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)