's now available to customers for the business class cabin on the new Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner, the world's longest range passenger jet. In addition, B/E's Flight Structures Integration unit manufactured various interior structures for the aircraft. The 777-200LR, which is being showcased at the Paris Air Show, will display the latest technologies and options available for Boeing aircraft interiors.

Winner of the coveted Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, the MiniPod product line offers many unique and customizable amenities and features for the business traveler, including advanced electric systems and controls for infinite adjustability from the upright dining and working positions to the lie-flat bed mode. A patented articulating arm structure moves downward as the seat reclines, providing additional bed width and comfort. The fixed back shell provides greater privacy and personal space, and can be outfitted with additional passenger controls and reading lights. Other features, such as a back massager, laptop power outlet and storage spaces for shoes and other passenger items are also available."   continued ...   (Via Yahoo Finance)

Proper desk setup and lighting protect eyes, wrists, neck and back

A good set of practical tips ...

"You're headed home from work. You notice your neck is stiff, your wrists are sore, and your eyes are tired. Just another day at the office, you think.

But with a few adjustments here and there, and perhaps some assistance from your company's human resources department (or maybe a helpful administrative assistant) you can reduce the physical stress and strain resulting from a poorly planned and structured workstation.

The University of Missouri's Department of Environmental Heath and Safety has published a Work Station Ergonomics Self-Help Guide to help workers make workplaces safer and more comfortable. The following information is annotated (with permission) from that guide:"   continued ...   (Via FortWayne.com)

Ergonomics Certification

An extensive list of training and certification for various aspects of ergonomics ...

Workplace stress an injury, not a disease

Stress as an injury opens door to worker's comp ...

"It's about time the mental, emotional and physical damage caused by workplace stress is recognized for that it is - an injury and not a disease.

"Recognizing the workplace as a stressor is long overdue," says Clarke Walker. "Once workplace stress is seen as an injury, its causes can be removed the same way we already deal with other hazzards like harassment, dangerous equipment, toxic materials and unsafe working conditions."

Clarke Walker says that if researchers categorize stress as an injury, it would bring an end to the discrimination experienced by workers whose stress-related injuries render them unable to work but who are denied assistance from Workers' Compensation Boards because they are deemed to be sick rather than hurt. However, she also cautions researchers to not reinvent the wheel over the course of their work."   continued ...   (Via PR Direct)

Reducing the Risk of Manual Materials Handling

You have to identify the risk before you can reduce the risk ,,,

"Tasks such as carrying boxes or lifting crates lead to hundreds of thousands of injuries a year. Here are some steps you can take to assess the risks in your workplace and reduce this costly occupational hazard.

In the workplace, we can view manual materials handling (MMH) as any process in which the human operator is asked or required to lift, lower, push, pull, carry or perform any other similar task in which an object is moved through space solely under the power of the human operator. Additionally, some assisted activities such as pushing a cart or using a mechanical assist still may be viewed as a manual materials handling task.

Many in the work force view materials handling tasks as only those tasks that involve weights that are perceived as heavy. In truth, MMH involves any handling of a product, whether it is a pencil or a 70-pound piece of electronics equipment. MMH is not relegated solely to heavy manufacturing environments; it includes jobs in a plant where a person has to lift a 1-pound component and jobs in an office where a person must lift a 55-pound computer monitor."   continued ...   (Via Occupational Hazards)

Early Computing's Long, Strange Trip

This looks like an interesting new book with a different slant ...

"Does history matter? No one would think of reading Shakespeare without learning enough of the historical context to understand the Bard's words. But does the history of science and technology matter in a similar way? Does knowing the first thing about the exotic megalomaniac Nikola Tesla make any difference at all to a young engineer plugging a computer into an alternating-current outlet (one of Tesla's inventions that we take for granted today)? After all, the AC outlet will work whether Tesla is remembered or not.

Let's focus the question more narrowly: Does the history of computers as we experience them—the history of the user-interface design, for instance—matter? I say yes. Like Shakespearean English, the computer is a tool that must be understood in depth to be deeply useful, and the richer the information about context, the richer the understanding.

