SafetyBlog
OSHA's New Record-Taking Rule Now in Effect
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) new record-taking rule is now in effect.Last May, OSHA announced that it was revising a safety rule used for reporting workplace injuries and illnesses. Known as the "Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illness" rule, it governs the way in which workers report injuries and illness that occur in the workplace. The newly revised rule specifically contains two notable provisions. First and foremost, the new rule requires employers to
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Feb 6th 2017
Should We Revise the Standard 40-Hour Work Week?
40 hours is the typical amount that Americans work in a given week. It's been this way for a while, with countless Americans waking up and going to work for 40 hours each week. However, there's new evidence suggesting that we should work fewer hours, which could offer some surprising benefits.For the study, researchers analyzed 8,000 men and women, paying close attention the amount of time they work and their overall health. So, what did they discover? Researchers found that people who worked fo
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Feb 2nd 2017
Smoking Costs $1.4 Trillion
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. According to a recent study, it even costs the world's economy approximately $1.4 trillion, while also consuming roughly 1/20th of global healthcare spending.Researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO) and American Cancer Society made these startling revelations earlier this month, saying some 40% of the costs associated with smoking falls on the shoulders of developing countries. These costs include $422 billion for healthcar
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Jan 31st 2017
How Stress Affects Heart Health
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some 600,000 Americans lose their lives from heart disease each year -- and that's only in the U.S. While medical researchers have identified a number of risk factors associated with heart disease, psychological stress continues to top the list as being one of the most influential. A new study further investigates the link between str
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Jan 30th 2017
Workplace Injuries Cost $1 Billion Per Week
Some employers wrongfully assume that workplace safety programs are too costly to implement. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), for instance, requires employers to provide workers with the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for their respective jobs. For construction workers, this may include gloves, a hard hat, impact-resistant goggles/eyewear, and steel-toed boots. While buying these items costs money, employers should view them as a long-term investment, an
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Jan 25th 2017