It is nothing short of bizarre, then, that it has taken so long for a book to appear that chronicles the early cultural history of the personal computer. John Markoff's What the Dormouse Said (the title is taken from the lyrics of the Jefferson Airplane song "White Rabbit") tells the story of the important period when the personal computer and the Internet as we know them came into being. He also describes how a new culture of drugs, sex and rock and roll was created at the same time as the computers, sometimes in the same rooms, by some of the same people. Some readers may be shocked by the degree to which the design of modern computing was a central component of the 1960s counterculture in Northern California."   continued ...   (Via American Scientist)

What the Dormouse Said: How the 60s Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer



Check-out more books at Usernomics.

Safety Catalyst: Focusing on Health for High-level Safety Performance

How to make safety performace work ...

"When it comes to improving employee safety and health, the sum is definitely greater than the parts.

Many safety professionals admit feeling frustrated trying to help others change their behavior in order to prevent life-threatening events. I've heard numerous pros wonder, "It's in their own best interests. Why won't they act safely?"

The implications for safety professionals are staggering. While we've made significant strides in safety, many organizations have hit a plateau in preventing personal injuries. This could be due to many reasons – not knowing what replacement behaviors to try, thinking about but not changing habits, or not having the energy or motivation to make needed personal change. In addition, an aging work force, while a more experienced one, may be more prone to heart disease, hypertension, arthritis and diabetes, as well as musculo-skeletal cumulative trauma and other health concerns."   continued ...   (Via Occupational Hazards)

The best working posture

Several ergonomics tips from Ceylon ...

"Manjari Peiris in conversation with Dr. Nirupa Pallewatte of the Health Education, Bureau on Computer workstation Ergonomics.

Ergonomics is the science that studies the relationship of workers to their working environment in order to get the maximum efficiency of them.

If ergonomics is applied in a correct manner in the work environment, visual and muscular discomfort and fatigue can be reduced considerably.

Very often injuries are caused by excessive and repeated physical stress on the musculoskeletal system - the hands, wrists, elbow, shoulders, neck and back.

By adhering to the principles of ergonomics, stress and many potential injuries and disorders associated with over use of muscles, bad posture and repeated tasks may be reduced and eliminated."   continued ...   (Via Daily News Online)

Researcher sees future where people walk at work

Exercise while working is great. I wonder how his wrists will fee? ...

"Sitting at their desks is about the last thing workers would do in Dr. James Levine's office of the future.

Instead of being sedentary in front of their computers, they'd stand. But instead of standing still, they'd walk on a treadmill. And instead of meeting around a conference table, they'd talk business while walking laps on a track.

That's exactly how Levine, a Mayo Clinic obesity researcher, and several of his colleagues have been working for the past five weeks or so."   continued ...   (Via USATODAY)

Costs of Preventable Injuries 'Crippling' the Nation, NSC Warns

The necessity of safety programs cries out ...

"Each year, preventable injuries send nearly 27 million Americans to hospital emergency rooms for treatment and another 100,000 to early graves, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).

The personal devastation caused by a disabling injury or injury-related death is compounded by the related costs, which annually exceed $600 billion, or about $5,700 per household, according to NSC.

"The costs associated with preventable injuries are crippling individuals, families, businesses and the health care system," said Alan C. McMillan, president and chief executive officer of NSC. "The National Safety Council is committed to preventing and mitigating the suffering and economic loss caused by these injuries.""   continued ...   (Via Occupational Hazards)

OSHA, Airline Group Renew Alliance; Will Continue Addressing Ergonomic Issues Related to Safe Handling of Checked Baggage

There is hope yet ...

"An Alliance between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and a group of 13 airlines and the International Air Transport Section of the National Safety Council (NSC) was renewed today to continue building on successes and further protect workers in the airline industry. The agreement was first launched in November 2002 and first renewed in April 2004.

"Our association with OSHA, the National Safety Council and a consortium of airlines has been and continues to be the source for open dialogue on ergonomic issues as well as an industry venue for benchmarking," added Jim Swartz, Director of Corporate Safety for Delta Air Lines, Inc. "This is the third phase of our long term approach to address baggage handling in the travel industry."    continued ...   (Via Yahoo! News)

Bilingual road signs pass test

Hummm, do the accidents count? ...

"Bilingual road signs are just as easy to read as monolingual ones, as long as the words are laid out clearly, according to new Canadian research.

But the findings also imply an increased risk of accidents if the languages on signs are not easy to distinguish as drivers approach.

Psychologists were commissioned to carry out laboratory tests three months ago by the government of Ontario, which will soon introduce bilingual signs for variable messages such as warnings of queues, accidents or lane closures."   continued ...   (Via icWales)

Ergonomics, Part 2: Ergonomic devices

This report covers keyboards, pointing devices, software, and general tips for safe computing ...

"The world is full of devices associated with the word ergonomic. A scholar trying to learn the word by studying the way it's used in today's culture is likely conclude that it means "curvy" or possibly "funny-looking." Nearly all mice, trackballs, and other devices are now described as ergonomic; this doesn't mean they're all good for you to use.

Unfortunately, unless you use a given gizmo for a few hours, it's hard to get a feel for how it will work for you. Still, experimentation is the tried-and-true method to determine the level of ergonomic satisfaction you will get from a device. Borrow mice from friends to see how you like them. Try keyboards out in the store."   continued ...   (Via IBM)

Emergency text service for deaf

A sensible approach ...

"A new PSNI text messaging service will mean people with hearing or speech problems will be able to contact the emergency services using mobile phones.

The project was developed by the police in partnership with the Deaf Association of NI and British Telecom.

People who register with the service will be able to use their mobile phones to text the police, who in turn will contact the relevant emergency service."   continued ...   (Via BBC NEWS)

March 29 - 31, 2006 ERGONOMA: 4th European Tradeshow on Workplace and Work situations Ergonomics Solutions at Thurn & Taxis, Brussels, Belgium

The international meeting place for ergonomics users and practitioners - showing ergonomic furniture, equipment and accessories for office and industrial workplaces, services from consultants, designers, professional ergonomic bodies internationally."   continued ...   (Via EurOhs)

Promoting health and safety as a key goal of the corporate social responsibility agenda executive summary

An interesting view from the UK ...

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has many definitions but, in essence, it is based on the integration of economic, social, ethical and environmental concerns in business operations. The major social concerns include the welfare of the key stakeholders in the business, especially employees.

The study established that CSR is gaining in influence and, as the CSR movement comes of age, it is becoming mainstreamed in the measurement and reporting of business performance on which the financial services industry bases its investment decisions. This places a burden on organisations such as HSC/E to demonstrate why and how OHS is a material issue for the reputation of companies and for their business performance.

HSC/E must demonstrate that OHS is a reputational risk issue for all types of business. For the reputational risk to be material, it needs to be shown that companies that fail to adequately address occupational safety and health are in danger of losing public trust with a consequent loss of profit and shareholder value. Public awareness is key to making OHS a material issue for reputational risk. The focus here should be that whilst HSC/E raises public awareness, especially of occupational health issues, HSE’s Business Involvement Unit translates the message into CSR language to engage with the CSR movement."   continued ...   (Via EurOhs)

Common Mistakes in Confined Space Monitoring

A great list of mistakes made in confined space safety ...

"A confined space is no place to "learn as you go." Learn how to avoid these potentially deadly errors in the work world's most dangerous spaces.

Learning from practical, real-world experience often requires learning from your own mistakes. In many cases, this can be an effective way of developing greater levels of competence and understanding in a given subject. Unfortunately, when mistakes are made in confined space monitoring, the cost of this education is often measured in the number of lives lost.

The deadly nature of confined spaces leaves little room for error and even less opportunity to "learn as you go." Learning about some common mistakes before entering a confined space will go a long way toward establishing a workplace air monitoring program based on industry best practices." continued ... (Via Occupational Hazards)

Lean Behavior-Based Safety

Even small businesses can now comply ...

"The business climate has drastically changed since 1984. Behavior-based safety (BBS), in general, has not! Even a proven technology with documented results such as BBS must eventually evolve with the prevailing business climate. The traditional BBS process is fat and out of touch with the realities of today's worksites. Sites considering BBS are concerned about both the internal and external costs. Sites that already have implemented BBS are straining to provide the resources necessary to continue the process. Other sites have decided not to implement because of the costs and inefficiencies. A leaner approach that remains true to the original principles has proven to be the answer to all these problems.

Those that have opted out of the BBS trend because of expense or resource requirements now have new options. Firms that have traditional BBS processes have a way to reduce manpower requirements without sacrificing effectiveness. The leaner version may be a better fit for small sites, sites with limited budgets and/or sites with inadequate resource availability. Simply using parts of the technology without opting for the whole process may prove effective for those with specialized needs, difficult logistics and cultural complications including union resistance. This new way of thinking about BBS has brought a useful technology into the realities of today's business climate." continued ... (Via Occupational Hazards)